Principal Scientist (TCR Optimization)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The role follows a 70/30 work model with regular in-office collaboration. Only U.S. persons who can access export-controlled information under U.S. law are eligible.

Salary: $142,500–$256,500 per year, with potential annual bonus, incentive compensation, or equity.

Company

hirify.global develops mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines using mRNA science, delivery technology, and manufacturing capabilities.

What you will do

• Build, optimize, and execute scalable TCR optimization workflows using display technologies and directed evolution.
• Establish an end-to-end pipeline covering library design, display screening, candidate recovery, sequence analysis, molecular characterization, functional validation, and lead selection.
• Design rational and semi-rational TCR libraries informed by sequence, structure, pHLA biology, cross-reactivity, developability, and therapeutic-format requirements.
• Lead iterative optimization campaigns balancing affinity, specificity, stability, expression, developability, functional potency, and safety-related risk.
• Partner with computational biology, AI/ML, NGS, functional assay, reagent generation, preclinical, and external teams.
• Communicate scientific strategy, experimental results, technical risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations to multidisciplinary teams.

Requirements

• PhD in immunology, protein engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, or a related discipline.
• At least 5 years of post-PhD experience in TCR engineering, protein engineering, directed evolution, display-based screening, or a related therapeutic discovery discipline.
• Hands-on experience with display technologies, library design, affinity maturation, specificity engineering, developability optimization, and TCR or TCR-mimetic workflows.
• Experience designing and interpreting binding, stability, expression, functional potency, and biophysical characterization assays.
• Ability to lead complex experimental workflows, troubleshoot technical challenges, interpret multi-parameter datasets, and make data-driven decisions.
• Must qualify as a U.S. person under applicable export-control requirements; visa sponsorship for non-U.S. persons is unavailable.

Nice to have

• Strong understanding of TCR-pMHC recognition, T cell biology, therapeutic TCR formats, and affinity–specificity–developability tradeoffs.
• Experience with TCR cross-reactivity assessment, off-target risk, sequence analysis, NGS datasets, structure-guided design, or sequence-function modeling.
• Experience evaluating display, screening, automation, or protein engineering technologies.

Culture & Benefits

• 70/30 work model emphasizing in-office collaboration, teamwork, and direct mentorship.
• Healthcare and voluntary benefit programs.
• Fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support.
• Family planning benefits including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support.
• Paid time off including vacation, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and year-end shutdown.
• Savings and investment programs plus location-specific benefits.