Senior Associate Scientist, Viral Vaccines

Why Patients Need You
Pfizer's purpose is to deliver breakthroughs that change patients' lives. Research and Development is at the heart of fulfilling Pfizer's purpose as we work to translate advanced science and technologies into the therapies and vaccines that matter most. Whether you are in the discovery sciences, ensuring drug safety and efficacy or supporting clinical trials, you will apply cutting edge design and process development capabilities to accelerate and bring the best-in-class medicines to patients around the world.
What You Will Achieve
As a Senior Associate Scientist, you will be at the center of our scientific vaccine operations and you'll find that everything we do, every day, is in line with an unwavering commitment to quality. You will join a team leading the important role of generating viruses such as human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), influenza viruses, and SARS-CoV-2 under BSL-2 and BSL-3 conditions. Primary responsibilities will include maintaining mammalian cell culture, optimizing virus propagations in cells to produce high titer stocks for vaccine efficacy research, performing virus characterization assays, and coordinating with teams across the site to ensure viral reagent needs are met. You will manage and update reagent inventories, plan and execute production of virus batches, and organize virus distributions to other groups within Pfizer to meet critical deadlines supporting vaccine research and development. Other responsibilities will include collaborating on data and information transfer between groups, development and integration of laboratory immunoassays, and supporting high throughput assay activities and testing for clinical and non-clinical research programs.
Your strong foundation in general scientific practice and its principles and concepts will help in meeting critical deadlines. You will be relied on as a technical contributor to assess the assigned tasks and make decisions that involve direct application of your knowledge. It is your hard work and focus that will make Pfizer ready to achieve new milestones and help patients across the globe.
How You Will Achieve It

• Exercise key team effectiveness skills (e.g., commitment, feedback, consensus management) within the immediate work group
• Grow and maintain different mammalian cell lines and perform virus infections to produce stocks supporting downstream assays
• Perform virus titrations using methods such as TCID50, FFA, and plaque assay
• Manage and maintain detailed virus and reagent inventories
• Write, review, and update documents associated with virus production and functional bioassays, including standard operating procedures, test methods, and technical reports
• Obtain clinical isolates from external vendors and prepare reagents necessary to produce virus stocks
• Collaborate with colleagues in Pfizer Vaccines organization including early bioprocess, preclinical, and clinical development groups
• Present progress and results on viral production and processes to colleagues and management
• Collect and analyze laboratory data to interpret results for troubleshooting, qualifications, and other laboratory projects

Qualifications
Must-Have

• BS degree in life sciences (e.g. biology, immunology, virology, microbiology) or related discipline with 3+ years of laboratory experience or MS degree in life sciences or related discipline with 1+ years of laboratory experience
• Experience in a BSL-2 setting and aseptic techniques
• Experience with mammalian cell culture
• Experience with DNA/RNA extractions and qPCR
• Ability to multitask and carry out responsibilities independently as an influential team member
• Strong attention to detail, good verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to collaborate and work in team environment
• Proficient computer skills including word processing, Excel, and PowerPoint

Nice-to-Have

• Background in virology, especially viruses causing illnesses in humans such as influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2, HPIV, and HCMV
• BSL-3 experience
• Experience with LIMS, PyMOL or UCSF Chimera, GraphPad Prism, Geneious or related software
• Experience analyzing gene sequences and mutations
• Experience developing and troubleshooting cell-based and immunoassays such as neutralization and FFA
• Experience with instruments such as CTL ImmunoSpot, Softmax Pro, and QuantStudio

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to meet the standard requirements for a lab-based role and perform all typical lab related activities (lifting
• Ability to work with infectious agents
• Ability to work while wearing a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) for up to several hours at a time

Work Location Assignment: On Premise
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $66,500.00 to $110,900.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer's Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 7.5% of the base salary. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life's moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site - U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.
Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Sunshine Act
Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider's name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.
EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
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Research and Development