Scientist II, Histotechnologist - R&D, Pathology Functional Immunology and Innovative Technology

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience—and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.

About the role

We are seeking a dynamic and highly motivated Histology scientist to lead our histopathology team and manage the overall laboratory operations within the Functional Immunology and Innovative Technology Group. In this senior role, you will oversee the day-to-day management of a skilled histotechnology team, ensuring the highest standards of quality, efficiency, and regulatory compliance in support of immunology drug discovery programs. Your responsibilities will span histotechnology laboratory work, team leadership, workflow optimization, resource planning, quality management systems, and cross-functional collaboration with pathologists, scientists, and study directors.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the accessioning, grossing, embedding, and processing of traditional histological tissue samples as well as novel complex in vitro model samples.
• Team Leadership & Personnel Management: Directly supervise, mentor, and develop a team of histotechnologists and laboratory technicians. Conduct performance evaluations, establish individual development plans, oversee scheduling and workload allocation, and foster a collaborative, inclusive, and psychologically safe team culture.
• Workflow Oversight & Operational Management: Plan, coordinate, and prioritize laboratory workflows to ensure timely delivery of histological services in support of drug discovery and translational research programs. Monitor laboratory capacity and adjust resource allocation as needed to meet project milestones and organizational objectives. Serve as the point of contact for troubleshooting the newly implemented laboratory management information system (SampleManager).
• Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance: Establish, maintain, and continuously improve quality management systems, including SOPs, quality control protocols, and laboratory metrics.
• Resource & Budget Management: Oversee procurement, maintenance, and qualification of laboratory equipment, reagents, and consumables.
• Training & Mentorship: Provide technical training in histological techniques including tissue trimming, processing, embedding, FFPE and cryosectioning, routine and special staining, and advanced molecular tissue-based assays.
• Laboratory Safety: Enforce safe handling of hazardous chemicals, biological specimens, and sharp instruments. Lead incident investigations and corrective action implementation in compliance with EHS policies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Scientific Support: Partner with pathologists, research scientists, and program managers to understand project needs and deliver tailored histological solutions.
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation: Identify and implement improvements to existing workflows, technologies, and methodologies. Evaluate and qualify new platforms and reagents, and champion the adoption of emerging histological and digital pathology technologies aligned with the group's scientific strategy.

Requirements

• Basic Qualifications:
  • BS or equivalent education with typically 7 or more years of experience
  • MS or equivalent education with typically 5 or more years of experience
  • Demonstrated experience in histotechnology science, managing laboratory personnel, including performance management, scheduling, and staff development
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Histotechnologist (HTL) or Histotechnician (HT) certification (ASCP) required; HT/HTL (ASCP) in good standing preferred
  • Comprehensive technical proficiency in tissue grossing, FFPE and OCT processing, embedding, sectioning, routine H&E, and special histochemical staining
  • Experience developing, validating, and implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs), quality control programs, and regulatory/compliance frameworks (e.g., GLP, ISO)
  • Familiarity with advanced molecular histology platforms (e.g., spatial transcriptomics) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS) such as Sample Manager or equivalent
• Other Desirable Attributes:
  • Proven leadership and people management skills with an ability to motivate, mentor, and develop a high-performing technical team
  • Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment
  • Demonstrated commitment to laboratory safety, regulatory compliance, and adherence to institutional policies and documentation standards
  • Effective communicator with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally with pathologists, scientists, operations, and senior leadership
  • Strategic thinker with a continuous improvement mindset and the ability to drive process optimization and innovation initiatives
  • Consistent track record of delivering high-quality, reproducible results within resource and timeline constraints
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, including experience preparing technical reports and presentations
  • Independent, analytical, and solutions-oriented with a demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and drive decisions in a complex research environment
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote) and laboratory data management tools

Benefits

• Comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees
• Eligibility to participate in short-term incentive programs

Pay

The compensation range described is the range of possible base pay that AbbVie believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of posting based on the job grade. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on geographic location and other factors. This range may be modified in the future.