Senior Scientist II, Peptide Discovery

AbbVie•Worcester, MA

About The Position

AbbVie is seeking a Senior Scientist II with a strong background in immunology and/or peptide biology to join our Immuno-Pharmacology and Peptide Discovery team within the Immunology Discovery organization. In this role, you will conceive and implement innovative research strategies to advance immunology programs focused on peptide therapeutics, supporting both early discovery and IND-enabling phases. You will drive innovation by developing new scientific proposals and leading exploratory research initiatives aligned with program and departmental objectives. Your responsibilities include investigating, identifying, and optimizing advanced technical methods and scientific approaches to accelerate peptide-based therapeutic development. As a lead scientist and subject matter expert, you will provide critical insights to help define program direction and resolve complex scientific challenges. You will also proactively assess emerging scientific and regulatory trends, integrating new knowledge into experimental strategies to ensure state-of-the-art practices and regulatory compliance. Extensive collaboration with cross-functional teams—including in vivo teams, DMPK, platform technology, and disease area groups—will enable cohesive program advancement and effective translation of research findings. The position offers the opportunity to provide strong technical execution, leadership, and mentorship within the team, with potential to take on people leadership responsibilities as the group continues to grow.

Requirements

BS, MS, or PhD in Immunology or a related biological discipline, with typically 12+ (BS), 10+ (MS), or 4+ (PhD) years of relevant experience
Strong theoretical and practical foundation in pharmacology and immunology, including knowledge of inflammatory pathways, immune cell trafficking, and oral delivery kinetics
Hands-on proficiency with rodents and a range of immunological and molecular biology techniques, including rodents and human tissue processing and analysis, cellular uptake/internalization of receptors, complex cell-based assays, multi-color flow cytometry, ELISPOT, and digital PCR/qPCR
Experience contributing to IND-enabling studies or other regulated preclinical research efforts
Ability to analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate complex experimental data
Strong scientific writing and verbal communication skills, including preparing technical reports, delivering presentations, and engaging in cross-functional discussions
Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in cross-functional teams
Informal mentorship skills, including training junior scientists and helping troubleshoot experiments
Excellent attention to detail, effective time management skills, adaptability, and a willingness to learn and implement new technologies

Responsibilities

Innovative assay development and optimization: Independently design and execute immunological assays (e.g., ligand-receptor interaction, multi-color flow cytometry, potency whole blood, PBMC & cell line assays, co-culture systems, ELISPOT, ELISA/MSD, ddPCR, RNA-seq, HTS, etc.) to evaluate peptide therapeutics, uncover mechanisms of action in immune pathways. Ensure assay robustness, sensitivity, and reproducibility across programs for reliable data-driven decision-making.
PK/PD Relationship: Apply analytical techniques, including multi-color flow cytometry for detailed cell signaling and phenotype analysis and molecular assays (digital PCR, qPCR, RNA extraction and sequencing) to quantify biomarkers and gene expression changes to build a PK/PD relationship.
Data analysis & interpretation: Analyze and interpret complex experimental datasets to derive meaningful insights on peptide candidate efficacy and mechanism of action and adjust research directions based on data trends and scientific rationale.
Experimental execution & quality: Lead hands-on laboratory studies and complex cellular assays with exceptional attention to detail, generating high-quality, reproducible data while maintaining rigorous documentation and data integrity standards.
Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams (e.g., DMPK, in vivo pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and platform technology groups) to integrate pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and efficacy data, aligning experimental plans with overall program objectives and timelines.
Scientific communication: Prepare and deliver clear, concise technical reports and presentations on research findings, and contribute to external scientific communications (conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications) to highlight the team’s peptide immunology advancements.
IND-enabling support: Contribute to IND-enabling efforts by designing critical preclinical studies, compiling and QC-reviewing data for regulatory documents, and supporting the authoring of IND submission sections to facilitate smooth progression of peptide candidates into clinical trials.
Mentorship & team support: Provide informal mentorship and technical guidance to junior scientists, assisting with experimental design and troubleshooting, and fostering a collaborative lab environment that emphasizes scientific rigor, data quality, and continuous learning.
Innovation & continuous learning: Stay current with emerging immunology research and technological advances; proactively introduce new techniques, instrumentation, or analytical methods to improve assay capabilities and drive innovation in peptide program strategies.
Project leadership & initiative: Take initiative in planning and executing project sub-aims or exploratory studies, coordinating resources effectively, solving technical challenges, and ensuring key milestones are met in alignment with program goals.
Translational integration: Bridge in vitro findings with in vivo outcomes by coordinating closely with pharmacology teams on the design of animal studies and subsequent tissue analysis, thereby ensuring peptide candidates are evaluated comprehensively for immunological efficacy and mechanism of action.