Post-Doctoral Associate, Antibody Discovery

Position Description

Job Title:     Postdoctoral Associate; EID Antibody Discovery 

Location:     IAVI-NAC at Scripps Research (La Jolla, CA) 

Reports to:  Executive Director, Antibody Discovery 

Position Summary: 

IAVI’s Neutralizing Antibody Center (IAVI-NAC), located at Scripps Research and the IAVI Design and Development Laboratory (IAVI-DDL) located in Brooklyn, NY, is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Associates for vaccine and antibody therapeutics discovery and development for Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID), including coronaviruses, filoviruses, arenaviruses, and other viruses with pandemic potential. The successful candidate will be responsible for evaluating vaccine responses to EID vaccine candidates, including evaluating serology and memory B cell responses will also lead efforts for monoclonal antibody discovery and characterization. In addition, this position will use standard platforms for antibody discovery and immune response analysis, such as single memory B cell sorting and 10x Genomics, as well as develop new approaches for discovery of highly functional antibodies.

This will be a 2-year position focused on SARS-CoV-2 with the opportunity of extension to other emerging infectious diseases (EID) based on performance. We are seeking candidates with a background in antibody discovery, immunology, protein design, protein biochemistry, and/or structural biology. The candidate will have a recent Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. in a relevant field, a strong publication record, and experience working in an interdisciplinary team environment. The candidate will be based at the NAC at Scripps Research or at the Design and Development Laboratory (DDL) in Brooklyn, NY and will be working closely between the two sites as well as with global partners in Africa and India.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Collaborating between IAVI-NAC and IAVI DDL labs.
• Setup operation of cell sorters for antigen-specific single cell sorting.
• Conduct clones and express antibody variable genes.  
• Characterize monoclonal antibodies, including epitope binning, neutralization, and effector function assays.
• Conduct protein production and purification in mammalian systems. 
• Conduct RNA extraction and NGS library prep. 
• Analyze  of antibody and transcriptomics NGS data.
• Conduct data analysis and interpretation.
• Draft manuscripts and publication of research, present findings at major scientific conferences. 
• Conduct independent research on a research topic with short and long-term objectives. 
• Mentor junior staff and collaborate with colleagues. 
• Perform other tasks as assigned by the manager.

Education and Work Experience: 

• PhD or equivalent in a relevant scientific field is required.
• Minimum two years’ working experience in a lab is required.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and capable of adhering to timelines and important milestones is required.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills are required.
• Ability to organize a daily workload by priorities, work independently and as a team member is required.
• Strong work ethic and interpersonal skills is required.
• Cultural sensitivity and respect for diverse colleagues is required.
• In-depth understanding of entire MS Office suite is required.
• Knowledge and track record with protein biochemistry and production is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge in HIV vaccine design or immunology is highly desirable. 

Organizational Overview:

IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing urgent, unmet global health challenges including HIV and tuberculosis. Our mission is to translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. Through scientific and clinical research in Africa, India, Europe, and the U.S., IAVI is pioneering the development of biomedical innovations designed for broad global access. We develop vaccines and antibodies in and for the developing world and seek to accelerate their introduction in low-income countries. IAVI programs and partnerships are grounded in the regions of the world where the disease burden is the greatest, and our approach emphasizes sustainability. Our network of clinical research center partners in Africa and India helps strengthen in-country research capacity and supports the training and education of the next generation of scientists. The global impact of our science includes fundamental contributions to understanding the biology of HIV infection, which IAVI and others are applying toward advancing vaccine science and immunology. IAVI accelerates scientific discovery and development by fostering unique collaborations among academia, industry, local communities, governments, and funders to explore new and better ways to address public health threats that disproportionately affect people living in poverty. Our global reach, including a clinical research network in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in India, has allowed us to make fundamental contributions to understanding the epidemiology, transmission, virology, and immunology of HIV. This work played a key role in facilitating the design of promising HIV vaccine candidates, as well as the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies that are now being advanced as promising approaches for HIV prevention. Our integrated capabilities in vaccine and antibody discovery, development, and clinical research take advantage of bio-pharmaceutical industry expertise to accelerate the development and testing of prevention methods for HIV and other diseases. Through the Product Development Center, we support external researchers with technical and scientific expertise to accelerate the development of their own products.

IAVI CORE VALUES:

• Dedication to the Mission: We are committed to the translation of scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. 
• Innovative Evolution: We are committed to solving complex problems in creative and innovative ways, learning from our mistakes and successes and never giving up 
• Integrity: We are committed to meeting the highest ethical and professional standards in everything we do and to taking responsibility for our actions to earn respect 
• Collaboration: We are committed to embracing diversity, the power of global teamwork and the belief that by working as one we can make a difference
   

Disclaimer: Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of personnel so classified. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship. IAVI is an equal opportunity employer and applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. 

IAVI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER actively committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive global organization. IAVI believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a representative candidate pool. At IAVI, we celebrate the spectrum of colleagues’ experiences and believe that dedication to our mission above all is essential to our success as a scientific global non-profit. IAVI upholds these principles through IAVI’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  

IAVI has zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, caste, national origin, home language, ancestry, religion, marital or civil partnership status, age, physical or mental disability, HIV status and any other medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and veteran status, in addition to any other status protected under the law in any of our locations worldwide.