AbbVie Logo

AbbVie

Principal Research Scientist I - Functional Reprograming Team Lead

Posted 3 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
In-Office
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Expert/Leader
In-Office
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Expert/Leader
Lead a team in drug discovery focusing on novel therapeutics and immunology, mentoring scientists and delivering innovative programs.
The summary above was generated by AI
Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

  • Role Focus: Novel Therapeutics Discovery – Functional Reprograming Team Lead  
  • Location: Oxford, UK

At DJS-AbbVie, we are committed to advancing new therapeutics and translating novel immunological science into innovative R&D programmes. As a UK-based R&D hub within AbbVie Immunology, we combine the agility, scientific focus and entrepreneurial spirit of a specialist discovery team with the scale, resources and ambition of a global pharmaceutical company. 

Having already advanced a number of drug candidates, we are now entering an exciting phase of portfolio progression and growth in Oxford. As such we are seeking an experienced and highly capable drug hunter to join our team as Principal Research Scientist I. Reporting to the Head of Novel Therapeutics the successful candidate will lead a team of 3+ drug discovery scientists, to deliver key translational pharmacodynamic data packages and drug candidates to drive programs from conception to candidate nomination.  

The successful candidate will provide both people leadership and strategic scientific direction, working across a portfolio of assets and collaborating closely with key stakeholders across immunology discovery research and beyond. They must have strong drug discovery experience, excellent people leadership skills, and a passion for turning novel immunology into impactful programmes 

In this role you will be expected to lead a team of multi-disciplinary scientists to deliver a pipeline of novel therapeutics to drive functional reprograming of inflammatory cells.  You will be expected to mentor and develop colleagues from a range of scientific backgrounds and foster a strong drug discovery mindset across the team. You will also act as a molecule lead on pipeline programmes, helping to shape cross-functional strategy and ensuring high-quality scientific execution. Over time, you will contribute to building a coherent portfolio of molecules with related mechanisms of action and maximising cross-program learnings. 

We are looking for a drug hunter who is highly expert in the area of therapeutics discovery, with a strong working knowledge of immunology and a proven ability to operate effectively in a drug discovery environment. You will be comfortable taking ownership of complex scientific challenges, assessing emerging trends, and identifying innovative approaches that support functional and portfolio goals. 

Successful applicant's key responsibilities 

  • Develop and deliver drug discovery strategy in alignment with AbbVie’s overall immunology strategy 

  • Lead and develop a team of 3+ direct reports, ranging from entry level to senior scientist level 

  • Build scientific capability within the team and foster a strong drug discovery mindset 

  • Act as molecule lead on pipeline programmes, providing cross-functional leadership as teams form around assets 

  • Collaborate with colleagues across immunology discovery research, clinical development, development sciences and precision medicine 

  • Serve as a leading scientist at the DJS-AbbVie Oxford site, and act as a recognised scientific expert within the wider AbbVie R&D organisation in your specialist mechanism of action 

  • Proactively share knowledge, mentor colleagues and support the development of functional capability 

  • Ensure high-quality project planning through sound experimental design, early risk assessment and robust contingency planning 

  • Identify and evaluate emerging scientific trends and translate relevant insights into functional objectives 

  • Apply imagination and innovation to create and implement new or improved approaches and breakthrough ideas 

  • Present scientific concepts and results to scientific and non-scientific audiences, including senior stakeholders and external partners 

Qualifications

  • Demonstrated experience across multiple drug discovery programs 

  • Demonstrated ability to function as a principal investigator, generating original technical ideas and development strategies 

  • Creative and practical problem-solving skills, with the ability to champion new technologies 

  • Recognised as an expert in your discipline, internally and ideally externally 

  • Strong publication, presentation, regulatory and/or patent record 

  • Excellent scientific communication and presentation skills, including experience presenting at leading scientific conferences 

Education: 

  • BS/ MS or PhD or equivalent experience in a relevant scientific area 

Apply today:

Alongside your CV, we kindly ask that you include a covering letter telling us about the key strengths you'd bring to the role, what makes you well-suited, and your motivation for wanting to join us.

Additional Information

DJS-AbbVie is part of AbbVie Immunology and is focused on advancing novel therapeutics to address serious and challenging diseases. Our work is driven by scientific excellence, collaboration and a commitment to delivering meaningful impact for patients. 

Working at DJS-AbbVie offers the opportunity to join a dynamic and ambitious team, with exposure to a broad range of scientific challenges, close collaboration with experts across the wider organisation, and the chance to help shape the future of our discovery portfolio. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

AbbVie London, England Office

London, United Kingdom

Similar Jobs

An Hour Ago
Hybrid
London, Greater London, England, GBR
Senior level
Senior level
Security • Software • Cybersecurity • Automation
The Director of Customer Success will lead the post-sales team in EMEA, focusing on customer retention, satisfaction, and expansion for enterprise and commercial customers.
Top Skills: ComplianceCybersecurityGrcSaaSSecurity
An Hour Ago
Hybrid
London, Greater London, England, GBR
Junior
Junior
Artificial Intelligence • Productivity • Sales • Software
The Implementation Consultant will lead AI transformation projects, optimize client use of monday.com, design workflows, manage projects, and educate customers through webinars and demos.
Top Skills: Agentic AiGenerative AiGraphQLMake.Com
An Hour Ago
Remote or Hybrid
United Kingdom
Entry level
Entry level
Big Data • Fintech • Information Technology • Business Intelligence • Financial Services • Cybersecurity • Big Data Analytics
The Analyst will support Global Incident Response efforts by conducting consultations, managing client accounts, and utilizing various data collection tools to respond to incidents while focusing on client satisfaction and account growth.
Top Skills: Data Mining ToolsDfir OperationsEdr ToolsMitreThreat Intelligence

What you need to know about the London Tech Scene

London isn't just a hub for established businesses; it's also a nursery for innovation. Boasting one of the most recognized fintech ecosystems in Europe, attracting billions in investments each year, London's success has made it a go-to destination for startups looking to make their mark. Top U.K. companies like Hoptin, Moneybox and Marshmallow have already made the city their base — yet fintech is just the beginning. From healthtech to renewable energy to cybersecurity and beyond, the city's startups are breaking new ground across a range of industries.

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account