Senior Research Associate- High Throughput Antibody Production

The heart of Prellis Bio’s strategy is the combination of novel, cutting-edge methods in machine learning, biology at scale, and next-gen antibody discovery that address long-standing industry-wide problems in the drug development pipeline. Prellis Biologics uses proprietary technology to 3D print human lymph node organoids, enabling the rapid & diverse discovery of human antibody therapeutic candidates for a range of applications. To drive this forward, we are assembling an incredible team of discovery biologists, computational scientists, and protein scientists who want to make a difference to this important problem.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate — High-Throughput (HTP) Antibody Production to join our High Throughput Discovery group. You will scale our automated antibody expression and purification pipelines to accelerate biotherapeutic discovery efforts.

• Innovate and implement our HTP antibody production pipeline — expression, purification, and QC — delivering high-quality antibodies from our EXIS and AI/ML platforms for early screening.
• Maintaining cell lines and reagents to ensure consistent and reliable weekly antibody production for downstream testing.

The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic environment and play a critical role in delivering life-changing therapeutics.

Responsibilities

• Perform small-scale HTP expression & Protein A purifications using the KingFisher and BioMek i7
• Perform weekly HTP antibody expressions of 500+ antibodies per week
• Support midscale antibody production
• Manage antibody inventory and hand-offs to downstream colleagues
• Automate new lab processes for multiple teams
• Maintain cell lines for HTP and large-scale antibody production
• Optimize antibody production for maximal scale, speed, and yield
• Perform quality control of high-throughput productions using CE-SDS
• Maintain accurate ELN documentation
• Communicate results and support cross-team workflows
• Monitor expression titers (Octet, ForteBio, or comparable); perform post-purification buffer exchange, concentration, and aliquoting for downstream handoff.
• Track and report production KPIs (yields, purification recovery, quality).

Qualifications

• BS in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or a related field with 3+ years of relevant industry experience
• Excellent sterile technique
• Excellent interpersonal skills; desire to learn new techniques and wear multiple hats
• Demonstrated experience in protein expression and purification, preferably in HTP
• Experience with automated or semi-automated liquid handlers (Biomek i7, KingFisher, Lynx, Integra ViaFlo, etc.)
• Strong understanding of therapeutic antibody discovery process
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to drive multiple projects
• Demonstrated experience collaborating across scientific disciplines in a dynamic environment
• Keen interest in pushing the envelope on HTP production scale and capacity
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture (CHO, HEK, Expi, or equivalent) — including transfection, cell maintenance, and titer monitoring.
• Experience with analytical QC of proteins/antibodies (CE-SDS, HPLC, aSEC, or comparable) for purity and quality assessment.

Bonus Experience

• Familiarity with protein QC on LC/MS and aSEC
• Experience with multiple antibody formats (human IgG, bispecific, Fc fusion)
• Method development on automated liquid handlers (Biomek Method Editor, KingFisher scripts, Tecan, or equivalent).
• Experience with midscale or bioreactor-based expression (fed-batch, perfusion, or ≥100 mL culture).
• Prior industry experience running 100+ antibody productions per week in an HTP setting.

About Prellis Biologics

At Prellis we integrate human biology with machine learning. We aim to revolutionize drug discovery by harnessing the power of the human immune system with tightly integrated machine learning to develop next-generation antibody therapeutics with unparalleled speed, precision, and safety. We are committed to empowering our pharmaceutical partners with access to the most promising fully human antibody candidates rapidly identified from the human immune repertoire, enabling them to bring life-changing treatments to patients faster than ever before. Prellis Biologics is a pre-IPO biotech located in Berkeley, CA with a team-oriented, inclusive, and family-friendly culture. Our growing pipeline targets high unmet patient needs across therapeutic areas including metabolic disease, inflammation, and oncology. Prellis has raised funding from top investors, including Celesta, Khosla Ventures, SOSV, and Avidity Partners.

What You Can Expect Of Us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we’ll support your journey every step of the way.

The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. is posted. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

Application Deadline

Prellis does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position.

Equal Opportunity

Prellis Bio is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the foundation of our culture. We work hard to bring together diverse teams — grounded in a wide range of expertise and life experiences — and work even harder to ensure those teams thrive in inclusive, growth-oriented environments supported by equitable company and team practices. All candidates can expect equitable treatment, respect, and fairness throughout the interview process.