Job Description

About your role

The Antibody Engineering group is a unit within the newly established Orion Biologics R&D UK Center whose main responsibility is to discover and develop biologics for clinical use from early research into clinical development.


Orion Pharma is establishing a new Biologics Research & Development Center in the vibrant biomedical ecosystem of Cambridge, UK. The Biologics R&D Center represents a central piece in the long-term vision of expansion into biologics modalities by Orion Pharma. The Center's mission is to accelerate the company's biologics research and development efforts.


The Biologics R&D Center will complement Orion's existing R&D efforts in Finland, where the company was founded in 1917. Currently, Orion possesses all of the functional capabilities necessary for small molecule discovery and development in Finland. Orion's expansion into Cambridge, UK marks a pivotal step in building future innovative biologics treatments, including multi-specific antibodies, Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC), and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells (CAR-T).


Independently of geography, Orion Pharma is committed to upholding key Nordic values. The company has created a culture of straightforward and honest interactions, and its management emphasizes the balance of professional and home life, leading to happier and motivated employees. This motivation is key to meeting the company's bold mission of becoming a powerhouse of biologics discovery and development.


We are seeking an enthusiastic Scientist/Senior Scientist to lead the phage display platform for discovery and optimization campaigns as well as for other antibody optimization projects that support the needs of the growing pipeline of Biologics at Orion Pharma.

Your key responsibilities

Provide hands-on technical leadership in the laboratory for phage display campaigns used for protein and antibody discovery and engineering projects Lead continues optimization of the phage display techniques in accordance with the state of the art Track and store phage pools during the discovery process Perform and analyze NGS from antibody campaigns to identify lead clones and variants of interest Give input into design and construction of synthetic phage-antibody libraries used for discovery campaigns Help establish and build complementary laboratory infrastructure with the aim of automation of phage display campaigns Enhance the available antibody developability analysis toolbox and incorporate it into the earliest stages of discovery Guide and mentor junior scientists and research associates Work closely together with cross-functional research groups (Antibody Characterization, Antibody Expression, Antibody Purification, and Bioassays) with the aim to identify and isolate therapeutic candidates Help identify and form strong alliances with external partners and CROs to ensure effective technology transfers and control strategy implementation Actively contribute to cross-functional internal project team discussions, ensuring research plans are aligned with the project timelines and goals Understand and comply with Orion Pharma safety, quality and regulatory policies and relevant government regulations
This is a full-time position based in Cambridge, UK and we will support relocation to the UK. In this position, you will report to the Head of Antibody Discovery, Orion Pharma iMeds/R&D. We will be making a decision on your job title based on your experience.

What we offer

This role offers an opportunity to enhance phage display capacities within the Antibody Discovery team at our new location in Cambridge, UK. This will be a unique opportunity for an enthusiastic antibody scientist to take a leadership role and help further establish and advance a core technology while we build a state-of-the-art antibody engineering powerhouse within Orion Pharma iMeds/R&D.


A highly innovative R&D pipeline and enthusiastic working environment provide you with possibilities to use your own strengths to advance your competence and career. This position also holds the exciting potential to innovate and have an impact on future therapies for patients.


At Orion, your work creates true impact and well-being for our customers, patients and society at large. Our culture of friendliness, respect, mutual appreciation and diversity creates a safe working environment where you can strive for excellence. We offer a wealth of career paths and development opportunities that support the development of innovative solutions and improving the quality of life.


Please visit our website to find further information about our values and Orion as an employer https://www.orion.fi/en/careers/orion-as-an-employer/ .

Our expectations

To succeed in this role, we expect you to have:


Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology or a related subject area with 3+ years of industrial experience, or an MS degree with 5+ years of industrial experience. Demonstrated experience with phage display technologies for applied to antibody discovery and engineering purposes Demonstrated experience with NGS analysis Demonstrated ability to construct phage display libraries Expertise in antibody/protein discovery with a comprehensive understanding of the antibody structure/function relationship An ability to create positive collaborations within the Research & Development team Demonstrated ability to meet performance targets and project initiatives Ability to assess and make decisions based on scientific data Excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills

How to apply and additional information

If this opportunity excites you, we encourage you to apply! Please submit your cover letter and CV by May 25th, 2025.


We typically review applications already during the application period and may start interviewing candidates before the application deadline. Therefore, we invite you to send your application as soon as possible.


#LI-ORION

Unit description

Orion Pharma's Innovative Medicines are within its R&D organization. The organization employs top professionals in the field of drug discovery and development. There are around 400 professionals working in R&D. In addition to Cambridge, UK Biologics R&D Center, Orion R&D has offices in Espoo, Turku and Kuopio in Finland, in Nottingham, UK, and in New York, NY, USA.