Principal Scientist, Analytical Development, Cell Therapy

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.

Position Summary
We are looking a highly motivated and self-driven professional to join our Cell Therapy Analytical Development (CTAD) department as a Senior or Principal Scientist.  The successful candidate will play a crucial role in developing, validating, transferring, and troubleshooting plate-based assays to advance cell therapy development deliverables.

The highly experienced assay developer will independently develop and execute plate-based assays to support process development, as well as the characterization and release of autologous and allogenic cell therapies which are undergoing clinical trials. The Senior/Principal Scientist will design and analyze experiments with minimal supervision, leading to the development of robust analytical methods. They will be responsible for developing QC methods for lot release testing, characterization methods for product understanding, and routine testing to support process development and comparability assessments. 

The Senior/Principal Scientist should possess significant hands-on experience in ligand binding/antibody assay development and demonstrate capability in collaborating with other groups, such as discovery research, product sciences, process development, and QC. Additional preferred experience includes working in a cGMP environment and/or performing analytical method validation and transfers to a QC facility. The ideal candidate will be passionate about developing novel medicines, thrive in an intellectually challenging environment, and enjoy collaborating with a team of like-minded Scientists. This is a lab-based position, with the level commensurate with experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as subject matter expert to develop, optimize, validate, and troubleshoot assays used for vector and cell therapy products. 
• Design and execute phase appropriate validation, and manage method transfer from CTAD to internal or external QC/testing groups.
• Maintain meticulous laboratory notebooks and manage routine sample analysis requests.
• Represent the group and present data to cross functional meetings.
• Author, review and approve technical documents, including methods, protocols, reports, and regulatory submissions.
• Good knowledge of cGMP and ICH/FDA/EMEA guidance.
• Facilitate smooth operation of the laboratory, including ordering, assisting in the cryopreservation of cellular material, sample management, etc.
• Complete regulatory, site, and department training requirements on a timely basis.

Qualifications & Experience

• A PhD with 5+ (BS with 12+) years of experience in pharmaceutical research, development, or related industry experience.
• In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in development and validation of ligand binding assays (e.g., ELISA, MSD, AlphaLISA, Simple Plex, Luminex).
• Proven experience with data analysis and interpretation using software (e.g., Softmax Pro, Gen5, MSD Workbench, Excel).
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team setting and in a rapidly changing environment with frequent changes in priorities, which require strong organizational skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in cGMP environment is a preferred.

The starting compensation for this job is a range from $127,000 - $159,000,

plus incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility). The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills and the geographic location where work is performed. Final, individual compensation is decided commensurate with demonstrated experience. For more on benefits, please visit our BMS Careers Site. Eligibility