Scientist II, Peptide Discovery

AbbVie is seeking a highly skilled Scientist II to join the Immuno-Pharmacology and Peptide Discovery team within our Immunology Discovery organization. This laboratory-based position supports both IND-enabling and early-stage discovery programs in immunology offering hands-on experience with in vitro ex vivo and in vivo experimentation. The role independently investigates develops and optimizes immunological assays and rodent models to evaluate peptide therapeutics while contributing to both platform and program-level research efforts. The scientist actively enhances existing workflows adapts methodologies from literature and applies scientific rigor in experimental design and data interpretation. The successful candidate will play a key role in integrating experimental pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) dataincluding plasma and tissue exposure as well as receptor occupancy (RO)to advance translational understanding and optimize dosing for orally delivered peptide therapeutics. Responsibilities include supporting experimental designs that inform quantitative site-of-action models and elucidate doseexposureresponse relationships across tissues and immune compartments. The position involves harvesting and processing relevant tissues (such as spleen lymph nodes GI tissues and skin) executing cellular and molecular assays and collaborating across functions to inform biodistribution RO and translational model refinement. This role is critical in generating data to support cross-functional data-driven dosing decisions and in building the PK/PD relationship for peptide therapeutics at AbbVie.

Responsibilities: 

• Experimental Design & Execution: Design execute and interpret immunological and pharmacological experiments to support IND-enabling and discovery-stage projects across peptide therapeutic programs collaborating closely with team members.
• Biodistribution/RO & Dose Response Data Generation: Collect and analyze plasma and tissue drug exposure and receptor occupancy (RO) data to support dose-exposure-response predictions and inform oral dosing strategies for peptide candidates.
• In Vivo Immunology: Work side by side with vivarium personnel to perform adoptive transfer rodent dosing (mice and rats) issue harvesting and processing for downstream cellular and molecular analysis of immune responses and target engagement in autoimmune models.
• Immunological Assays: Execute a variety of immunological assays (e.g. flow cytometry ELISPOT co-cultures cytokine profiling whole blood assays) to characterize immune responses and evaluate the efficacy of peptide therapeutic candidates.
• Molecular Techniques: Conduct RNA isolation qPCR/digital PCR and related methods to assess gene expression cytokine responses and biomarker modulation.
• Tissue-Based Insights: Process lymphoid and barrier tissues (e.g. GI tract skin lymph nodes spleen) for immune profiling and support receptor occupancy and BioD assessments at relevant disease sites.
• Model-Enabled Experimentation: Contribute experimental data to support BioD- and PK/PD-driven modeling efforts including immune cell targeting dose saturation effects and target engagement across tissues.
• Translational Strategy Support: Help refine experimental designs to address translational knowledge gaps and provide data to support clinical prediction models and regulatory packages.
• Technical Mastery: Demonstrate mastery of in vitro ex vivo and in vivo immunology techniques applying these methods to peptide-focused studies to generate robust reproducible data.
• Data Analysis (PK/PD): Interpret pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data including plasma and tissue exposure levels and receptor occupancy to guide program decisions and optimize peptide therapeutic candidates.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate cross-functionally with multidisciplinary teams (e.g. DMPK pharmacology chemistry) to integrate experimental findings into broader program objectives and ensure alignment with overall peptide therapeutic development goals.

Qualifications :

• Education & Experience: BS MS or equivalent education with typically 7 (BS) or 5 (MS) years of relevant industry experience preferably in biology or a related biological science.
• Experimental Skills: Proven ability to independently design execute and interpret critical experiments addressing complex scientific questions in immunology pharmacology or related disciplines.
• Technical Proficiency: Demonstrated hands-on expertise in some of these immunological techniques ELISA MSD ELISPOT flow cytometry whole blood assays qPCR/ddPCR RNA extraction and analysis is preferred and experience with in vivo rodent procedures (dosing tissue harvesting adoptive transfer) in rats and/or mice is required.
• PK/PD & BioD Experience: Familiarity with concepts of pharmacokinetics (plasma and tissue exposure) receptor occupancy and dose-exposure-response relationships; demonstrated ability to collect interpret and communicate data relevant to these areas.
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning: Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn master and implement new experimental techniques and methodologies to advance scientific objectives.
• Organizational & Time Management: Strong organizational skills including the ability to multitask effectively and consistently deliver high-quality results within established project timelines.
• Communication Skills: Excellent scientific writing skills for clear documentation of research findings; strong verbal communication skills for effective presentations and cross-functional collaboration.
• Collaborative Mindset: Proven ability to work collaboratively across teams integrating experimental insights with cross-functional groups (e.g. DMPK pharmacology clinical sciences) to drive informed data-driven decisions.

Additional Information :

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: 

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time ofthis posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic locationand we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. 

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation holidays sick) medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. 

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned vested and determinable. The amount and availability of anybonus commission incentive benefits or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Companys soleand absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Companys sole and absolute discretion consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity driving innovation transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time