Senior Associate Scientist-Vaccine Immunology

Use Your Power for Purpose

At Pfizer our purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients lives. As a Senior Associate Scientist Biology you will be at the forefront of our mission contributing to the development of innovative therapies and vaccines that have the potential to transform patient care. Reporting to the Research & Development division you will leverage advanced science and cutting-edge technologies to make a tangible impact on global health. Your work will be instrumental in ensuring drug safety and efficacy supporting clinical trials and accelerating the delivery of top-tier medicines to patients worldwide.

What You Will Achieve

Senior Associate Scientist will support preclinical evaluation and early clinical development of vaccine candidates through comprehensive immunogenicity assessment. This role will develop optimize and execute cellular and humoral immune assays to characterize vaccine-induced responses and support study decision-making. The Senior Associate Scientist will partner closely with cross-functional colleagues (e.g. discovery translational clinical bioanalytical and operations) to ensure samples and data are generated documented and reported in accordance with applicable SOPs and quality standards (e.g. cGLP and/or cGMP where appropriate). The successful candidate is a collaborative detail-oriented experimentalist who can manage multiple priorities troubleshoot independently and communicate results clearly.

How You Will Achieve It:

• Execute and troubleshoot assays to quantify antigen-specific B- and T-cell responses including flow cytometry phenotyping intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) ELISpot/FluoroSpot support of preclinical and clinical vaccine studies.

• Process mouse tissue samples including spleens and lymph nodes as well as human or non-human primate (NHP) PBMC samples to prepare them for downstream functional assays.

• Conduct multiparameter flow cytometry for cellular phenotype and functional characterization; design and optimize flow panels operate advanced instruments such as the Spectral-based Cytek Aurora for sample acquisition perform data analysis with software including FlowJo FACS Suite Diva or OMIQ and present results to study teams in a clear and systematic manner.

• Manage sample and reagent lifecycle activities (receipt accessioning inventory storage chain-of-custody and preparation for testing) to support multiple studies and timelines.

• Ensure high-quality documentation and reporting in accordance with SOPs and applicable regulatory expectations (e.g. cGLP/cGMP where required); maintain laboratory notebooks and records per policy.

• Prepare written summaries and presentations; communicate results trends and assay issues at team meetings and contribute to data review discussions with stakeholders.

• Support continuous improvement by proposing and implementing assay optimizations qualification activities and workflow efficiencies; help train/mentor junior staff as needed

• Complete all required safety and compliance training and perform responsibilities in alignment with EHS requirements and all applicable regulations.

Here Is What You Need (Minimum Requirements)

• B.S. in Immunology Biology Microbiology Biochemistry or a related field with 3 years of relevant laboratory experience or M.S. with 2 years of relevant laboratory or industry experience.

• Hands-on experience with cellular immunology methods and/or vaccine immunogenicity readouts (e.g. ELISpot/FluoroSpot flow cytometry ELISA neutralization assays).

• Demonstrated ability to execute experiments troubleshoot and deliver high-quality data in a deadline-driven environment.

• Proficiency with common scientific software (e.g. Microsoft Office; GraphPad Prism FlowJo OMIQ or equivalent) and with maintaining clear experimental records.

• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in a team-based cross-functional setting.

Bonus Points If You Have (Preferred Requirements)

• Industry experience in vaccines immunology bioanalytical or translational sciences.

• Experience with multiplex cytokine assays (e.g. Luminex) complex and/or spectral flow cytometry panels and/or assay qualification/validation activities.

• Experience working in a regulated environment (e.g. cGLP and/or cGMP) and familiarity with relevant documentation practices.

• Experience handling mouse tissue samples such spleens and lymph nodes; human samples and/or non-human primate (NHP) PBMC samples including biosafety best practices.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Routine work in a laboratory environment; ability to perform aseptic technique and follow biosafety procedures.

• Ability to safely handle biological specimens (including human and/or non-human primate samples) and where applicable work with infectious agents in accordance with biosafety requirements and training.

• Ability to stand for extended periods perform repetitive pipetting and lift/move typical laboratory materials (e.g. boxes of consumables) consistent with site guidelines.

• Ability to work effectively on time-constrained milestones in a highly collaborative and visible research program

Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.

U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN O-1 H-1B etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.