Principal Scientist, Cancer Immunology

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.

The Oncology Thematic Research Center at BMS is a key research and early development engine, responsible for the discovery and development of novel oncology therapeutics for patients.  Centered at our state-of-the-art research sites in Cambridge and Seattle, scientists focus on novel targets and pathways for tumors that are refractory to current therapies.  With a deep understanding of the causal human biology, we are able to leverage our multiple modality platforms to best match the modality to the mechanism and desired outcome.  We are a fully integrated drug discovery through translational and early clinical development organization which exploits state-of-the-art in vitro, in vivo and ex-vivo models of Cancer biology and Immuno-oncology to identify and validate targets.   We partner closely with colleagues in Translational Medicine, Informatics and Predictive Sciences and Early Clinical Development to generate biomarker and patient enrichment hypotheses to enable efficient decision making in early clinical trials.  We are optimally positioned to complement the world-class translational expertise, biology and leading academic research centers in the area

Position Summary:

This position provides a chance to develop next-generation Cancer Immunology therapies that improve patient outcomes. We seek an innovative scientist with leadership potential to drive drug discovery from target nomination to IND filing within the Discovery Biology Team at Bristol Myers Squibb in Cambridge, MA. The ideal candidate will be motivated, independent, and able to work within and lead cross-functional antibody discovery teams. supporting patient and indication selection as well as the development of a biomarker plan.

The candidate will guide matrixed teams through early target validation to IND filing and oversee a small group focused on in vitro biology, assay development, and compound screening studies. Proficiency in flow cytometry, mid-scale screening, T cell bioassays, molecular biology, and related methods is required.

This role also involves contributing to the nomination and advancement of new Cancer Immunology targets addressing immune suppressive and other cells in the tumor microenvironment. Collaboration with bioinformaticians and translational scientists is expected for experiment design and execution.

Position Responsibilities:

This role offers the opportunity to drive scientific innovation and shape the strategic direction of novel immunotherapy development at BMS in a highly collaborative environment that is guided by strong science and an enduring drive to benefit patients with cancer. 

In the role as a Principal Scientist within Discovery Biology, the ideal candidate will:

• Apply comprehensive expertise in cancer immunology and antibody drug discovery to lead cross-functional discovery teams from target identification through IND submission.

• Oversee and actively contribute to the activities of the biology team, ensuring effective support for in vitro experimental workflows.

• Integrate internal screening data, reverse translational datasets, and insights from scientific literature to propose and develop innovative strategies in Cancer Immunology.

• Collaborate with leaders from key functional areas such as in vivo pharmacology, translational biology, DMPK, informatics, and predictive science to establish priorities, evaluate risks, and advance project objectives.

• Leverage advanced scientific and technical knowledge to design, validate, and conduct in vitro assays that clarify drug mechanisms of action and enhance therapeutic efficacy.

• Analyze complex biological data to support informed decision-making and guide