Associate Director, Assay Development and Screening

Position Summary: A novel partnership of academic institutions, the Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute (Tri-I TDI) links researchers in basic and clinical science with experts in drug discovery from the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, with the goal of more efficiently translating discoveries into therapies for disease.

The Tri-I TDI is seeking an experienced scientist to lead efforts in assay development and screening of monoclonal antibodies.

The biochemical and cellular assays will be used for mechanistic and functional testing of antibodies for projects initiated by principal investigators from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The Rockefeller University, and Weill Cornell Medicine.

The Associate Director will have project management responsibilities, work closely with industrial partners and academic collaborators, and present progress reports to the project teams.

Position Activities: Establishes and supervises a laboratory for assay development and screening to support therapeutic antibody discovery projects Defines and implements processes for efficient mechanistic and functional screening of antibody leads Oversees the daily operations of the assay development and screening team, including primary binding to the target in solution or on cells, analysis of species cross-reactivity, and biochemical and cell-based assays to identify antibodies with the desired functional properties Collaborates with the principal investigators at the academic institutions to adopt, refine and miniaturize existing functional assays Recruits and manages technical support staff Provides technical training on assay development and screening methodologies Manages projects from the antibody discovery portfolio in close collaboration with the industry partner and the principal investigators at the academic institutions Submits progress reports and presents project updates at meetings with the principal investigators and the Tri-I TDI leadership team Keeps current with literature and emerging trends in the discipline Reports to the Vice President, Biologics Qualifications: Minimum Requirements PhD degree in pharmacology, molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, or related field A minimum of 5 years of experience working in assay development and screening of antibodies, preferably in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry Demonstrated track record with publications or patents Expertise in project planning and management Skills and Abilities In-depth knowledge of state-of-the-art technologies and methods for functional assay development and screening of antibodies Proficiency in biosensor techniques, automated liquid handling, and readout methodologies Aptitude for quickly understanding the underlying biology required to design appropriate mechanistic or functional screening assays for each project Critical independent thinking, prioritization of tasks, strong problem-solving, and excellent communication skills Timely delivery of team goals and ability to build productive relationships with colleagues, collaboration partners, and stakeholders