Senior Director, Antibody Discovery and Engineering

Who We Are: 

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Position Description:

We are seeking a highly experienced individual for a position as Senior Director of Antibody Discovery and Engineering. This position will head a small team of scientists and oversee CROs responsible for designing, generating, and characterizing antibody-based therapeutics, including multispecifics and other advanced modalities. The position will report to the Head of Discovery Technologies and work closely with scientists and leaders in Computational Sciences, Protein Sciences, Assay Development groups, and interact with project teams. The position requires the candidate to have extensive experience in antibody discovery, engineering, characterization, rational design/combinatorial approaches, and computational engineering. The candidate is expected to drive innovative antibody technologies that advance therapeutic pipelines and be a thought leader in developing novel approaches for the de novo design and optimization of antibody therapeutics. The candidate may lead programs from lead to pre-IND, integrating early research and progressing through candidate nomination. 

Position Requirements:

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, or related discipline, plus >15 years’ experience in antibody and protein engineering within the academic or biopharma/biotech sectors
• 10 years managerial experience
• Extensive experience in antibody discovery using both in vivo and in vitro approaches
• Proficiency with various protein display systems, such as yeast, bacteria, phage, and mRNA display
• Skilled in library creation, selection, and enrichment analysis
• Deep knowledge of antibody structure function relationships and experience using evolutionary approaches to optimize antibody function and rational design, including utilization of protein design tools
• Detailed knowledge of current AI/ML approaches for protein structure and interaction predictions in the context of antibody discovery
• Knowledge of the biologics process from discovery to pre-IND
• Experience in managing and leading CROs
• Strong strategic vision and experience in developing and executing strategic plans aligned with organizational goals
• Accountable, meticulous with attention to detail, and able to multitask
• Strong teamwork and proactive communication skills
• Self-motivated and able to work independently in a cross-functional team environment
• Must be willing to work onsite 5 days a week

The estimated base salary range for this role is $314,000 - $332,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.