Peptone

About the role

You will be strongly involved in implementing and setting up our mass spectrometry facility to employ state of the art technologies that focus on HDX/MS but also intact mass and standard MALDI MS analyses. This is a lab-based role involving independent design, execution and interpretation of scientific experiments to provide mass spectrometry data for multiple biologics drug discovery projects and for improving our computational platform. Your work provides crucial data about protein structure and protein interactions that you effectively communicate as part of a multi-disciplinary project team by giving clear scientific recommendations. You develop and implement new techniques ranging from low- to high-throughput mass spectrometry with LC- and other fragmentation techniques. You work in a highly collaborative, team-oriented and fast-paced start-up environment with a strong commitment to deliver and in ways that cut across traditional industry boundaries.

What you’ll do…

  • Responsible for setting up our mass spectrometry (MS) facility (i.e., lab and analytical workflows) with a clear focus on HDX/MS.
  • Hands-on work on Liquid chromatography (LC) - MS devices with handling of the automation system, stopped-flow devices and mass spectrometer for HDX/MS but also intact mass and standard MALDI-MS analyses.
  • Designing, planning and performing in vitro and in vivo experiments of single proteins and protein-protein complexes related to cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases.
  • Characterization of pharmaceutically relevant biomolecules in drug discovery, including intrinsically disordered proteins, nanobodies and antibodies.
  • Processing, interpreting and illustrating complex data of MS and HDX/MS experiments.
  • Maintaining cutting edge scientific knowledge in HDX/MS, LC-MS and other fragmentation techniques like electron capture dissociation (ECD), electron transfer dissociation (ETD) and ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) to drive the innovation to meet business needs.
  • Ensuring own work is compliant with general laboratory standard, safety, health and environment standards and all other relevant internal Peptone standards and external regulations.
  • Driving instrument troubleshooting and solving technical challenges.
  • You deliver work on time and within allocated budgets.
  • Statistical data analysis and interpretation of results.
  • Preparation of SOPs, reports and presentations.
  • Presentation and discussion of data in team meetings with associated subject matter experts.
  • Transfer of methods to CROs and management of these collaborations to ensure scientific quality and respecting timelines.
  • Comply to industry standards of good research practice principles, including relevant documentation procedures in an ELN.
  • Active contribution of expertise to multidisciplinary research drug discovery and technology projects, effectively communicating recommendations and contributing to team decisions.

What you Bring…

  • PhD or MSc degree with several years of relevant industry experience in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering, or related field with relevant hands-on experience in the lab.
  • Industry experience is a big plus.
  • Strong hands-on experience with mass spectrometer and MS related softwares for operating the instruments and for data processing and evaluation.
  • Strong interest in and ability to drive the development of new MS techniques and drug development processes is a must.
  • Hands-on experience and highly proactive mindset to solve technical problems and troubleshoot instruments.
  • Experience in biochemical and molecular biology methods and high-throughput technologies is a plus.
  • Knowledge in statistical data analysis and experimental design.
  • Strong scientific and organizational skills with a great attention to detail.
  • Proactive, independent, structured and highly motivated approach to work combined with excellent problem solving skills and a great team spirit.
  • Strong team player with good communication skills and experience of working in multidisciplinary teams and collaborations.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English is mandatory. Fluency in Italian is a plus.

About Us
Peptone is a category-defining translational biophysics company focusing on the intersection of physics, biology and supercomputing. Currently, we are in the scale up phase, where our efforts go into building out our experimental lab capacity in Switzerland while growing the HPC and ML teams in the UK.

Our interdisciplinary team consists of physicists, biologists, computational chemists, software engineers and mathematicians. We have created a company culture that is based on scientific and personal integrity and a highly supportive, inclusive attitude. Our curiosity and drive stem from the shared passion to contribute to our scientific understanding of proteins and to translate these insights into reality by developing drugs that make people’s lives better.
Corporate Culture

Default to transparency. As individuals, we view transparency as a lifestyle of authenticity, respect, and honesty. As a team, we view transparency as an effective way to work remotely and establish a culture of trust.

Cultivate positivity. We strive to approach things in a positive way while realizing all emotions are valid. We encourage constructive feedback from team members and business partners to foster positive collaborations.

Show gratitude. We regularly stop and demonstrate gratitude for our circumstances. We are reverent to our team, investors, advisors, and commercial partners who believed in us from the beginning and will always use this as a guiding light to growth.

Practice reflection. We believe the act of introspection is where true learning and life-changing adjustments originate. We approach discussions intentionally and think through all angles.

Improve consistently. We are biased toward action and have a higher expectation of ourselves and of our technology than others have of us. We aim to be fully engaged in our work and activities, and fully disconnected when we’re not working.

Act beyond yourself. We consider the bigger picture, knowing our work goes beyond ourselves. We are not afraid of the less-traveled path if it holds true to our values and betters the world.

Build Sustainably. Sustainability is at the core of our technology, research, and team values. Oppenheimer’s supercomputer runs on 100% renewable energy and mitigates the need for traditional high-throughput experiments in our Swiss lab. Our team is incentivized and committed to growing a sustainable future and corporate culture.

Diversify. Diversity at all levels is paramount in translating biophysics to first in-class medicines while embracing the serendipity of science. Diversity in mindsets, gender, skills, backgrounds, and — because we are geeks, protein sequences — are key to building an impactful future for our patients.

Patient Passion. Our team is interwoven with a passion for understanding the “why” of protein drug failures to avoid them. The integration of the Oppenheimer platform with our Swiss pre-clinical laboratory is an unwavering commitment to developing first-in-class protein therapeutics for our patients.

Reverence to the giants. We embrace the fortitude and ingenuity of all the great minds and teams who advanced the field of protein biophysics to enable cutting-edge therapeutics. It is our honor to collaborate in this arena to pay homage to scientists who laid the very foundation.

Committed to our Corporate Culture to embrace diversity, Peptone Ltd and affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers building a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.
Our Mission
Delivering first-in-class medicines for better patient outcomes is our obsession. Translating biophysics of intrinsic protein disorder to generate de novo protein therapeutics is our passion.
What we bring…
● A non-hierarchical environment where everyone has a voice to influence and shape the company’s future direction
● An appreciative atmosphere with fair salaries, company benefits and top class working equipment
● A highly dynamic environment with plenty of opportunities for career development
● A highly skilled and interdisciplinary team that is passionate about proteins, science and business
● A unique company giving you the opportunity to push the boundaries of biopharmaceutical drug development
● A fast-paced company with novel science and academic rigor at its core
● A company that values your contribution to scientific endeavor and supports presentation and publication of your novel discoveries
● A flexible working setup to ensure a work-life balance