Senior Scientist, Preclinical Development

Legend Biotech is a global biotechnology company dedicated to treating, and one day curing, life-threatening diseases. Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, we are developing advanced cell therapies across a diverse array of technology platforms, including autologous and allogenic chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, T-cell receptor (TCR-T), and natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy. From our three R&D sites around the world, we apply these innovative technologies to pursue the discovery of safe, efficacious and cutting-edge therapeutics for patients worldwide.

Legend Biotech entered into a global collaboration agreement with Janssen, one of the pharmaceutical companies of Johnson & Johnson, to jointly develop and commercialize ciltacabtagene autolecuel (cilta-cel). Our strategic partnership is designed to combine the strengths and expertise of both companies to advance the promise of an immunotherapy in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Legend Biotech is seeking Senior Scientist, Preclinical Development as part of the Preclinical Development team based in Somerset, NJ.

Role Overview

As a part of Legend Biotech's Early Drug Discovery (EDD) department, the preclinical senior scientist will perform IND-enabling pharmacology and toxicology studies to support pipeline programs. The ideal candidate will have experience in immunology or immune-oncology to assist preclinical cell therapy studies from discovery to first-in-human trials, and through marketing authorization. Furthermore, the successful candidate will work in a collaborative environment, and would be skillful in driving multiple projects by contributing to the development of cell-based immunotherapies.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute in vitro preclinical experiments and generate, analyze, and report high-quality data.
• Serve as a lab leader and assist junior staff experiment design and troubleshooting.
• Develop and validate assays to support diverse projects from lead optimization to the conduct of preclinical pharmacology and toxicology studies for regulatory submission.
• Ensure that the design, optimization, and execution of in vitro IND-enabling studies maintain GLP-like quality standards.
• Create, review, and approve prospective standard operating procedures for in vitro and in vivo IND-enabling studies.
• Record all experiments in an electronic laboratory notebook, report deviations, conduct data analysis, and results in a final study report.
• Design and support animal studies to assess the efficacy and safety of cell therapies.
• Work independently reporting directly to the Director of Preclinical Pharmacology and Toxicology.
• Demonstrate leadership and professionalism especially as it pertains to using the scientific method to design, execute, and troubleshoot in vitro laboratory experiments.

Requirements

• PhD with two years previous laboratory experience
• Work experience in immunology, cancer biology or related fields
• Knowledge and expertise in immuno-oncology of large molecules or cell therapy is a plus
• Strong scientific background with direct experience in cellular and molecular biology techniques (e.g., flow cytometry, ELISA, cell culture and cytotoxicity assays, qPCR, Western Blot and others)
• Demonstrated history of scientific contributions in peer-reviewed journals and symposia
• Ability to manage multiple programs in parallel while delivering on key milestones
• Knowledge of GLP and regulatory agencies is a plus
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, highly collaborative diverse team environment
• In vivo and in vitro studies, flow cytometry, ELISA, tissue culture/primary cell culture, cytotoxicity assays, qPCR, Western Blot, and multiplexed cytokine analysis assays (MSD and Luminex).
• Proficiency in LIMS/ELN (LabVantage), Instrument-based software (SoftMaxPro, Cytek Aurora/Cytoflex), and data analysis software (FlowJo, GraphPad Prizm, etc.) desired.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English (and chinese is a plus)

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The anticipated base pay range is:

$123,605—$162,232 USD

Benefits:

We are committed to creating a workplace where employees can thrive - both professionally and personally. To attract and retain top talent in a highly competitive industry, we offer a best-in-class benefits package that supports well-being, financial stability, and long-term career growth. Our offerings are designed to meet the diverse needs of our team members and their families, ensuring they feel valued and supported every step of the way. Highlights include medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a 401(k)-retirement plan with company match that vest fully on day one. Equity and stock options are available to employees in eligible roles, we offer eight weeks of paid parental leave after just three months of employment, and a paid time off policy that includes 15 vacation days, 5 personal days, 5 sick days, 11 U.S. national holidays, and 3 floating holidays. Additional benefits include flexible spending and health savings accounts, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, legal assistance, and supplemental plans such as pet, critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance. We also provide commuter benefits, family planning and care resources, well-being initiatives, and peer-to-peer recognition programs - demonstrating our ongoing commitment to building a culture where our people feel empowered, supported, and inspired to do their best work.

EEO Statement

Legend Biotech is a proud equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to attracting, retaining, and maximizing the performance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is Legend's policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Employment is at-will and may be terminated at any time with or without cause or notice by the employee or the company. Legend may adjust base salary or other discretionary compensation at any time based on individual, team, performance, or market conditions.

Legend Biotech maintains a drug-free workplace.