Principal Scientist, Immunology

About This Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Principal Scientist with deep drug discovery and development experience in inflammatory diseases to join our Immunology Research Unit on the West Coast Hub, SSF site. The role focuses on discovery and development of novel therapies for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment.

• Design and lead innovative in vitro and in vivo studies to uncover mechanisms driving inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
• Discover and validate novel drug targets, biomarkers, and pathways critical to immune‑mediated disorders.
• Deliver high‑quality data to support lead optimization, biomarker development, and translational research for priority programs.
• Analyze and interpret complex datasets, ensuring scientific rigor, reproducibility, and adherence to regulatory and safety standards; communicate findings through internal presentations and external forums.
• Collaborate across disciplines—including pharmacology, synthetic medicine, protein engineering, and computational sciences—to advance target identification, drug discovery, and clinical development.
• Shape portfolio strategy by identifying gaps and opportunities for scientific innovation.
• Partner with business development and corporate strategy teams to evaluate the scientific merit of potential assets, collaborations, and licensing opportunities.
• Contribute to due diligence efforts, including mechanistic evaluations, protocol reviews, external data assessments, and intellectual property analysis.
• Champion scientific excellence and innovation by staying current with emerging research and technologies in immunology and inflammation.

You are passionate about advancing immunology through innovative research and strategic collaborations. With a deep commitment to scientific excellence, you thrive on driving discovery programs that can transform patient care. This position requires frequent onsite presence in South San Francisco, California, and expects candidates to be commutable or able to self‑relocate.

• PhD in Immunology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, or a related field with 5+ years of industry experience in inflammatory and autoimmune disease drug discovery and development (or equivalent experience based on Masters or Bachelors with 8+ or 10+ years).
• Strong expertise in immune cell biology (innate and adaptive immunity), cell signaling, and immunological assay development.
• Hands‑on experience with biochemical and cellular assay development, tissue culture, flow cytometry, and functional genomics techniques.
• Experience with disease models of inflammation and/or autoimmunity.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment and strong problem‑solving skills.
• Collaborative mindset with strong interpersonal skills and excellent communication abilities for translating complex science into business‑relevant insights.
• Strong analytical skills for evaluating scientific data and external opportunities.

• Prior experience in biotech/pharma drug discovery or translational research (5+ years).
• Experience with small molecule, biologics, and/or cell‑based therapeutic drug discovery and development.
• Strong technical expertise in multiparametric flow cytometry (e.g., 15+ colors) and multiomics analyses (genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic).
• Experience in due diligence and business development support.

Base compensation range: $–$. Regular employees are eligible for short‑term and long‑term incentives, including cash bonus and equity opportunities. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability, paid vacation, holiday pay, sick leave, maternity/parental leave, 401(k) with company matching, employee stock purchase plan, tuition reimbursement, and Employee Resource Groups.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Biogen is an E‑Verify Employer in the United States.