Institute Associate Scientist III Protein Science, ORBIT

MD Anderson Therapeutics Discovery Division
Within The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center lies the Therapeutics Discovery Division (TDD), a powerful engine driving the future of new targeted, immune- and cell-based therapies. Therapeutics Discovery eliminates the bottlenecks that hamper traditional drug discovery by employing a multidisciplinary team of dedicated researchers, doctors, drug developers, and scientific experts working together to develop small-molecule drugs, biologics, and cellular therapies. Our unique structure and collaborative approach allow the team to work with agility, bringing novel medicines from concept to clinic quickly and efficiently - all under the same roof.

The ORBIT (Oncology Research for Biologics and Immunotherapy Translation) platform is a centralized organization within the Therapeutic Discovery Division at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. ORBIT’s mission is to establish MD Anderson as a recognized leader in the discovery and development of innovative biologics that address unmet needs in cancer treatment and ultimately benefit patients. ORBIT brings together scientific expertise and translational capabilities to guide, inform, accelerate, and execute the translation of novel discoveries into clinically relevant cancer therapeutics. The organization is committed to applying industry-standard approaches to biologics discovery and development while maintaining a clear line of sight from scientific innovation to clinical translation and potential commercialization.

Position Summary
We are seeking a highly motivated Institute Research Associate III to join the Protein Science team within ORBIT and contribute to the discovery and development of novel anti-cancer biologics.

The successful candidate will participate in cross-functional research programs to identify, characterize, and validate therapeutic molecules and support their translation into novel oncology therapeutics. The position will focus primarily on recombinant protein and antibody expression, purification, biophysical and biochemical characterization, molecular biology, and sequence analysis to support antibody discovery and lead optimization.

The ideal candidate is an experienced research associate with hands-on expertise in protein science, antibody characterization, and/or molecular biology. The individual should be highly motivated, scientifically curious, detail-oriented, and well organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects and effectively communicate experimental results and scientific conclusions to colleagues, collaborators, and management.

Success in this role requires the ability to work independently under minimal supervision while functioning effectively within a collaborative, team-oriented environment in which shared scientific and program goals define success.
 

Why Us?
• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options.
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

Key Responsibilities
• Under minimal supervision, conduct laboratory experiments to support antibody expression, characterization, lead identification, and lead optimization for therapeutic drug discovery programs.
• Assist in the design, development, execution, optimization, and validation of experiments, research models, and laboratory workflows supporting biologics discovery.
• Perform recombinant protein and antibody expression, purification, and characterization using state-of-the-art techniques, including BLI/Octet, FPLC, HPLC/SEC, UV spectroscopy, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, and LC-MS.
• Under minimal supervision, design, generate, and optimize expression vectors and molecular constructs for recombinant proteins and antibodies, including implementation of high-throughput workflows when appropriate.
• Under minimal supervision, design, optimize, and perform RT-PCR assays using single cells and tissue samples to support antibody discovery and molecular characterization.
• Analyze and interpret Sanger and next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, including evaluation of sequence–activity relationships to support antibody characterization and affinity maturation.
• Perform DNA mini-, midi-, and maxi-preparation, maintain DNA clone collections, and establish, maintain, and archive bacterial glycerol stocks.
• Execute established laboratory protocols and contribute to the development and optimization of new experimental methods and workflows to address scientific and project needs.
• Record, analyze, interpret, and maintain experimental data in accordance with established procedures and project requirements.
• Communicate experimental findings and scientific conclusions effectively to project teams, collaborators, and management, and contribute to project-related presentations and reports.
• Maintain accurate and complete laboratory records and ensure compliance with applicable institutional policies and safe laboratory practices.

Required Skills and Competencies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate scientific findings and concepts.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary, team-based research environment.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to maintain accurate and reproducible experimental records.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies and techniques rapidly and apply them effectively to scientific problems.
• Ability to effectively prioritize tasks, meet project timelines, and adapt to changing research priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to interact professionally and effectively with internal and external collaborators.
• Ability to present scientific data and concepts clearly and professionally to diverse scientific audiences.
• Demonstrated scientific creativity and an ability to develop innovative approaches to solving experimental problems is preferred.