Director & Head of in vivo IgG Discovery

Director / Senior Director, In Vivo Antibody Discovery

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That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us.

Everything we do in EMD Electronics is to help us deliver on our purpose of being the company behind the companies, advancing digital living. We are dedicated to being the trusted supplier of high-tech materials, services and specialty chemicals for the electronics, automotive and cosmetics industries. We foster a global collaborative organization made up of individuals who have the passion to win, obsess about the customer, are relentlessly curious and act with urgency.

Together, we push the boundaries of science to make more possible for our customers.

Your Role:

As Director / Senior Director, in vivo Antibody Discovery, you will establish and lead a dedicated team of scientists and associate scientists responsible for the in vivo antibody discovery engine at EMD Serono. You will define the vision, implement a high-throughput discovery strategy, and personally contribute scientific expertise across all phases of the workflow.

Team & Laboratory Build-Out

• Design and establish a best-in-class in vivo antibody discovery laboratory, including infrastructure, workflows, SOPs, and quality standards.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop a team of scientists and associate scientists covering vivarium operations (animal maintenance and immunization) as well as hit discovery activities.
• Define team roles, responsibilities, and growth paths; foster a collaborative, rigorous, and innovative scientific culture.
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for high-throughput antibody hit identification, with clear KPIs and milestones aligned to portfolio needs.

In Vivo Immunization

• Lead and oversee multi-modal immunization campaigns in rodent models, including protein, DNA, lipid nanoparticle (LNP), nanodisc, and cell-based immunization strategies.
• Apply deep expertise in antigen design in collaboration with Structure Biology and Protein Sciences to maximize the quality and diversity of antibody responses.
• Ensure compliance with all institutional and regulatory animal care and use requirements

Hit Identification & Paratope Retrieval

• Establish and operate state-of-the-art platforms for antibody hit identification, such as single B cell sorting, hybridoma generation and microfluidics-based screening.
• Ensure heavy chain and light chain pairing throughout the discovery workflow to preserve native antibody specificities.
• Implement reliable methods for genetic recovery of paratope sequences (VH/VL), including single-cell RT-PCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based repertoire analysis, and related technologies.

Preclinical Program Support

• Partner within NBE, with Pharmacology, and Translational teams to advance antibody hits from discovery into lead optimization and IND-enabling studies.
• Contribute scientific expertise across the hit-to-IND continuum, including hit characterization, sequence/liability analysis, and early develop ability assessment.
• Represent New Biological Entities (NBE Technologies) function in preclinical project teams; provide regular program updates to senior leadership.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and competitive landscape; translate innovations into practical platform improvements.

Who You Are

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or a closely related discipline
• At least 10 years of experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry with a strong track record in antibody discovery.
• Deep, hands-on expertise in in vivo antibody hit identification from immunized rodents, including immunization design, B cell biology, and hit confirmation.
• Minimum 3 years of direct line management experience, with demonstrated ability to build, mentor, and retain high-performing scientific teams.
• Proficiency in maintaining heavy chain / light chain pairing fidelity across discovery platforms.
• Working knowledge of current state-of-the-art antibody identification platforms (e.g., single B cell technologies, hybridoma, display libraries, microfluidics).
• Hands-on experience with methods for genetic retrieval of antibody sequences (VH/VL) from individual B cells or bulk repertoires.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to preclinical programs across the hit discovery to IND continuum.
• Track record of publication and/or patent contributions in antibody discovery.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience establishing a discovery laboratory and technology platforms in an industry setting.
• Familiarity with multi-modal…