Senior Scientist, Macrophage-stromal biology

ABOUT RELATION Relation is a sector defining TechBio company developing transformational medicines, with technology at our core. Our ambition is to understand human biology in unprecedented ways, discovering therapies to treat some of life’s most devastating diseases. We leverage single-cell multi-omics from patient tissue, functional assays, and machine learning to drive disease understanding, from cause to cure. We are scaling rapidly and building a team of exceptional individuals to push the boundaries of drug discovery. You will work in highly interdisciplinary teams where biology, computation, and engineering come together to solve complex problems that have not been solved before. Our state-of-the-art wet and dry labs in the heart of London are designed to accelerate this integration and translate insight into impact. We are committed to building diverse and inclusive teams. Relation is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, or age. By joining Relation, you will help define how medicines are discovered and deliver meaningful impact for patients.   THE OPPORTUNITY Relation is offering an outstanding opportunity for an Senior Scientist, Biologics Drug Discovery to bring deep biologics drug discovery knowledge to our growing pipeline. You will contribute to target assessment, modality selection and biologics discovery strategies through deep technical expertise and hands-on scientific execution from early concept through to IND-enabling studies. As Relation grows its scientific and machine learning capabilities, you will act as a highly experienced scientist, bringing deep expertise in antibody discovery and engineering while contributing directly to programme execution and scientific decision-making, working alongside our computational, ML, and translational teams to translate biological insight into well-designed molecules with a credible path to the clinic. We are particularly interested in scientists who have personally designed, engineered and optimised antibody molecules, including experience with affinity maturation, CDR engineering, developability assessment and data-driven molecule optimisation. You will additionally be a key technical voice in pipeline decisions and a trusted partner to colleagues across Drug Discovery and beyond.   DAY TO DAY, YOU WILL * Demonstrated hands-on experience designing, engineering and optimising antibody molecules, with a strong understanding of the experimental approaches used to assess potency, selectivity, developability and mechanism of action. * Ability to independently interpret complex datasets and use those data to drive molecule design and optimisation decisions. * Maintain a hands-on role in biologics discovery activities while partnering closely with internal and external teams. * Drive biologics programs end-to-end — from target validation and hit identification through lead characterization, optimization, and developability triage — against agreed Target Product Profiles (TPPs). * Make informed modality decisions across the biologics landscape (antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs, fusion proteins, fragments) and ensure the right molecule is selected for the right target and indication. * Design and oversee fit-for-purpose discovery packages, combining cell-based functional assays, biophysical characterization (SPR/Biacore, BLI/Octet), and developability assessment to drive sound candidate selection. * Operate effectively in a matrixed pharma/biotech environment, partnering with Computational Biology, Machine Learning, CMC, DMPK, Toxicology, and Translational colleagues to de-risk candidates and progress them toward IND-enabling studies. * Partner with external collaborators and CROs, contributing to study design, data review and scientific interpretation. * Share expertise with colleagues and contribute to a collaborative scientific environment. * Partner with our ML and computational biology teams to bring biologics drug discovery insight into how predictive and generative approaches are applied to target selection, molecule design, and lead optimization. * Personally contribute to the design, engineering and optimisation of antibody molecules, using experimental data to guide scientific decisions and progression strategies. * Contribute to Relation’s scientific culture by mentoring junior scientists in biologics drug discovery, supporting publications and conference visibility, and helping to shape the broader scientific identity of the biologics group.   PROFESSIONALLY, YOU WILL HAVE * A PhD. in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Pharmacology, Cell Biology, Protein Engineering, or a related life-science discipline. * Hands-on drug discovery experience gained in a pharma or biotech setting, with a clear track record of contributing to biologics programs progressing through key discovery milestones (target validation, hit-to-lead, lead optimization, candidate selection). * Proven experience working in a matrixed pharma/biotech environment, partnering effectively across functions (e.g. CMC, DMPK, Toxicology, Computational/ML, Translational) and balancing multiple stakeholders. * Deep working knowledge of biologics drug discovery: how biology is translated into a molecule, how modalities are chosen, how discovery cascades are designed, and what data are needed at each stage to make sound progression decisions. * Familiarity with the biologics modality landscape (antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs, fusion proteins, fragments) and an informed view of when each modality is the right tool for the biology. * Hands-on experience with the data types that drive biologics drug discovery decisions, including cell-based functional and screening assays and biophysical characterization (SPR/Biacore, BLI/Octet). * Working experience of CRO management across biologics drug discovery activities (e.g. molecule production, in vitro pharmacology, in vivo studies). * A good understanding of biologics drug discovery end-to-end, including TPP-driven decision-making, developability considerations, and awareness of what is required to support IND-enabling activities. * Curiosity about how ML and computational approaches can complement traditional biologics discovery workflows, and an interest in shaping how those tools are deployed. Bonus experience: * Familiarity with bone biology and bone-microenvironment models (osteoblast, osteoclast, osteocyte; mineral-binding or resorption assays). * Peer-reviewed publications in the biologics drug discovery space, prior experience mentoring junior scientists, and exposure to a TechBio or computationally-driven discovery environment are also welcome.   PERSONALLY, YOU: * Are comfortable working in a matrixed environment, balancing multiple stakeholders and contributing effectively across teams. * Take ownership of your work, proactively seek opportunities to contribute, and enable others to do their best work. * Communicate openly and directly, give and receive feedback constructively, and handle challenging conversations with respect. * Actively seek out diverse perspectives, build strong working relationships, and contribute to shared goals across teams. * Embrace challenges with openness and resilience, set high standards for yourself, and strive to deliver meaningful outcomes.   WORKING STYLE & CULTURE AT RELATION At Relation, we operate in a matrixed, interdisciplinary environment, where impact is driven through collaboration across scientific, technical, and operational domains. We collaborate, and you will partner with colleagues across multiple teams and projects, contributing your expertise while aligning to shared company priorities. We work together and win together! The patient is waiting!   RECRUITMENT AGENCIES Please note that Relation does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Resumes should not be forwarded to our job aliases or employees. Relation will not be liable for any fees associated with unsolicited CVs. Relation is a committed equal opportunities employer.

Senior Scientist Model Systems About Relation Relation is a sector defining TechBio company developing transformational medicines, with technology at our core. Our ambition is to understand human biology in unprecedented ways, discovering therapies to treat some of life’s most devastating diseases. We leverage single-cell multi-omics from patient tissue, functional assays, and machine learning to drive disease understanding, from cause to cure. We are scaling rapidly and building a team of exceptional individuals to push the boundaries of drug discovery. You will work in highly interdisciplinary teams where biology, computation, and engineering come together to solve complex problems that have not been solved before. Our state-of-the-art wet and dry labs in the heart of London are designed to accelerate this integration and translate insight into impact. We are committed to building diverse and inclusive teams. Relation is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, or age. By joining Relation, you will help define how medicines are discovered and deliver meaningful impact for patients. The opportunity At Relation, we are building proprietary large-scale datasets to advance the prediction of disease-associated genes using cutting-edge functional genomics and machine learning approaches. We are offering an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Scientist to drive our automation capabilities in running large scale perturbation studies on mono- and co-culture systems of fibrotic disease. In this role, you will be at the forefront of scientific discovery and make a meaningful impact in the field of biology, working at the intersection of science and technology within a rapidly growing TechBio company. The successful candidate will contribute significantly to capture the cellular response using a multimodal readout strategy that includes transcriptomics, proteomics and molecular signatures of functional phenotype. You will partner closely with colleagues across Discovery and Technology, whilst still being provided the opportunity to expand your skills and advance your knowledge-base on assay development, screening and automation. Day to day, you will have the following key responsibilities: * Integrate human primary cell lines into robust monoculture and co-culture models that are capable of large batch production and compatible for high throughput readouts, with the necessary quality control (QC). * Characterise and optimise multiplexed imaging and biochemical assays that provide readouts for functional phenotyping. * Transition manually developed perturbation models into an automated arrayed screen. * Contribute to the development and implementation of new technologies, workflows, and operational infrastructure. * Carrying out data analysis and relevant quality assurance protocols. * Communicate outcomes of your work to team members and external parties in written or verbal reports. * Stay up to date of relevant scientific literature and incorporate new findings into research project planning and experiment design. * Proactive identification of potential project issues and communication of proposed solutions to the team. * Communicate closely with cross-functional colleagues across biology, machine learning and automation disciplines and assist with solving complex scientific challenges and accelerate programme delivery. Professionally, you will have * PhD with 5+ years experience and demonstrable knowledge in assay development and/or target validation. * Strong background in culturing of primary and immortalised cell lines as well as functional disease relevant endpoints with the aim of ensuring required reproducibility and sensitivity in those assays. * Hands-on experience in image capture and data interpretation using High content imaging with cell painting. * Scientific knowledge of fibrosis across various tissues. * Knowledge of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing for modulating gene expression in 2D and 3D cell systems. * Prior experience running pathway-modifying perturbation screens. * Experience with automated laboratory systems. * Extensive knowledge in industry-standard large ‘omic dataset handling and recording keeping. * Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills, with the ability to thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional, matrixed environment * High motivation, scientific rigor and be able to comfortably operate in a fast-paced, evolving biotech setting Personally, you * Are comfortable working in a matrixed environment, balancing multiple stakeholders and contributing effectively across teams. * Take ownership of your work, proactively seek opportunities to contribute, and enable others to do their best work. * Communicate openly and directly, give and receive feedback constructively, and handle challenging conversations with respect. * Actively seek out diverse perspectives, build strong working relationships, and contribute to shared goals across teams. * Embrace challenges with openness and resilience, set high standards for yourself, and strive to deliver meaningful outcomes. Working Style & Culture at Relation At Relation, we operate in a matrixed, interdisciplinary environment, where impact is driven through collaboration across scientific, technical, and operational domains. We collaborate, and you will partner with colleagues across multiple teams and projects, contributing your expertise while aligning to shared company priorities. We work together and win together! The patient is waiting! Recruitment Agencies Please note that Relation does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Resumes should not be forwarded to our job aliases or employees. Relation will not be liable for any fees associated with unsolicited CVs. Relation is a committed equal opportunities employer.