Job Description
900+ clinical trials validate that gene therapies are transforming the practice of medicine. As a Research Scientist with the NIBR Biologics Center (NBC), you'll be at the cutting edge, leading the development of innovative medicines that can improve lives of patients.

The NBC group discovers and develops biologic therapeutics to treat unmet medical needs in all of Novartis's disease areas - ranging from oncology, to autoimmune disease, to respiratory diseases and cardiovascular disease. The Antibody Discovery group in NBC works with other Novartis scientists to identify and optimize novel antibody-based protein therapeutics with a variety of formats and mechanisms of actions. We use a range of approaches (both library-based and immunization-based) to discover and optimize antibody therapeutics, and a variety of automation platforms to identify and characterize lead molecules.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
- Selects functional antibodies using display technologies and/or hybridoma approaches

- Optimizes antibodies for improved affinity or other biophysical properties using site directed mutagenesis or display technologies

- Constructs expression vectors for protein expression (e.g. E. coli, mammalian cells), as well as display libraries

- Uses automated systems for high throughput screening of antibody samples, and analyzes high throughput screening data to find lead compounds

- Expresses, purifies and characterizes antibodies produced in biochemical and/or functional assays (e.g. affinity, activity). Uses common protein analytical techniques including SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and ELISA.

- Generates hypotheses to test, troubleshoots issues and designs and executes the next set of experiments with some input from senior lab members/manager.

- Operate in an interdisciplinary setting requiring a high degree of collaboration

- Present research and participate constructively in working project teams and at lab meetings

EEO Statement The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers and take pride in maintaining a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Minimum requirements
- MS (USA) or equivalent (e.g., university degree, etc.) in scientific discipline such as biology, chemistry or pharmacology or appropriate and relevant years of experience; or BS (USA)/apprenticeship (or equivalent) with appropriate and relevant years of experience in drug discovery or other related laboratory research

- Antibody selections (phage and yeast display, hybridoma), protein biochemistry (expression/purification/analytics) and DNA sequence analysis experience is required. Additional background with automation and characterization of antibody binding (e.g. Biacore, Fortebio, flow cytometry) is desired.

- Strong interpersonal skills

- Demonstrate Novartis Values & Behaviors