Senior Research Associate, Antibody Discovery & Characterization

The Ginkgo Bioworks Datapoints Business Unit is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Associate Scientist to join our dynamic Antibody Developability team. This role involves supporting the production, engineering, and characterization of diverse antibody formats to advance our platform capabilities and partner programs. The successful candidate will contribute to key developability assessments using various biophysical techniques and support the evaluation of lead antibody candidates. This is an excellent opportunity for a scientist looking to grow their skills in antibody development within a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute established workflows for the production (transient transfection, expression) and purification of various antibody formats (e.g., IgGs, VHHs, Fabs, bi- and multi-specifics).
• Perform routine antibody characterization and developability assays, including binding analysis, stability assessments (thermal and colloidal), aggregation propensity, and purity checks.
• Operate and maintain key analytical instrumentation, potentially including BLI, SPR, or flow cytometry  systems for antibody-antigen interaction analysis.
• Support the execution of experiments for antibody engineering and optimization efforts under supervision.
• Assist in the adaptation and troubleshooting of assays for higher throughput formats or automation platforms.
• Maintain accurate experimental records, analyze data, and prepare summaries for internal discussion.
• Contribute to the preparation of technical reports and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams within Ginkgo Bioworks.
• Present experimental findings at team meetings.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, or a related life science field with 3-4 years of relevant laboratory experience (industry experience preferred) OR Master's degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, or a related life science field with 0-2 years of relevant laboratory experience (industry experience preferred).
• Hands-on experience in antibody engineering, production (transfection and purification), and developability characterization using biophysical and biological techniques.
• Familiarity with concepts of antibody structure and function.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently.
• Experience processing and analyzing experimental data using common scientific software tools, including visualization tools (e.g., Spotfire, Excel) and graphing/statistical software (e.g., GraphPad Prism or similar). 
• Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Proficiency in data analysis and laboratory record keeping.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience using BLI (e.g., Octet) or SPR (e.g., Biacore) instruments for kinetic and affinity analysis of protein interactions.
• Experience working with diverse or novel antibody formats (e.g., VHHs, bi-specifics, multi-specifics, antibody fragments).
• Experience with antibody developability assays (e.g., DSF/Tm, DLS, SEC-MALS, aggregation assays, polyreactivity assessments).
• Familiarity with high-throughput screening (HTS) techniques or laboratory automation.
• Experience working in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry setting.
• Basic understanding of antibody engineering principles.