Director Of Research Operations

This is a hybrid position, working locations are online (remote), Boston, MA and Cairo, Egypt.

Job Description:

We are looking to hire a Director of Research Operations to manage our Egypt-based lab team, collaborations with CROs and develop our lab capabilities in the Boston area. The Director of Research Operations position requires proven experience in the areas of protein and antibody design and synthesis, with a specialization in antibody engineering, production, developability assessment and bioanalytical techniques and a proven track record of managing CRO relationships to achieve strategic objectives. Excellent communication and teamwork skills are essential for this position to work effectively with the laboratory team and interdisciplinary stakeholders. As a key leader, the Director of Research Operations will play a pivotal role in advancing our research and development initiatives. If you are passionate about shaping the future of protein sciences, driving team excellence, and contributing to groundbreaking discoveries, this is an exciting opportunity for you.

Travel Requirements and Accommodation Information:

The Director of Research Operations position is expected to work in the Cairo office for a total of approximately three months out of each year. The frequency of travel will be determined based on operational needs and will be discussed during the onboarding process. Travel expenses and accommodations are provided by the company.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and continue to build the team in areas of protein and antibody engineering, recombinant expression, purification, and characterization to support the development of next-generation protein therapies.
• Strong understanding and demonstrated hands-on experience with recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells. Experience with other hosts is a plus.
• Ensure the development of robust and high-yielding expression and purification workflows for generating a small library of recombinant proteins for R&D, and preclinical development across small and large scales.
• Ensure development of pre-formulation and stability assessments of lead development candidates using state-of-the-art biologics characterization and QC methods.
• Ensure the development of proper in vitro and in vivo protocols for IND-enabling studies.
• Inception and progression of current and future projects up to the identification of novel development candidates and IND-enabling studies.
• Oversee immunology and immuno-modulatory research and drug-discovery programs, identify resources and coordinate work with internal, and external collaborations.
• Manage the outsourcing and transfer of scientific protocols and production processes to contract research organizations (CROs) for efficient scale-up and comprehensive characterization.
• Contribute to Proteinea’s research strategy by advancing our portfolio in close collaboration with group leaders in discovery and preclinical research.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction by leading technical meetings with the team as well as contributing to portfolio meetings within the company.
• Supervise, motivate and inspire the technical team to achieve high performance through setting individual and team goals, providing constructive feedback, developing competency matrices, and implementing tailored training and development programs that foster continuous learning and growth.
• Identify, recruit, and manage a diverse group of external consultants, academic collaborators, and other partners to support key initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. and/or Post-doctoral training in biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology or related field
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry
• Able to work a minimum of 3 months onsite in Cairo throughout the year based on operational needs

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics:

• Advanced understanding of R&D, preclinical research, and drug development, as well as the regulatory processes.
• Hands-on experience with recombinant protein expression, purification and characterization with an emphasis on the expression of antibodies is required. Experience with nonstandard biologics formats (ADC, bispecifics etc.), establishing HTP pipelines and automation is a plus.
• Detailed understanding and hands-on experience in characterization (e.g. HPLC-SEC, DLS, DSF, accelerated stability studies, LC-MS/MS, concentration-dependent viscosity curves, syringeability testing, etc). Experience with high concentration antibody formulations is a plus.
• Proven experience with running in vitro, in vivo, and CMC studies for IND filing.
• Clear track record of successful discovery and progression of projects from discovery to IND is a great plus specifically in the antibody landscape
• Proven ability to foster scientific excellence and guide strategic decisions in a data-driven and solutions-oriented manner.
• Proven history of team leadership in an industry setting.
• Proven ability to work in a cross-functional and collaborative environment.

Company Description:

Proteinea, a pioneering biotech firm in the Middle-East and North African region, harnesses the power of AI and computational biology to revolutionize protein discovery and design. Proteinea stands at the intersection of technology and biology, harnessing advanced computational techniques and innovative biotechnological practices to lead the evolution of biologics and set new standards for healthcare.

Our flagship innovation, the Ankh model, stands out as a globally exceptional protein language model, setting new benchmarks in both efficiency and performance. This powerful tool fuels our protein engineering efforts, paving the way for next-generation therapeutics. Proteinea is backed by renowned investors like Logos Capital, SOSV, Shorooq Partners, and Sawari Ventures, who share our vision for transforming healthcare through advanced biotechnology.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• The primary work location is Boston, MA, with the flexibility of working between Boston and Cairo (working by the pyramids is a great plus). Are you able to travel to Cairo for a minimum of 3 months throughout the year?
• What methodologies and techniques have you employed to optimize recombinant antibody expression in mammalian cells? Have you worked with other host systems as well?
• Provide examples of how you've managed the development of high throughput antibody purification and characterization workflows on both small and large scales.

Work Location: Remote