Assistant Lead, TCR Discovery Team

Title: Assistant Lead, TCR Discovery Team

Location: Upper East Side

Org Unit: MCC Laboratories

Work Days:

Weekly Hours: 35.00

Exemption Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $128,700.00 - $146,100.00

• As required under NYC Human Rights Law Int 1208-2018 - Salary range for this role when Hired for NYC Offices

Position Summary

The Assistant Lead, TCR Discovery, is responsible for supporting the development of a rigorous, high‑throughput discovery and preclinical development engine that identifies high throughput and with high confidence tumor-specific TCRs for downstream analysis, engineering, and translational development.

Job Responsibilities

• Design & implement end-to-end personalized TCR discovery workflow incl. tumor-reactive T cell identification, TCR cloning & characterization, specificity validation, & safety de-risking leading to the selection of personalized TCRs for clinical application
• Design and implement advanced de-risking methods and workflows to assess alloreactivity, unintended HLA interactions, off-target toxicity risk including X-scan, peptide library screens and library-on-library HTS
• Interpret and report complex campaigns for identification of TCRs against known tumor antigens
• Integrate data across functional potency, specificity, and safety to support go/no-go decisions on specific TCRs, their cloning, specificity validation, and safety de-risking
• Prepare translational packages (reports, assay descriptions, validation summaries) supporting IND/CTA‑enabling preclinical data
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to integrate learnings and advance gene therapy initiatives
• Operate with highest integrity and ethics, conduct all experiments following lab, department, and college policies and procedures
• Mentor and train junior scientists and staff, promote scientific rigor, collaboration, independent thinking, and career advancement.
• Prepare scientific abstracts and articles, publish results in research journals, and present findings at conferences

Education

• PhD in Immunology, Molecular/Cell Biology, Genetic Engineering or related field

Experience

• A minimum of 8+ years post-PhD experience in academia or industry setting.
• Prior experience in TCR discovery, complex immune assays and preclinical development is required.
• Experience working across functional teams.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Deep expertise in high-throughput TCR discovery, functional validation, and safety de-risking.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and milestone-oriented environment
• Passion for scientific innovation and the bridging of rigorous basic science with translational impact.
• Familiar with advancing candidates from discovery through preclinical validation to IND enabling.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Licenses and Certifications

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

Ability to work flexible hours, evenings and weekends, when requested for special projects.

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