Director, Antibody Engineering

Director, Antibody Engineering (in South San Francisco)

Job Description

Programmable DNA, the software of Life, is finally here! Twist Bioscience is developing a disruptive Synthetic DNA technology that will change the world, enabling widespread health and sustainability. Synthetic biologists will use our products to engineer how organisms produce disease cures, make everyday chemicals using the atmosphere as the carbon source, enable plants to make their own fertilizers, create in vivo diagnostics that alert us when we are sick, and many other applications.

We are seeking an outstanding, innovative, and creative Director to lead our in vitro antibody discovery effort. This director will play multiple roles within the Biologics group and will lead a team responsible for antibody discovery utilizing a number of in vitro display technologies, e.g., phage display and yeast display, as well as play a critical role in new platform development, R&D, and application of AI in the workflows.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Create a best-in-class antibody discovery and engineering team and offer exceptional scientific and technical leadership to peers and team members

• Lead antibody discovery and engineering efforts, including but not limited to phage display, yeast display, humanization, antibody affinity maturation, and the like.

• Design and execute innovative antibody drug discovery strategies

• Manage the workflow of the drug discovery group to ensure quality, priorities, timelines, and customer expectations are met.

• Generate, validate, and utilize world-class antibody libraries

• Contribute scientifically and strategically to technology and product direction

• Work closely across disciplines and across multiple projects to support technology integration and customer success

• Contribute to antibody discovery efforts by applying your experience with different antibody discovery platforms, techniques, instruments, and workflows

• Offer scientific and technical leadership within your team and cross-functionally

• Manage workflow of the group to ensure quality, prioritization, efficiency, and timeliness across multiple programs in parallel.

• Manage external collaborators and serve as a key scientific liaison with external organizations

• Work closely to incorporate new technologies into Twist Bioscience and support technology integration across teams

• Ensure operations are designed and sourced appropriately to enable us to achieve ambitious goals

• Follow regulatory and ISO 13485 requirements as necessary

What You’ll Bring to the Team

• Experience leading a team of more than 5 people

• Your educational background includes a PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or a related discipline

• Minimum of 12 years of experience and at least 5 years or more of biotechnology industry experience in the field of antibody discovery

• You take pride in building state-of-the-art technology capabilities and staying on top of the latest developments in the field

• You thrive in a dynamic, quickly changing environment where we work individually and on teams

• You have a point of view, value your independent thinking, and are low ego

Preferred Qualifications

• You're proficient with all aspects of a high-performing antibody engineering process, including having significant experience with in vitro antibody discovery technology, and antibody optimization, including affinity maturation and other methods

• You have specific experience working on membrane targets (preferred but not required)

• Your research has been published in high-impact academic journals

• You demonstrate a track record of being strong interpersonally and with experience leading a group and overseeing multi-disciplinary projects

About Twist Bioscience

Twist Bioscience synthesizes genes from scratch, known as “writing” DNA. Just as children learn to both read and write, the next phase of development for the genomics revolution is the ability to write DNA.

At Twist Bioscience, we work in service of people who are changing the world for the better. In fields such as health care, agriculture, industrial chemicals and data storage, our unique silicon-based DNA Synthesis Platform provides precision at a scale that is otherwise unavailable to our customers.

Twist Bioscience Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Twist Bioscience Corporation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic characteristics, or any other category protected by law.

The base cash compensation for this California-based role is below. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for bonus, equity, and a generous benefits package. Final compensation amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate skill, experience, expertise, and location and may vary from the amount listed above. Compensation may be different in other locations.
San Francisco Bay Area Pay Range
$231,000—$275,000 USD