SENIOR SCIENTIST IN CELL LINE DEVELOPMENT

Über den Job

Join a Leading Innovator in Targeted Biopharmaceuticals

About us

Philogen is a Swiss–Italian integrated biotechnology company founded in 1996, focused on the development of innovative biopharmaceuticals for cancer therapy and inflammatory diseases (http://www.philogen.com).

Philochem AG, located in Otelfingen (Zurich, Switzerland), is the discovery R&D center of the Philogen Group. Preclinical candidates developed at Philochem are subsequently manufactured at Philogen’s authorized GMP facilities in Siena (Italy). Philogen currently sponsors and coordinates Phase I, II, and III clinical trials in Europe and the United States.

Philochem operates across four integrated departments:

• Biology – Discovery of innovative therapeutic proteins
• Cell Line Development – Development of GMP-ready mammalian production cell lines
• Chemistry – Targeted diagnostic and therapeutic small molecules
• Mass Spectrometry – Analytical bridge between Biology and Chemistry

Your Role

We are seeking a highly motivated and collaborative Senior Scientist to join our Cell Line Development team.

You will play a key role in the development, characterization, and optimization of mammalian cell lines expressing recombinant therapeutic proteins intended for GMP manufacturing. The position involves close interaction with internal project teams as well as collaborations with leading academic groups and pharmaceutical partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the daily maintenance of multiple cell cultures and clonal cell lines, including passaging, monitoring confluency, and assessing cell viability.
• Perform CHO cell line development activities, including plasmid preparation, transfection, selection, single-cell subcloning, and screening for growth and productivity.
• Conduct comprehensive cell line characterization to evaluate growth performance, stability, and genotypic features.
• Contribute to the preparation of cell line development technical reports in compliance with regulatory agency expectations.
• Execute production, purification, and characterization of recombinant proteins for research applications.
• Provide scientific input to optimize and continuously improve cell line development workflows.
• Manage and contribute to multiple projects simultaneously.
• Train and support research associates, promoting best laboratory practices and technical proficiency.
• Presented scientific results internally and at scientific conferences.
• Demonstrated strong organizational skills, effective verbal and written communication, and strict adherence to good documentation and laboratory practices.

Who We Are Looking For

Educational Requirements:

• PhD in Biology, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field with a strong focus on cell line development

Required Experience:

• PhD in Biology, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field with a strong focus on cell line development
• Proficient in aseptic techniques and mammalian cell culture, with a strong understanding of cell biology and bioprocess engineering principles.
• Demonstrated experience in developing stably transfected CHO cell lines, with the ability to manage and screen large numbers of cell clones
• Extensive hands-on experience in recombinant protein expression, purification, and characterization.
• Strong molecular biology expertise.
• Excellent analytical skills with high attention to detail, ensuring accurate record keeping and full data traceability.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a task-oriented team environment.
• Proven ability to multitask and meet project timelines.
• Strong communication skills, including presentation of scientific data and results at internal meetings.
• Effective collaboration and support of project leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required; proficiency in German is an advantage.

Preferred Qualification:

• Professional experience of 3 years in an industrial research environment.
• Hands-on experience with transposon-based systems and/or RMCE technologies
• Exposure to CHO cell line development for GMP applications within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience in phenotypic and genotypic characterization of cell lines.
• Hands-on experience with flow cytometry and cell sorting (FACS), as well as manual high-throughput cell culture and screening
• Knowledge and practical experience in the development of cell-based assays.
• Experience in antibody discovery and characterization.
• Knowledge of regulatory documentation and compliance requirements for cell line development.

Why Philogen?

As a Senior Scientist researcher in the Cell Line Development unit at Philogen, you will:

• Work on cutting-edge antibody and targeted therapeutics
• Collaborate with top academic and industrial partners
• Strengthen expertise in preclinical research and GMP manufacturing
• Gain exposure to clinical-stage drug development
• Be part of a highly skilled, science-driven, and collaborative team

Job Location

Otelfingen, Switzerland

How to Apply