Associate Director, Bispecific Antibodies

Company: AstraZeneca
Location: Gaithersburg
Posted on: October 19, 2020

Job Description:

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, willing to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then youre our kind of person.

About AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg, MD

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland facility creates life-changing medicines for people around the world. This campus employs more than 3,500 experts in our field and is only a short drive from Washington, DC. This modern and vibrant scientific campus is the home of R&D and Oncology in the US. Here, we play host to some of the most cutting-edge technology and lab spaces, all designed to inspire collaboration and cross-functional science. We believe employees benefit from being challenged and inspired at work. We are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion and collaboration.

The Gaithersburg site offers a variety of amenities to help boost productivity and help keep our employees happy and healthy. This includes a fitness center, employee healthcare clinic, electric vehicle charging stations, dry cleaning, full-service cafeteria and copy center. This is where youll find newly-designed, activity-based work spaces to suit a variety of working styles while increasing collaboration between teams.

Summary of the Group

Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering (ADPE) is responsible for the discovery and optimization of next generation biologics to create biological drug candidates for all key therapeutic areas such as oncology, respiratory and inflammation, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases. We're constantly pushing the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients, with a pass for the development of in-house biologics discovery platforms and novel drug modalities to address unmet medical needs.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

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• Effectively lead and manage a multidisciplinary team of highly experienced scientists to advance bispecific technologies and support bispecific pipeline
• Collaborate with leaders across all therapeutic areas to deliver pipeline projects and develop bispecific technologies for enhanced selectivity, improved developability, and reduced off-target and off-organ toxicities to ensure scientific excellence and effective achievement of research goals
• Progress bispecific projects from early discovery to development stage
• Establish high level strategies for new technology development and apply new technologies in pipeline projects
• Set expectations and negotiate proper milestones to track progress
  
  
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  • Performance manage a team of scientists, setting goals and objectives and leading all aspects of their professional development
    
    Education & Experience Requirements
    
    Ph.D in Oncology, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology or other relevant scientific field with 10+ years of experience in antibody engineering and/or bispecific antibody development in the Biotech or Biopharmaceutical industry
    
    Required Skills
    
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    • In-depth knowledge in Oncology and antibody drug development
    • Extensive hands-on experience in antibody design, antibody engineering, and bispecific antibodies
    • Proven record of driving bispecific programs from early discovery into development stage
    • Recognized innovative leader in scientific specialty as evidenced by strong publications record, inventorship on patents/filings and presentations at major conferences
    • Proven ability to lead a team, motivate and develop others
    • Demonstrated ability to influence and build strong relationships with internal and external collaborators while working effectively in a collaborative team environment across multiple functions
    • Track record of problem solving, risk management, negotiating and influencing skills.
      
      Desired Skills
      
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      • Solid understanding of protein structure-function relationships and antibody structural modeling
      • Experience in engineering aggregation resistant antibodies and bispecific antibodies
      • Biochemical and biophysical characterization of antibodies and fragments
      • In vivo experience using animal models for efficacy and PK study
      • Experience in scaffolds and antibody drug conjugates
      • Strong leader with the ability to make sound and timely decisions
        
        Why AstraZeneca?
        
        At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial - finding those moments and recognising their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organisation to reset expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means were opening new ways to work, pioneering cutting edge methods and bringing unexpected teams together. Interested? Come and join our journey.
        
        So, whats next?
        
        Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available and we hope its yours.
        
        Where can I find out more?
        
        Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/
        
        Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/
        
        Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en

Keywords: AstraZeneca, Washington DC , Associate Director, Bispecific Antibodies, Executive , Gaithersburg, DC