Staff Scientist, Immunoassay Development

Location: San Carlos, California, United States; onsite at least 4 days per week

Salary: $209,000–$244,000 annually for the San Francisco Bay Area

Company

Vaxcyte develops vaccine programs supported by analytical and immunoassay capabilities.

What you will do

• Lead and execute complex laboratory studies for immunoassay development, optimization, qualification, validation readiness, method transfer, lifecycle management, and routine analytical testing.
• Develop fit-for-purpose assays supporting potency, antigenicity, identity, impurity, characterization, comparability, release, and stability activities.
• Design assay strategies covering formats, sample preparation, reagents, detection, system suitability, data analysis, robustness, and control strategies.
• Evaluate ELISA, MSD, multiplex, bead-based, automation-enabled, and other ligand-binding platforms.
• Interpret complex assay data, troubleshoot performance trends, and provide scientific recommendations.
• Support CROs, CDMOs, vendors, cross-functional teams, technical documentation, and regulatory-supporting activities.

Requirements

• PhD with at least 8 years of relevant biopharmaceutical industry experience, or MS with 13 years, or BS with 16 years of experience.
• Hands-on experience developing, optimizing, troubleshooting, transferring, and executing immunoassays in vaccine CMC, biologics analytical development, QC, ASAT, or regulated analytical environments.
• Strong experience with ligand-binding platforms, including ELISA, MSD, electrochemiluminescence, bead-based, or multiplex assays.
• Ability to independently design experiments, interpret complex data, troubleshoot assay performance, and make scientific recommendations.
• Experience with immunoassay control strategies, critical reagents, reference materials, system suitability, bridging, trending, and lifecycle monitoring.
• Must work onsite in San Carlos, California at least 4 days per week.

Nice to have

• Hands-on MSD, multiplex, automation, high-throughput workflow, LIMS, ELN, and digital data analysis experience.
• Experience with conjugated vaccines, polysaccharide-protein conjugates, multivalent vaccines, or other complex biologics.
• Experience with late-stage development, PPQ readiness, BLA preparation, commercial readiness, regulatory submissions, or lifecycle management.
• Experience supporting outsourced immunoassay work and building analytical capabilities in a growing organization.

Culture & Benefits

• Scientific leadership and individual-contributor scope without primary people-management responsibility.
• Opportunity to mentor junior scientists and influence technical direction across programs.
• Cross-functional collaboration with analytical development, quality, manufacturing, regulatory, clinical serology, and external partners.
• Comprehensive benefits and an equity component.