Principal Protein Scientist - Membrane to-Express Proteins Digital Focus

Principal Protein Scientist - Membrane & Difficult-to-Express Proteins with Digital Focus

• Full-time

Syngenta Crop Protection is a leader in agricultural innovation, bringing breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow healthy and nutritious food while taking care of the planet. We offer a leading portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, as well as digital solutions that transform the decision‑making capabilities of farmers. Our 17,900 employees serve to advance agriculture in more than 90 countries around the world.

Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and is part of the Syngenta Group.

Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. Regardless of your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding an ever‑increasing population while taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture.

We have an exciting opportunity for a lab‑based, data‑driven principal protein scientist specialising in difficult to express and membrane proteins. This position emphasises hands‑on protein science work (70%) while embracing digital innovation through AI‑based tools and emerging technologies (30%). You will seamlessly integrate traditional bench work with modern computational methods to accelerate protein discovery and optimise delivery processes. The role demands both practical laboratory excellence and the ability to harness digital technologies, creating a dynamic blend of established protein science techniques and innovative computational approaches.

Within this role you will lead strategic protein projects and initiatives, collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to advance Syngenta’s scientific and digital capabilities. Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and delivering expression and purification projects from concept to implementation, providing scientific, data‑driven leadership and technical guidance to team members and project stakeholders through product lines.
• Applying and evaluating AI based tools (e.g., Alpha Fold, Protein MPNN) for protein design, prediction, and optimisation, integrating outputs into experimental planning.
• Developing innovative approaches to overcome complex protein challenges by combining experimental expertise with computational insights and employing digital approaches.
• Driving continuous improvement through data analytics, process automation, and adoption of emerging digital technologies to enhance reproducibility, efficiency, and scalability.
• Collaborating with cross‑functional teams (biology, chemistry, digital, data science) to deliver on key project and portfolio objectives.
• Exploring and piloting new digital platforms, including microfluidics, closed‑loop protein production systems, and AI‑enabled decision support tools.
• Creating science work plans with relevant outsourcing partners, ensuring integration of data‑driven approaches and digital collaboration tools.
• Working safely, ensuring compliance with company HSE policies.

• PhD/Postdoctoral level or equivalent experience in Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, or related fields.
• Extensive hands‑on experience with protein expression in eukaryotic hosts, purification, and characterization, with expertise in protein purification techniques (broad experience with chromatography methods including affinity, ion exchange (IEX), hydrophobic interaction (HIC), and size exclusion (SEC and FSEC).
• Hands on experience with difficult to express proteins (e.g., peptides) and membrane proteins, including use of novel detergents/nanobodies (incl. MSPs).
• Extensive laboratory‑based protein science expertise alongside a forward‑thinking, data‑driven approach.
• Knowledge of protein characterisation methods for quality assessment (including biophysical techniques) and molecular design for expression constructs, with demonstrated use of AI tools for protein modelling, prediction, and optimisation.
• Strong understanding of recombinant protein expression systems including baculovirus and mammalian.
• Proven track record of scientific innovation…