Principal Scientist, Protein Sciences

ROLE SUMMARY

As a Principal Scientist in the Cellular, Genomic, and Protein Sciences (CGPS) department, you will be a leader for the protein purification operations. In the lab and meeting room, you will be responsible for construct design and purification from bacterial, insect, and mammalian cells to meet the needs of Project Teams. With your industry-leading knowledge of the discipline, you will be recognized as a technical expert and a scientific contributor who routinely partners with and mentors junior colleagues within the department and across therapeutic areas. Your innovation and creativity in developing novel processes, technologies, and new ideas will be used to drive multiple projects from gene through screen across a variety of therapeutic areas. You'll be responsible for pushing the edges of protein chemistry to maintain our position as world-leading Protein Sciences pipeline that serves a world-leading Drug Discovery pipeline for patients.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Represent Protein Sciences at the project team level, helping to guide new targets from gene through screen.
  
• Lead technology and process developments in Protein Purification. This can include protein engineering efforts.
  
• Troubleshoot scientific and technical challenges. Mentor more junior scientists to do the same.
  
• Design constructs for expression in bacterial, insect, and mammalian cells to produce high quality recombinant proteins, protein complexes, and RNA.
  
• Purify and characterize recombinant proteins to enable high throughput assays, biophysical assays, and structural efforts.
  
• Leading efforts for publications, patents, and conferences.
  
• Prepare internally reviewed technical reports, make oral presentations to scientists and management.
  

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD and Postdoc in Biochemistry, Structural Biology, or a related discipline with 4+ years experience in protein chemistry or M.S. with 11+ years of experience including industry experience.
  
• Experience leading teams, but a strong desire to be at least 75% lab-based.
  
• Experience in expression construct design for high yield protein production in bacterial, insect, and mammalian cells.
  
• Demonstrated ability to purify proteins ranging from protein domains to challenging large multi-subunit and protein complexes and integral membrane proteins.
  
• Characterization of proteins by analytical and biophysical methods including aSEC, fSEC, DLS, DSF, SEC-MALS, and other methods to monitor conformation, oligomerization, and stability.
  
• Experience using Akta purification systems.
  
• Strong understanding of protein chemistry and protein analytics, including the recent scientific literature.
  
• Demonstrated ability to obtain results and drive innovative research programs independently.
  
• Strong working knowledge of the drug development process for progression of projects to identify lead compounds and/or proteins.
  
• Self-motivated, organized, and capable of working independently and in a collaborative environment.
  
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
  

NICE-TO-HAVE

• Phage, yeast, or mRNA display for generation of antibodies, single domain antibodies, or scFv
  
• Scientific programming and data analysis skills
  
• Knowledge of Rosetta or other popular modeling software
  

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Sitting, standing, lifting, bending, and walking. Ability to perform practical laboratory bench work and work on a computer (while standing or sitting). Ability to perform mathematical calculations and interpret data.

NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Minimal, if any travel related to this position. Candidate may periodically be asked to travel to the Pfizer Cambridge, MA site to meet project team members.
  
• Candidate must comply with laboratory safety practices.
  

ADDITIONAL JOB INFORMATION

• Last Date to Apply is November 1, 2021
  
• Relocation support available
  
• Eligible for employee referral bonus
  

#LI-PFE

Pfizer requires all U.S. new hires to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to the first date of employment. As required by applicable law, Pfizer will consider requests for Reasonable Accommodations.

Sunshine Act

Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider's name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.

EEO & Employment Eligibility

Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer.

Research and Development