Senior Scientist II, Recombinant Peptide Process Development

AbbVies Biologics CMC organization develops processes to support the advancement and manufacture of biologic medicines. AbbVie is seeking a highly motivated scientist to lead development of microbial-based recombinant peptide production processes. This position will serve as a technical lead across expression-system and strain development fermentation recovery purification and scale-up.

Recombinant production of short peptides can be challenging due to intracellular degradation low expression aggregation and limited solubility. The successful candidate will develop and optimize practical strategies to address these challenges and advance robust scalable processes for therapeutic peptide production. When aligned with program needs the candidate will also evaluate and apply genetic code expansion (GCE) strategies to enable the site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids. The role will collaborate with cross-functional partners and contribute to process development technology evaluation and technology transfer activities.

Responsibilities: 

• Lead recombinant peptide process-development activities including expression strategy host and clone screening process optimization and scale-up.
• Design and evaluate expression constructs and microbial hosts including Escherichia coli and yeast for peptide production.
• Develop and assess fusion-tag and carrier-protein strategiesincluding His-tag GST SUMO and inclusion-body expressionto improve peptide stability expression host tolerance and recovery.
• Design and conduct clone-screening studies using microscale cultivation parallel bioreactors and other appropriate scale-down or high-throughput approaches.
• Develop and optimize peptide recovery processes including cell harvest and lysis inclusion-body isolation and processing and chemical or enzymatic cleavage of fusion partners.
• Troubleshoot peptide-specific process challenges such as aggregation low solubility degradation incomplete cleavage and co-eluting impurities; recommend and pursue appropriate solutions.
• Interpret analytical results including HPLC UPLC and LC-MS data to assess peptide identity mass accuracy purity and process-related impurities; partner with analytical teams to address characterization needs.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and process approaches for recombinant peptide production including genetic code expansion when relevant to program needs.
• Apply AI/ML approaches where appropriate to analyze peptide sequence structure and experimental data in support of design optimization and candidate prioritization.
• Communicate scientific plans progress challenges conclusions and recommendations clearly to project teams and other stakeholders.
• Mentor junior scientists and provide technical direction in recombinant peptide bioprocessing.
• Contribute to scientific publications and presentations at conferences as appropriate.
• Maintain a high level of productivity while managing priorities and timelines; follow applicable corporate standards for safety quality and compliance.

Qualifications :

• PhD with typically 4 years of relevant experience masters degree or equivalent education with 10  years of relevant experience or Bachelors degree or equivalent education with typically 12 years of relevant experience is required.
• Thorough theoretical and practical understanding of relevant scientific disciplines with hands-on experience in microbial physiology and recombinant expression systems particularly E. coli and/or yeast.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design execute and interpret critical experiments to address scientific or development questions.
• Experience developing or optimizing expression processes for peptides small proteins or other products susceptible to degradation or instability.
• Experience with strain or clone screening fermentation and process optimization; familiarity with bioreactors and scale-down or parallel cultivation approaches.
• Demonstrated experience with preparative chromatography and peptide or protein purification as well as peptide recovery and fusion-partner cleavage strategies.
• Strong experimental design data interpretation troubleshooting scientific writing and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and timelines and work effectively in a matrixed cross-functional environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing or manufacturing complex therapeutic peptides particularly GLP-1 or related incretin peptides in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company or start-up environment.
• Experience applying genetic code expansion to incorporate non-canonical amino acids at defined positions using engineered orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs and codon reassignment.

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 of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location and 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 long-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 any bonus commission incentive benefits or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Companys sole and 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