Scientist – Analytical Chromatography

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Laboratory Setting, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)

Job Description

This is a fully onsite role based at our customer’s site in San Diego, CA (Carmel Valley area). We welcome applicants from all locations within the US. Please note that relocation assistance is not provided for this position, and any relocation costs will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check, which includes a drug screening.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life - enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while taking science a step beyond through research, development and delivery of life-changing therapies. With clinical trials conducted in 100+ countries and ongoing development of novel frameworks for clinical research through our PPD clinical research portfolio, our work spans laboratory, digital and decentralized clinical trial services. Your determination to deliver quality and accuracy will improve health outcomes that people and communities depend on – now and in the future.

Thermo Fisher's clinical research business is a leading global contract research organization and world leader in serving science. We are passionate, deliberate, and driven by our mission – to enable our customers to make the world healthier, safer, and cleaner.

Our Laboratories Functional Service Partnership (FSP) team plays a direct role in advancing drug development by creating sustained groups of talent within our customers’ organizations to provide long-term support. Through this collaborative approach, our professionals bring their commitment to excellence, industry knowledge, and operational strength directly into customer environments, helping to enhance capabilities and advance the delivery of life-changing therapies.

Our client’s Biologics Research Analytical Chromatography Core is seeking a Scientist to support analytical characterization of peptides, antibodies, antibody conjugates, and other biologic therapeutic modalities.

This is a hands-on, laboratory-focused role responsible for executing established chromatographic and capillary electrophoresis methods, including size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), reversed-phase HPLC/UPLC (RP-HPLC/UPLC), ion-exchange chromatography (IEX/CEX/AEX), and capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based methods. The role will support sample characterization, stability, formulation, comparability, and other research program activities.

The Scientist will independently execute and coordinate assigned testing, evaluate data quality and system suitability, perform routine troubleshooting, and communicate analytical findings to senior scientists and project teams. The successful candidate will bring strong technical execution, sound scientific judgment, and the ability to manage routine analytical activities with increasing independence.

This position is focused primarily on execution of established analytical methods rather than independent method development or optimization. Analytical strategy, significant method optimization, and complex investigations will be led by more experienced scientists.

Key responsibilities:

• Perform analytical testing of peptides, antibodies, antibody conjugates, and other biologic samples using established methods.
• Execute SEC/SEC-UV methods for assessment of monomer, aggregation, fragments, and lower-molecular-weight species.
• Execute RP-HPLC/UPLC methods for purity, related species, and degradation-product assessment.
• Execute IEX/CEX/AEX methods for charge and product heterogeneity assessment.
• Perform established CE-based methods, including CE-SDS/CGE and other assays as assigned.
• Support stability, formulation, comparability, and other characterization studies using established analytical methods.
• Plan and prioritize assigned sample testing to meet program needs and agreed timelines.
• Prepare samples, standards, controls, buffers, mobile phases, and other reagents according to established procedures.
• Operate HPLC/UPLC and CE instrumentation and ensure appropriate instrument readiness.
• Evaluate system suitability, controls, analytical performance, and data quality prior to reporting results.
• Process and review chromatographic and electrophoretic data using established integration, analysis, and reporting procedures.
• Recognize unexpected assay, instrument, column, or sample behavior; perform routine first-line troubleshooting; and escalate complex issues appropriately.
• Interpret and summarize analytical results and communicate relevant findings, data-quality concerns, technical risks, and potential delays to senior scientists and project teams.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) entries and analytical records.
• Support routine instrument maintenance, column lifecycle management, consumable inventory, and laboratory organization.
• Provide guidance or training to less-experienced analysts on established methods and routine instrument operation, as appropriate.
• Collaborate with analytical scientists and cross-functional teams to ensure timely delivery of high-quality analytical data.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in lab sciences such as Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Immunology, Biology, Molecular Biology or similar
• Scientist: Previous experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 2+ years’)
• OR Masters degree

In some cases, an equivalency, consisting of a combination of appropriate education, training and/or directly related experience, will be considered sufficient for an individual to meet the requirements of the role.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated hands-on experience with HPLC/UPLC and biologics sample analysis.
• Experience with SEC and RP-HPLC/UPLC required or strongly preferred.
• Experience with IEX/CEX/AEX and CE-SDS/CGE preferred.
• Familiarity with chromatography data systems such as OpenLab, Empower, Chromeleon, or equivalent.
• Experience working with peptides, proteins, antibodies, antibody conjugates, or other biologic modalities preferred.
• Strong hands-on laboratory skills with attention to detail and a commitment to reproducible, high-quality analytical work.
• Ability to independently execute established methods, review data quality, and assess system suitability.
• Ability to recognize and troubleshoot routine analytical or instrument issues and escalate complex problems appropriately.
• Sound scientific judgment and ability to interpret and clearly communicate analytical findings.
• Strong organization, prioritization, documentation, and time-management skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with a collaborative, team-oriented approach.
• Responsible laboratory, instrument, and column stewardship.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple projects and biologic modalities while developing increasing analytical ownership

Working Environment:

Below is listed the working environment/requirements for this role:

Able to communicate, receive, and understand information and ideas with diverse groups of people in a comprehensible and reasonable manner.

Able to work upright and stationary and/or standing for typical working hours.

Able to lift and move objects up to 25 pounds

Able to work in non-traditional work environments.

Able to use and learn standard office equipment and technology with

proficiency.

May have exposure to potentially hazardous elements, including infectious agents, typically found in healthcare or laboratory environments.

Able to perform successfully under pressure while prioritizing and handling multiple projects or activities.

Benefits

We offer competitive remuneration, annual incentive plan bonus, healthcare, and a range of employee benefits. Thermo Fisher Scientific offers employment with an innovative, forward-thinking organization, and outstanding career and development prospects. We offer an exciting company culture that stands for integrity, intensity, involvement, and innovation!

Compensation and Benefits

The hourly pay range estimated for this position based in California is $34.00–$38.00.

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

• A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs

• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement

• At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy

• Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan

• Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards