Principal Scientist, Antibody Development & Production

Kernal Bio is a venture-backed therapeutics company engineering cells inside the body using AI-designed, selective mRNA and targeted LNP technology. By developing in vivo CAR-T therapies, Kernal Bio is advancing precision treatments for autoimmune diseases and blood cancers. The company was founded by experts from MIT, Harvard, Merck, and BMS, and its leadership team brings a track record of three FDA-approved therapies and over 120 patents. With support from leading investors, including Hummingbird Ventures, Amgen Ventures, Y Combinator, and HBM. Kernal Bio is transforming the future of cell therapy design and delivery.

Job Summary  
Kernal seeks a highly motivated principal scientist for antibody development and production.  The successful candidate will partner with external collaborators (e.g., CROs, CDMOs) to lead the design, development, and production of novel antibodies for targeted LNP applications.  This successful candidate will also be responsible for establishing internal antibody production and analytical capabilities to support preclinical research as well as external development activities.   

Responsibilities: 

• Lead antibody development, production, and scale-up for preclinical research activities as well as GMP manufacturing.  Responsible for reviewing and approving critical documentation (e.g., protocols, process development batch records, analytical methods, specifications, etc)
• Establish internal capabilities for the development, production, and analysis of antibody supplies to accelerate and troubleshoot external development activities and provide materials for preclinical research.   
• Review, supervise, and/or execute experiments to optimize cell culture, harvest, and downstream purification.   
• Author tech transfer documentation (e.g., process descriptions, bill of materials, draft specifications, analytical methods) based on both external collaborator activities and internal development activities.   
• Maintain thorough and detailed electronic laboratory notebooks
• Analyze, interpret, and summarize experimental data
• Communicate results to team and management in technical reports and oral presentations 

Requirements: 

• Degree in Chemical/Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry or a similar field. (PhD is preferred)  
• PhD with 5 years of industry experience, M.S (or equivalent) with 7 years of experience, B.S (or equivalent) with 10 years of experience, 
• Experience with the development and/or production of recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and/or antibody fragments.  Experience with difficult-to-produce proteins/protein fragments (e.g., low titer or low solubility) preferred.   
• Experience in mammalian cell culture and transfection.  Experience with harvest and purification technologies (e.g., normal flow filtration, tangential flow filtration, chromatography, virus filtration).
• Experience using Design of Experiments (DOE) to optimize cell culture yields/titers and/or performance of downstream purification.
• Familiar with analytical methods commonly used for antibody assays (e.g., SEC, WB, ELISA, SDS-PAGE, etc)
• Strong molecular biology skills
• Experience with plasmid vector design and codon engineering (nice to have).  
• Ability to analyze, summarize, and communicate scientific data
• Attention to detail, ability to multitask, and troubleshoot
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent record-keeping and data management skills
• Experience working in fast-paced startup environments
• Ability to work independently while effectively interacting and collaborating in a team environment
• Adaptability and enthusiasm for new challenges, innate curiosity, and a passion for learning 

Benefits: 

• Competitive 401(k)   
• Highly competitive healthcare coverage (PPO/HMO)
• Free parking, a monthly subway pass, or a subsidized commuter rail pass  
• Free Bluebike Membership
• Gym Membership Support   
• Flexible Spending Account 
• Paid parental leave, family caregiver leave, and medical leave  
• Paid life insurance coverage 
• On-site cafeteria  
• Competitive vacation and sick days per year 

Kernal is dedicated to providing a diverse work environment and is committed to equal employment opportunities for all its employees and qualified applicants. We do not discriminate in employment practices for reasons of race, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, religion, disability, or any other legally protected status. Kernal will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities in accordance with applicable law. 

Click Here to Apply: https://www.kernalbio.com/careers