Postdoctoral Fellow, Extracellular Targeted Protein Degradation

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Program Overview

AbbVie needs outstanding individuals willing to challenge themselves to find the best solutions for our patients. The AbbVie Postdoctoral Program is one way we are doing just that. AbbVie Postdoctoral Fellows serve as technical experts who investigate, develop, and optimize new methods and techniques to address critical project or functional area needs. Participants will improve existing or develop new laboratory methods and processes, read and adapt literature to accomplish assignments, and should have mastery of a range of experimental techniques and data analysis specific to their area of expertise.

The Postdoctoral Program supports investigational and experimental research where publication is an important component. Participants will be mentored by renowned industry scientists and collaborators at AbbVie and focus on delivering cutting-edge advancements in Discovery, Development Sciences, and Aesthetics which includes fields such as chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical science, and computational information sciences. This enriching training program offers a balance of supervised investigation and work experience in a learning environment that will expose the participant to activities across the drug development process.

We are seeking scientists from U.S.-based academic institutions who can be matched to projects within their area of scientific expertise for this unique 2-3-year assignment. Applicants who are awarded a postdoctoral position will have the opportunity to build a solid career foundation in the pharmaceutical industry while contributing to advancing human health through AbbVie’s industry-leading biopharmaceutical pipeline.

Role Overview

This postdoctoral role is housed within AbbVie Discovery, a pioneering team dedicated to advancing therapeutic solutions in the fight against cancer and autoimmune diseases.

The postdoctoral fellow will embark on a groundbreaking initiative to target cell surface proteins, which constitute nearly one-third of all coded proteins and are pivotal drug targets. While existing technologies, such as bifunctional degraders, have transformed the targeting of intracellular proteins, the degradation of cell surface proteins presents unique challenges. This role will be at the forefront of exploring innovative approaches to address these challenges.

This research is integral to AbbVie's mission of leading innovations in therapeutic areas. By improving cell surface degradation pathways, the work holds the potential to transform immune responses in cancer therapy, offering substantial benefits to the pharmaceutical industry.

The postdoc will work closely with interdisciplinary teams, gaining access to cutting-edge technologies and resources that are indispensable for pioneering research. The collaborative culture and state-of-the-art facilities at AbbVie provide an ideal environment for ambitious scientists eager to make a significant impact.

This role not only offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an exciting and rapidly advancing field but also positions the postdoc at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation, making it a thrilling and fulfilling career opportunity

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including immunologists, chemists, and biophysicists, to validate and optimize degradation strategies through interdisciplinary research efforts.
• Analyze and interpret complex data sets to draw meaningful conclusions that inform project direction and contribute to scientific publications or patent filings.
• Stay abreast of the latest scientific literature and technological advancements in the fields of protein engineering, immuno-oncology, and targeted protein degradation to drive innovative research.
• Present research findings to internal teams and external stakeholders, effectively communicating complex scientific concepts and the potential impact of the research.
• Publish research in peer-reviewed journals and present work at scientific conferences aligned with business objectives.
• Uphold high standards of laboratory safety, rigor, and integrity in all experimental procedures and documentation.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology, Immune-oncology, Antibody Engineering, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or a related field, with a strong background in cell surface protein biology and protein degradation mechanisms (summer and fall graduates are also welcome to apply).
• Proven expertise in protein biochemistry and molecular biology, including experience with techniques such as Western blotting, membrane preparation, and protein interaction assays.
• Demonstrated proficiency in tissue culture techniques and working with primary immune cells or cell lines relevant to immuno-oncology research.
• Experience with advanced molecular biology techniques including CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy.
• Strong track record of research productivity, evidenced by publications in high-impact scientific journals.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to design and execute hypothesis-driven research projects independently.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to present complex scientific data clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong collaborative capabilities, with experience working in multidisciplinary teams to achieve common research goals.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines effectively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cutting-edge protein degradation technologies such as PROTACs, LyTACs, or related approaches.
• Hands-on experience in high-throughput screening techniques for protein interactions and degradation pathways.
• Familiarity with computational tools for data analysis and bioinformatics applications related to protein structure, pathways and interactions.
• Previous involvement in research projects focusing on immuno-oncology or autoimmune diseases.

Key Leadership Competencies

• Builds strong relationships with peers and cross functionally with partners outside of team to enable higher performance.
• Learns fast, grasps the "essence" and can change course quickly where indicated.
• Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
• Creates a learning environment; open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
• Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation, and manages to reality.

Candidates progressing to the final round of the interview process will be asked to provide three letters of recommendation (including one from the Thesis Advisor) and a letter of intent to pursue the postdoctoral position.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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