Principal Scientist​/Head of Antibody Discovery

Principal Scientist/Head of Antibody Discovery

Work for an Organization that brings innovative therapies to patients worldwide.

VectorY harnesses the therapeutic power of antibodies and AAV-based delivery methods to create durable treatments for neurodegenerative diseases with significant unmet medical needs.

Founded in August 2020, and based in the Amsterdam Science Park, VectorY is a fully integrated precision medicines company focused on the development of innovative vectorized antibody therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Huntington’s disease.

Short description of the Discovery department

The Discovery Team operates within the Research Department, collaborating closely with the preclinical Translational Group to underpin VectorY’s pipelines. Our responsibilities include designing innovative intrabody candidates and assessing their efficacy in a toolbox of in vitro preclinical models, with the goal of identifying and progressing promising agents toward clinical development.

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Principal Scientist, Head of Antibody Discovery to lead and shape our antibody and intrabody discovery efforts. This role is a unique opportunity to drive the scientific strategy, build and mentor a high- performing team, and advance a cutting-edge pipeline of antibody-based therapeutics targeting neurodegenerative diseases.

As a key member of the Discovery team, you will define and execute the antibody discovery strategy across multiple programs, ensuring scientific excellence, innovation, and timely delivery of high-quality candidates into development.

Main responsibilities:

Define and drive the antibody/intrabody discovery strategy aligned with company pipeline goals

Lead target-to-lead activities, including hit identification, screening, and optimization

Establish and continuously improve discovery platforms (e.g., display technologies, screening assays, intracellular antibody approaches)

Integrate advanced technologies (e.g., AI-guided design, high-throughput screening, single-cell approaches)

Provide scientific oversight across multiple preclinical programs

Drive data-driven decision-making and ensure high scientific rigor

Build, lead, and mentor a multidisciplinary antibody discovery team

Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and collaboration

Set clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations

Attract, develop, and retain top scientific talent

Drive external collaborations (CROs, academic partners, technology providers) Continuously evaluate emerging technologies to maintain competitive advantage

Contribute to external scientific visibility (publications, conferences, partnerships)

Support business development activities and due diligence efforts

Skills and

Qualifications:

PhD in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or related field

10+ years of experience in antibody discovery and engineering (biotech/pharma preferred)

Protein/antibody engineering essential; structural biology and computational design strongly preferred

Proven track record of delivering antibody candidates from discovery to development

Deep expertise in one or more discovery platforms (Phage/yeast/mammalian display, B cell screening, single-cell technologies)

Deep expertise in antibody/VHH develop ability and biophysical characterisation, including stability, aggregation, and expression, for intrabody development.

Demonstrated experience in leading teams and managing complex programs

Excellent communication skills in English

Your Natural Strengths and Drivers

Strategic thinking and scientific vision

Strong leadership and people management skills

Excellent communication and stakeholder management

High level of scientific rigor and data-driven decision-making

Ability to balance innovation with delivery and timelines

Working at VectorY

Challenging and varied work with a real impact. We offer a personal and authentic experience within a young, ambitious biotech company with an established and strong infrastructure on the path to bring innovative therapies to patients worldwide.