Research Associate-Antibody Discovery Laboratory

Title:

Research Associate-Antibody Discovery Laboratory

Job Type:

Regular

Company:

Health Research, Inc. (HRI) Roswell Park Division

Department:

Center for Immunotherapy

Time Type:

Full time

Weekly Hours:

40

FTE:

1

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Summary:

The Research Associate will support antibody discovery efforts utilizing phage display and yeast surface display platforms for the identification and screening of monoclonal antibodies. This role requires hands-on expertise in molecular biology, microbial culture, high-throughput screening workflows, and data analysis. The successful candidate will execute end-to-end discovery campaigns, including phage panning, FACS-based yeast selection, clone identification, and downstream characterization, while maintaining rigorous documentation and quality standards.

This position offers the opportunity to directly contribute to therapeutic antibody discovery programs advancing toward preclinical development. The pay range for the Research Associate is $62,514 - $78,846 annually which includes a comprehensive benefits package. The listed pay range reflects the range of potential compensation for this role. The actual offer may vary based on qualifications, skills, and experience.


Key Responsibilities

Antibody Discovery & Screening
• Perform biopanning and selection campaigns using phage display libraries (e.g., Nanobody, scFv formats).
• Subclone phage selection outputs into yeast display vectors (PCR amplification, restriction/ligation or Gibson cloning, transformation, plasmid preparation, electroporation)
• Conduct yeast surface display screening, including FACS-based enrichment and analysis workflows.
• Design and execute screening assays (ELISA, flow cytometry, binding assays).
• Prepare samples for Sanger sequencing and next-generation sequencing (NGS).
• Analyze antibody sequences for diversity, enrichment trends, and developability features.
• Maintain, expand, and quality-control antibody libraries.

Protein Expression & Characterization
• Express and purify antibody fragments and recombinant proteins in bacterial systems.
• Support downstream characterization including binding kinetics (e.g., SPR/BLI), stability, and functional assays.
• Perform affinity ranking and specificity assessment of antibody clones.

Data Analysis & Documentation
• Maintain detailed electronic laboratory experimental records.
• Analyze screening and sequencing data using appropriate software tools.
• Prepare summaries, reports, and presentations for internal meetings.

Laboratory Operations
• Maintain inventory of reagents and consumables.
• Ensure compliance with biosafety and laboratory safety regulations.
• Troubleshoot experimental workflows and optimize protocols as needed.

Qualifications:

Required Education and Experience

1. Master’s degree and the equivalent of eighteen (18) months of full-time professional research experience in a laboratory, clinical or scientific research environment; or
2. Bachelor’s degree and the equivalent of thirty (30) months of full-time professional research experience in a laboratory, clinical or scientific research environment.

NOTE:
Degrees must be conferred by an accredited school, college, or university, or by an institution recognized by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and/or Health Research Incorporated as adhering to acceptable educational standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

The preferred candidate will have:

• Experience with antibody engineering or affinity maturation strategies.
• Familiarity with next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis workflows.
• Experience with binding kinetics platforms (e.g., SPR, BLI).

• Demonstrated technical rigor and attention to detail
• Strong analytical problem-solving skills
• Excellent documentation and data integrity practices
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Collaborative team-oriented mindset

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corporation (RPCIC) and Health Research Inc. (HRI) Roswell Park Division believe that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities, and we do not discriminate against our employees, applicants or job seekers because of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, creed, age, disability, pregnancy-related condition, military or veteran status, marital or familial status, domestic violence victim status, citizenship status, genetic information, individual’s relationship or association with a member of a protected category or any other protected group status as defined by law.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer/Qualified Individuals with Disabilities/Qualified Protected Veterans

Reasonable Accommodation Request

RPCIC and HRI are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email HR-PayAndBenefits@RoswellPark.org  and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Our Core Values

RPCIC and HRI are committed to providing an environment where patients, families, employees and community are treated with courtesy and respect. We support an inclusive environment that nurtures the talents, skills and abilities of each individual to embody and reflect our core values: Innovation, Integrity, Teamwork, Commitment, Compassion and Respect.

Grant Funding

This is a grant-funded position.  Compliance with funding requirements such as time and effort reporting, grant deliverables, and contract deliverables is required.

E-Verify Employer

Health Research Inc. (HRI) Roswell Park Division participates in the E-Verify program.