Director, Protein Engineering and Structural Biology

Director, Protein Engineering and Structural Biology

Vancouver, WA (onsite)

The Director, Protein Engineering and Structural Biology, will lead a team of highly specialized scientists supporting Absci’s drug-creation programs at the intersection of antibody engineering, structural biology, and AI-enabled biologics discovery. This role contributes directly to advancing internal and partnered programs while embodying Absci’s values ofInnovation, Collaboration, and Determination.

We are considering candidates for both Associate Director and Director level positions:

For Associate Director level: Demonstrated experience leading efforts related to protein engineering and/or structural biology in programs (such as project teams, technical initiatives, or technology development). Track record of scientific and technical contributions to pipeline advancement.

For Director level: Broader experience providing strategic and scientific leadership across multiple protein engineering and/or structural biology projects or platforms. Proven ability to shape team vision, mentor staff, and influence cross-functional or organizational direction.

Responsibilities Include: 

Scientific Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead a multidisciplinary team focused on antibody engineering, structural biology, and binding characterization to support multiple internal and external drug-creation programs.
• Mentor scientists and research associates, supporting technical development, scientific excellence, and career growth.
• Partner closely with the AI team to align experimental and computational strategies supporting Absci’s generative AI drug-creation platform, including collaboration on model evaluation and establishment of in-silico metrics to assess performance of de novo design and lead optimization efforts.
• Serve as the protein engineering lead on cross-functional project teams, partnering with computational biology, analytical development and translational teams to coordinate experiments and maintain alignment on timelines, resources and objectives.
• Regularly summarize and present data to internal and external stakeholders to support informed decision-making to advance programs.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and the competitive landscape in biologics discovery.

Research and Innovation:

• Lead efforts to develop and optimize platforms for mAb and multispecific therapeutics, from design to production, testing, and evaluation.
• Rationally design molecules, perform antigen/antibody structural analyses to recommend residue-level changes that improve interaction function, specificity, stability, and manufacturability.
• Design and implement binding and biophysical assays to assess the mutation impacts on protein structure and function.
• Coordinate closely with Absci teams to ensure high-quality protein expression, purification, and biophysical characterization of complex biologics and antigens.
• Partner with Translational biology teams to provide mechanistic insight into target biology and antibody–target interactions, supporting target assessment and MOA understanding.

Profile for Success:

• PhD in life sciences with 8+ years of experience (including 5+ years in biopharma or biotech) or MS with equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in protein structure–function analysis and computational modeling (e.g., Schrödinger, MOE, Rosetta), with hands-on experience designing and optimizing bispecific and multispecific antibodies.
• Deep understanding of antibody structure-function relationships, sequence optimization, and expression/purification workflows.
• Experience in binding and interaction analyses (e.g., BLI, SPR) and/or biophysical characterization techniques (e.g., analytical SEC, DSF, DLS).
• Familiarity with Fc engineering, half-life extension strategies, antibody developability, and immunogenicity assessment.
• Experience in deploying AI/ML models for protein sequence and structure analysis to enable biologics design and optimization is a plus. 
• Demonstrated success progressing one or more biologics programs to lead candidate stage.
• Experience managing teams of PhD-level scientists and research associates.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications and/or patent filings.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills. 

How We Thrive Together: Absci’s Core Values

• We Believe in the Impossible:
• We are one team with one finish line: 
• We embrace our differences:
• We deliver Results: 
• We do the right thing: 
• Innovate because lives depend on it.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $165,000 - 230,000/year. The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary range for this job at the time of posting. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law

Absci offers highly competitive salaries and benefits, including medical, dental, vision insurance, unlimited vacation, parental leave, employee assistance program, voluntary life and disability insurance, annual bonus potential, and 401(k) with a generous company match.