Senior / Principal Scientist, Antibody Engineering & Rational Design
- Pay
- $177,000 – $235,000 per year
- Location
- South San Francisco, CA
- Listed
- Today
Position Description
We are seeking an innovative Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist to bridge the gap between traditional antibody discovery and cutting-edge computational design. In this role, you will serve as the primary scientific liaison between the wet-lab antibody team and our machine learning team, driving the evolution of our "Design-Build-Test-Learn" cycle.
You will be responsible for using internal and external computational tools to generate designs for a variety of discovery campaigns and optimization of antibodies. You will also ensure that the computational predictions are rigorously validated and that the resulting biological data is structured to retrain and refine our internal models. We are looking for a deep expert in therapeutic antibody development who is eager to move beyond traditional random screening and champion a rational, data-driven approach to biologic drug discovery.
Position Requirements
- Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, computational chemistry, structural biology, or related discipline
- 5+ years' (for Senior Scientist) or 8+ years (for Principal Scientist) post-PhD experience in antibody/protein engineering within the biotech or biopharma industry
- Demonstrated ability to work closely with data scientists and ML engineers and to articulate biological constraints (e.g., immunogenicity, manufacturability) to collaboratively improve model performance
- Hands-on experience using state of the art ML protein design tools (e.g. AlphaFold, Boltz, RFDiffusion, ProteinMPNN)
- Fluency with programming in Python
- Extensive experience in rational design for humanization, affinity/specificity optimization, pH-dependence, and liability removal
- Strong understanding of biophysical characterization to ensure designed molecules are developable therapeutics
- Experience technically managing CROs for gene mutagenesis, in vitro library design, protein production, and screening assays
- Ability to independently propose novel scientific approaches and solve complex technical hurdles
- Must be willing to work onsite 5 days a week
Nice to Have
- Experience with structural modeling using molecular dynamics or other physics-based simulation (e.g. Schrödinger, MOE, Rosetta) to validate and optimize designs
- Experience designing experiments specifically to generate high-quality training data for ML models (e.g. focused libraries or systematic mutagenesis for optimization of binding, manufacturability, biophysical properties and stability)
- Experience running computational pipelines for de novo antibody or VHH design
- Familiarity with common scientific computing and machine learning Python libraries (e.g. NumPy, SciPy, PyTorch)
- Experience with in vivo and in vitro discovery of antibodies by display technologies
- Experience in engineering multi-specific antibodies
Pay and benefits
The estimated base salary range for this role is $177,000 - $235,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.
Who We Are
Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico's highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science, and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.
From Calico Life Sciences's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on November 12, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
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Common questions
What is the salary for the Senior / Principal Scientist, Antibody Engineering & Rational Design role at Calico Life Sciences?
The Senior / Principal Scientist, Antibody Engineering & Rational Design posting at Calico Life Sciences states compensation of $177,000 – $235,000 per year. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on Calico Life Sciences's official career site.
Where is the Senior / Principal Scientist, Antibody Engineering & Rational Design job at Calico Life Sciences located?
This Senior / Principal Scientist, Antibody Engineering & Rational Design position at Calico Life Sciences is located in South San Francisco, CA. Always check Calico Life Sciences's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
How do I apply for the Senior / Principal Scientist, Antibody Engineering & Rational Design position at Calico Life Sciences?
This listing links directly to Calico Life Sciences's Greenhouse application page. You can apply directly on Calico Life Sciences's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Greenhouse application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.