Senior Scientist, Antibody Repertoire Sequencing & Discovery

Company Overview

Abb Vie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions to address serious health issues today and tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, and neuroscience, as well as products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.

The Biotherapeutics and Genetics Medicine department within Discovery Research is seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join the Molecular Core team at Abb Vie Bioresearch Center (ABC) in Worcester, MA. The Molecular Core partners with multidisciplinary groups across Abb Vie to develop therapies for immunology, neurology, and oncology diseases. The role focuses on in vivo antibody discovery, optimizing repertoire sequencing capabilities, and developing innovative methods to maintain industry‑leading standards.

• Act as scientific and technical expert in antibody repertoire sequencing (Rep Seq/AIRR-Seq/BCR-Seq) to support therapeutic antibody discovery and hit expansion using bulk sequencing, 10X, and other commercial platforms.
• Collaborate with computational scientists to optimize repertoire analysis and explore machine‑learning guided antibody discovery.
• Generate, document, and archive repertoire data with appropriate context and metadata to support broader team access.
• Analyze and interpret results, contextualize data with relevant literature, and present findings at team meetings.
• Present data, communicate effectively, and coordinate work within a highly matrixed project team environment.
• Demonstrate scientific excellence through dedication to multiple projects in a fast‑paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• Exhibit a can‑do attitude and strong interpersonal and communication skills when working across multiple functional teams.

• BS, MS, or PhD in immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, or a related field.
• Relevant experience: 0-4 years (BS), 8-10 years (MS), or 10-12 years (PhD).

• Extensive scientific expertise in immunoglobulin genetics and antibody biology, including germline genes, V(D)
  J recombination, somatic hypermutation, affinity maturation, and B cell biology.
• Expertise in isolation and molecular biology of antibody variable region genes for NGS and capture of Rep Seq/AIRR-Seq/BCR-Seq data, both for single-chain and paired heavy‑and light‑chain recovery.
• Understanding of NGS technologies and platforms Illumina (Next Seq, MiSeq) and Pac Bio.
• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques (PCR, primer design, molecular cloning, Gibson Assembly, plasmid design).
• Ability to improve and streamline existing processes.
• Strong attention to quality and detail and strong documentation and communication skills.
• Proven flexibility to handle changing timelines and shifting priorities.
• Competency with software programs including antibody analysis (Pipe Bio), DNA analysis (Geneious, Se quencher), and MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Fluency in computational science and familiarity with predictive AI/ML tools and protein language models for antibody discovery.

• Experience in non‑human and non‑murine immunogenetics.
• Experience with bioinformatics and computational analysis of large DNA and protein data sets.
• Experience with repertoire sequencing from in vitro antibody discovery libraries.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture, aseptic technique, and transient transfection.
• Experience with immunoassays such as ELISA and flow cytometry.

• The compensation range described here is the range of possible base pay that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of posting. Individual compensation will depend on geographic location and other factors.
• We offer a comprehensive benefits package including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and a 401(k) plan.
• This job is eligible to participate in our short‑term and long‑term incentive programs.

Abb Vie is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, and serving our community. We comply with all applicable U.S. employment laws and are an equal opportunity employer for veterans and individuals with disabilities.

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation may contact us for assistance.