Senior Research Investigator/Scientific Leader (Biologics), London or Lausanne

Senior Research Investigator/Scientific Leader (Biologics), London or Lausanne

We are here to advance human health, by reimagining drug discovery with the power and pace of artificial intelligence.

The future is coming. A future enabled and enriched by the incredible power of machine learning. A future in which diseases are curtailed or cured by better and faster drug discovery. 

Our values exist in service of that future. We think they’ll help us bring it closer, too. 

Come and be part of an interdisciplinary team driving groundbreaking innovation and play a meaningful role in contributing towards us achieving our ambitious goals, while being a part of an inspiring and collaborative culture.

The world we want tomorrow is the one we’re building today. It starts with the culture at this company. It starts with you. 

About Iso

Isomorphic Labs (IsoLabs) was founded in 2021 and is led by Sir Demis Hassabis. Our aim is to usher in a new era of biomedical breakthroughs and find cures for some of humanity’s devastating diseases.

Our foundations are built on the success of Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold, but we didn’t stop there! We are continuing to develop and implement state-of-the-art technologies as we move towards our goal of dramatically accelerating and improving the process of designing and bringing new medicines to patients.

We have built a world-leading drug design engine comprising foundational AI models that are capable of working across multiple therapeutic areas and drug modalities. The company is continually innovating on model architecture and developing cutting-edge capabilities to advance rational drug design.

Your impact 

Are you an experienced antibody and protein engineering expert ready to redefine therapeutic discovery?

Isomorphic Labs is seeking a Senior Research Investigator/Scientific Leader to spearhead the design of novel large molecule therapeutics by harnessing the transformative power of our cutting-edge generative AI platform.

This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with Isomorphic labs’ world leading AI, ML and drug discovery experts to develop imaginative new ways, based on generative AI, to design and optimize protein based therapeutics. You will play a pivotal role in our biologics drug design projects, working with key internal and external stakeholders to progress exciting projects in early Drug Discovery through to Candidate Selection and, ultimately, towards clinical impact. 

This role demands a blend of deep scientific expertise and the intellectual curiosity to explore uncharted territory in therapeutic design.

What you will do

• Embed cutting-edge AI into modern drug design principles and define the scientific and technical direction of antibody therapeutic programs, aligned with the company goals.
• Champion the de novo design and engineering of novel biologics from concept to candidate.
• Work seamlessly with multidisciplinary internal teams (ML, Biology, Chemistry) and external partners to deliver high-quality, data-driven scientific solutions.
• Oversee external collaborations and lead programs to meet critical milestones and progress efficiently.
• Foster a culture of scientific excellence by mentoring and guiding the development of fellow team members within our growing biologics group.

Skills and qualifications 

Essential:

• A PhD in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• Substantial industry experience (pharma/biotech) focused on large molecule drug discovery.
• Proven track record leading or significantly contributing to multidisciplinary teams in the discovery and optimization of antibody therapeutics.
• Deep expertise in antibody lead discovery, engineering, and optimization strategies, including hands-on experience with complex formats (e.g., multi-specifics, ADCs).
• In-depth understanding of protein structure-function relationships and experience applying de novo design or advanced protein engineering principles (eg. affinity maturation, liability de-risking, developability assessment).
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated success managing external collaborations (industry/CROs) for therapeutic antibody development.
• Strategic mindset with strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making capabilities.
• An entrepreneurial spirit, comfortable thriving in a fast-paced, innovative, and rapidly evolving environment, with a drive to achieve ambitious goals. You possess intellectual curiosity and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking.

Nice to have:

• Project leadership experience across multiple biologics platforms or modalities.
• Experience in immunology and/or oncology therapeutic areas within a biologics discovery context.
• Prior experience leveraging machine learning or computational biology techniques for biologics design and optimization.

Culture and values

We are guided by our shared values. It's not about finding people who think and act in the same way. These values help to guide our work and will continue to strengthen it. 

Thoughtful
Thoughtful at Iso is about curiosity, creativity and care. It is about good people doing good, rigorous and future-making science every single day.

Brave
Brave at Iso is about fearlessness, but it’s also about initiative and integrity. The scale of the challenge demands nothing less.

Determined
Determined at Iso is the way we pursue our goal. It’s a confidence in our hypothesis, as well as the urgency and agility needed to deliver on it. Because disease won’t wait, so neither should we.

Together
Together at Iso is about connection, collaboration across fields and catalytic relationships. It’s knowing that transformation is a group project, and remembering that what we’re doing will have a real impact on real people everywhere.

Creating an extraordinary company

We believe that to be successful we need a team with a range of skills and talents. We're building an environment where collaboration is fundamental, learning is shared and every employee feels supported and able to thrive. We value unique experiences, knowledge, backgrounds, and perspectives, and harness these qualities to create extraordinary impact.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis protected by applicable law. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Hybrid working

It’s hugely important for us to share knowledge and build strong relationships with each other, and we find it easier to do this if we spend time together in person. This is why we follow a hybrid model, and would require you to be able to come into the office 3 days a week (currently Tuesday, Wednesday, and one other day depending on which team you’re in). If you have additional needs that would prevent you from following this hybrid approach, we’d be happy to talk through these if you’re selected for an initial screening call.

Please note that when you submit an application, your data will be processed in line with our privacy policy.

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