Senior Scientist​/Principal Scientist

Prellis Biologics is an AI-driven therapeutics company developing the EXIS™ platform, an integrated, rapid, immune-guided discovery and engineering engine that combines machine learning, biology at scale, and proprietary 3D-printed human lymph node organoids to deliver validated antibody drug candidates in weeks. We're expanding our internal pipeline across obesity, inflammation and immunology (I&I), and oncology, and are assembling a team of discovery biologists, computational scientists, and protein scientists who want to help us get life-changing therapeutics to patients faster.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior / Principal Scientist to lead functional assay development and execution in support of our therapeutic antibody discovery and characterization pipeline. You will drive functional assay strategy from concept to routine execution, with particular emphasis on cardiometabolic biology alongside additional therapeutic areas (I&I, IO, etc.), that scales with a rapidly growing pipeline. This is a laboratory-based, hands-on role requiring regular on-site bench work.

• Assay design & development: Design, optimize, and validate cell-based functional assays (e.g., HTRF, reporter, on-cell binding, phospho-signaling readouts) from conception through tech transfer to routine screening use, supporting cardiometabolic programs as well as I&I and IO pipelines
• Cardiometabolic assay strategy: Apply domain expertise in cardiometabolic signaling pathways to translate target biology into assay designs that support go/no-go decisions across discovery programs
• Queue execution: Run functional assays against the standing screening queue, ensuring consistent throughput and data quality
• Cross-functional partnership: Coordinate across the discovery pipeline, including High-Throughput Discovery, Protein Sciences, Cell Line Development, and Data Science teams, to ensure functional assay requirements and capacity stay aligned with program and company-wide priorities
• Throughput optimization: Evaluate and implement approaches for assay miniaturization and automation to scale capacity as the pipeline grows
• Reporting: Prepare clear, concise reports summarizing experimental results and assay strategy recommendations for cross-functional teams and leadership

• Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, or related field with equivalent industry experience – Senior Scientist: 3-5 years, Principal Scientist: 5+ years
• Hands-on experience developing cell-based functional assays from scratch, not solely executing established protocols
• Strong hands-on experience with mammalian cell lines, including stable cell line generation
• Familiarity with high-content imaging platforms is a plus
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills
• Mentorship of junior researchers; clear scientific communication

At Prellis we integrate human biology with machine learning. We aim to revolutionize drug discovery by harnessing the power of the human immune system with tightly integrated machine learning to develop next-generation antibody therapeutics with unparalleled speed, precision, and safety. We are committed to empowering our pharmaceutical partners with access to the most promising fully human antibody candidates rapidly identified from the human immune repertoire, enabling them to bring life-changing treatments to patients faster than ever before.

Prellis Biologics is a pre-IPO biotech located in Berkeley, CA with a team-oriented, inclusive, and family-friendly culture. Our growing pipeline targets high unmet patient needs across therapeutic areas including metabolic disease, inflammation, and oncology. Prellis has raised funding from top investors, including Celesta, Khosla Ventures, SOSV, and Avidity Partners.

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we’ll support your…