Job Title: Protein Biochemist/Biologist

Position Summary:

Medicenna is a clinical stage immunotherapy company with a strong R & D pipeline focused on engineered interleukins that can selectively modulate immune and non-immune cells relevant for the treatment of a broad range of diseases.

We are seeking a highly motivated Protein Biochemist with strong expertise in molecular biology and protein engineering to join our dynamic R&D team. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in designing expression constructs particularly antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins, as well as extensive experience with recombinant protein expression and purification from CHO and E. coli systems. A solid understanding of analytical characterization techniques is essential.

Minimum Qualifications:

·     Ph.D. in Protein Biochemistry, Molecular Biology

• Minimum 5 years of post-PhD experience in protein biochemistry that preferably includes biotech or biopharmaceutical setting.

·     Intellectual property (IP) experience is also preferred.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and engineer protein constructs for structural and functional optimization to meet functional objectives
• Design experiments related to gene expression, protein synthesis, and molecular pathways, with a primary focus on therapeutic antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins using advanced molecular biology techniques.
• Model protein structures using computational tools to guide rational design and predict impact of mutations or domain arrangements on stability and function.
• Supervise and manage vendors on the production of the designed constructs.
• Protein Expression & Purification:
• Recombinant proteins expression in CHO and E. coli systems.
• Experience in purification processes using affinity, ion exchange, and size exclusion chromatography.
• Analytical Characterization:
• Biophysical and biochemical characterization of proteins using techniques such as SEC-HPLC, mass spectrometry (MS), SDS-PAGE, and UV spectroscopy, SPR and Octet to assess purity, aggregation and degradation
• CMC Support:
• Perform CMC developability assessment on lead molecules
• Identify CMC developability risks from early-stage biophysical characterization
• Contribute to CMC documentation, including method development reports, characterization summaries, and regulatory submissions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure product quality and regulatory compliance.
• Documentation & Reporting:
• Prepare the product profiles for each R&D construct.
• Present findings in internal meetings and contribute to technical reports
• Team Collaboration:
• Work closely with R&D and regulatory teams to ensure seamless progression of therapeutic protein candidates.
• Support patent applications
• Provide critical support for intellectual property (IP) filings by generating, reviewing, and validating amino acid sequences for antibody and Fc-fusion constructs. Ensure sequence accuracy, proper annotation, and alignment with experimental data for inclusion in patent applications. Collaborate closely with IP attorneys and patent agents to prepare sequence listings in compliance with international patent office requirements. Contribute scientific rationale and any identified critical formulation knowledge for claims related to novel constructs and participate in drafting invention disclosures, enabling robust IP protection of proprietary biologics.

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

·      Demonstrated experience with antibody and Fc-fusion construct design.

·      Proficient in protein purification techniques in both CHO and E. coli expression systems.

·      Solid working knowledge of analytical tools such as SEC-HPLC, MS, and other protein characterization techniques.

·      Working knowledge of kinetics binding assays including key technologies such as SPR, and Octet

·      Familiarity with CMC principles, regulatory expectations, and documentation processes is highly desirable.

·      Strong problem-solving, data analysis, and communication skills.

·      Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional environment.

·      Experience of high throughput cloning and expression systems.

·      Experience in developability assessments and biophysical profiling.

·      Demonstrated ability to write high-quality technical documents, including experimental protocols, study reports, and regulatory documentation (e.g., CMC sections, IND filings).

·      Experience at identifying and managing working relationships with multiple contract research organizations (CROs), focusing on the planning and execution of complex studies within defined timelines and budgets.

·      Working knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Please email a cover letter describing how your experience aligns with the above qualification/skills together with your resume as a single document, to Nina Merchant (nmerchant@medicenna.com ).

Thank you in advance for your application. Please note that only applicants meeting our requirements will be contacted.