Principal Scientist - Antibody Characterization, Optimization & Immunology

About the role

Join IDEXX's Molecular Analytics and Bioanalytical Research and Instrumentation Center (BRIC) at the intersection of immunology and antibody science — where deep knowledge of the immune system directly drives the development of diagnostic products used by veterinarians worldwide. As a Principal Scientist, you will apply expertise spanning adaptive immunity, antibody biology, and biophysical characterization across a portfolio unmatched in the industry, working with cross-functional teams to advance candidates from immunological concepts to characterized lead.

Why this role matters:

This role sits at the intersection of immunology and antibody science. As a Principal Scientist within the Molecular Analytics and BRIC team, you will work cross-functionally to translate deep immunological insight into high-quality antibody candidates — advancing novel targets from concept to characterized lead. Your expertise in adaptive immunity, biophysical characterization, and single-cell platforms will shape how IDEXX discovers and develops reagents at scale, with direct and lasting impact on animal health globally.

In this role:

• Leverage automated single-cell biology platforms and deep understanding of B cell activation, affinity maturation for high-throughput screening, and selection of high-quality antibody candidates against novel targets.
• Apply humoral immunology knowledge, including antibody isotypes, Fc effector biology, T cell help, and antigen presentation, to guide candidate antibody generation and selection.
• Engineer multi-format antibody molecules: IgG, Fab, nanobodies, and scFv; leveraging yeast and phage display platforms.
• Lead biophysical characterization (BLI, SPR), developability assessments, epitope mapping, evaluate binding kinetics, stability, and sequence liabilities, executing optimization campaigns via site-directed mutagenesis and structure-guided engineering.
• Provide technical leadership within cross-functional teams, author technical reports, design history files, and laboratory notebooks.

What Do You Need to Succeed:

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biophysics, or related field with 5–7 years of industry/academia experience
• Deep understanding of adaptive immunity: B and T cell biology, humoral immune responses, and antibody affinity maturation
• Proven experience in antibody engineering (IgG, Fab, nanobodies, and scFv), biophysical characterization, and lead optimization
• Hands-on expertise in biophysical methods and molecular biology skills including cloning and mammalian expression systems
• Multi-species antibody experience is a significant advantage
• Experience with automated single-cell biology platforms for high-throughput antibody screening and functional cell profiling
• Strong planning, execution, decision-making, and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to drive complex projects to completion
• Excellent written and verbal communication; demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams

What you can expect from us:

• Salary range starting at $125,000 based on experience
• Opportunity for annual cash bonus
• Health / Dental / Vision Benefits Day-One
• 5% matching 401k
• Additional benefits including but not limited to financial support, pet insurance, mental health resources, volunteer paid days off, employee stock program, foundation donation matching, and much more