About this opportunity
Make your mark for patients
We are looking for a scientifically rigorous, collaborative, and results-focused Principal Scientist to join our Translational Medicine and Biomarkers team. This role may be based in the Candid offices in San Diego, California, or performed remotely within the United States.
About the role
You will lead translational biomarker projects that connect drug discovery programs with clinical development. You will evaluate mechanisms of action and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationships, shape biomarker strategy in autoimmune disease, and translate complex data into clear program decisions. This full-time role reports to the Executive Director, Translational Medicine.
Who you'll work with
You will work in a multidisciplinary environment alongside Discovery, Clinical Development, Clinical Pharmacology, and Clinical Operations colleagues. You will also partner with contract research organizations, external collaborators, and scientific stakeholders to develop assays, oversee study samples, interpret results, and communicate findings.
What you'll do
Lead biomarker projects supporting preclinical and clinical program decisions.
Develop translational hypotheses for treatment response and non-response.
Shape translational research strategy for autoimmune disease programs.
Interpret and present biomarker data to internal and external stakeholders.
Guide assay development and study-sample oversight with external research partners.
Support translational content for clinical and regulatory documents.
Interested? For this role we're looking for the following
Minimum requirements
Doctorate in immunology, rheumatology, molecular biology, or a related field.
4+ years of biotechnology or pharmaceutical biomarker-development experience.
Proven knowledge of autoimmune disease biology and translational molecular technologies.
Validated experience developing qualified flow cytometry panels with external research partners.
Demonstrated project leadership, organization, and milestone-tracking skills.
Fluency in written and spoken English; willingness to travel up to 10%.
Preferred requirements
Experience with T-cell engagers or bispecific antibody therapeutics.
Experience with preclinical biomarkers and disease models.
Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing or immune-repertoire sequencing.
Proficiency in data analysis and visualization using R, Python, or similar tools.
Ability to thrive independently in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
This positions reasonably anticipated base salary range is $138,000 - $181,000. The actual salary offered will take into account related knowledge, skills, experience and location among other factors and may fall outside the expected range.
Are you ready to ‘go beyond’ to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!
About us
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are over 9.000 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.
Why work with us?
At UCB, we don’t just complete tasks, we create value. We aren’t afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equal opportunities to do their best work. We ‘go beyond’ to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that’s on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential.
At UCB, we’ve embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless explicitly stated in the description or precluded by the nature of the position, roles are hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office.
UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. UCB invites you to voluntarily self-identify during the application process. Provision of self-identification information is entirely voluntary and a decision to provide or not provide such information will not have any effect on your application for employment, your employment with UCB, or otherwise subject you to any adverse treatment. Any information you provide will be considered confidential and will be kept separate from your application and/or personnel file and will only be used in accordance with applicable laws, orders, and regulations.
Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on US-Reasonable_Accommodation@ucb.com for application to US based roles. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 981 comparable Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 77 biopharma companies.
Salary context
405 of 981 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 981 comparable roles
+ 24 more countries
Seniority mix
705 of 981 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
132 of 981 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden
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How we calculate "similar"
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Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.
0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.