Principal Scientist - Translational

ABOUT US

At Quell we seek to deliver truly innovative, life-changing therapies for our patients. Our vision as a company is to build a major global biopharmaceutical company bringing transformational and valued therapies for a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as preventing rejection in organ transplantation, based on modular engineered Tregs.

OUR COMPANY

Quell Therapeutics Ltd (“Quell”), the world leader in the development of engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies for serious medical conditions driven by the immune system, announced it has raised $156 million in an oversubscribed Series B financing. The financing round was co-led by Jeito Capital, Ridgeback Capital Investments, SV Health Investors and Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC with participation from founding investor Syncona. New investors include British Patient Capital through its Future Fund: Breakthrough program, Janus Henderson Investors, Monashee Investment Management, Point72 and funds managed by Tekla Capital Management LLC

THE ROLE

Principal Scientist – Translational  

Quell therapeutics is seeking to expand our Translational team by recruiting a Principal Scientist with a background in human immunology and clinical immune-monitoring. The role will lead the immune-monitoring team and will be responsible for the investigation of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and mechanism of action of Quell’s clinical stage CAR-Treg assets. The successful candidate will have a strong background in immunology and immune-monitoring and will have a passion for driving high-impact projects through effective leadership. The successful candidate will have a track record of building effective relationships with colleagues from different departments, projects and backgrounds and will regularly present scientific results and concepts to multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of translational scientists in a fast-paced environment
• Oversee the design, planning, execution, documentation and interpretation of exploratory clinical assays aimed at informing pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and mechanism of action of CAR-Treg drug products.
• Manage and implement assay qualification/validation, collaborating closely with QA and other departments to deliver robust and well-defined assay packages.
• Work closely with biocomputational colleagues to compile and interrogate multiple complex data sources and distil the key narratives.
• Manage and support external collaborations as a subject matter expert in immunology
• Contribute to the external scientific visibility of the company through collaboration with industry partners

 EXPERIENCE WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Experience of leading a team
• Experience in immune monitoring of clinical trials and biomarker discovery
• Experience in immune assay development and qualification/validation
• Experience simultaneously driving complex projects
• Demonstratable aptitude for the critical analysis and presentation of complex data packages concepts to varied audiences
• >6 years’ experience post PhD, with some in an industry setting
• Strong rack record of assay development and qualification / validation

TECHNICAL SKILLS REQUIRED

• PhD in Immunology or related subject
• Strong T-cell immunology knowledge
• Strong flow cytometry expertise
• Experience of RNAseq (bulk / single cell), dPCR, Immune fluorescence highly desirable
• Expertise in primary human cell culture and immune assays such as, MLR, ICS, ELISA/MSD, ELISpot, T-cell activation, proliferation and suppression desirable

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Strong leadership skills – able to provide a clear vision and unite a team behind a common purpose
• Collaborative and enjoys building connections within and beyond the team
• Passionate about our purpose and motivated to drive objectives forward
• Flexible, adaptable and resourceful – thrives when finding creative solutions to complex problems
• Effective communication skills - able to adapt style to suit discussion in a close-knit team or presentation to senior stakeholders
• Contributes to a culture that embraces scientific excellence, integrity, urgency, patient centricity, and continuous improvement
• Works with integrity and acts as an ambassador for Quell and the wider business

BENEFITS

• Holidays: 25 days per year
• Life Assurance:  4 x base salary
• Group Personal Pension: Auto enrolled at 6% employer contribution, 3% employee contribution
• Private Medical Insurance for your whole family
• Annual Bonus

PERKS

• Fantastic collaborative environment at Translation & Innovation Hub
• $156 Million in investment, including brand new lab equipment, innovative methods and exposure to cutting edge technology
• Fast paced and progressive company looking for future leaders and innovators