Scientist I

Who We Are: A Mission Driven Company

Novavax has a rich history of innovation to help eradicate disease, prevent serious illness and save lives. But there is still work to be done. Our people are passionate about the mission and vision that guide our work.

This role will play an important role in the Translational Medicine team and will contribute to the development and execution of biomarker strategies that bridge preclinical research and clinical application. This individual will support the integration of laboratory and clinical data to enable informed decision-making during drug development, with a focus on precision medicine and patient stratification.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop and optimize new cell-based assays to interrogate biomarkers in an in vitro immunology capacity with minimal supervision.
• Use molecular techniques and classical virology to generate critical reagents for assay development or implement including development of recombinant and reporter systems.
• Production of viral, bacterial or other biomarker production and characterization of generated material to support translational medicine and other departments such as clinical immunology.
• Develop, execute and apply epitope mapping, neutralization and inhibition and binding assays, and cell-receptor or hemagglutination assays including but not limited to ELISA-based, reporter system, or others.
• Assist with testing of serum samples in a variety of in vitro cell-based assays to complete critical translational medicine evaluation of biomarker and vaccine targets.
• Organize, present and communicate scientific findings in inter and intra-departmental meetings.
• Stay up to date in current and relevant literature.
• Maintain a detailed notebook, inventory and/or experimental procedures as per company policy.
• Review and assist in generating new Standard Operating Procedures and documentation.

Minimum Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Oncology, Pharmacology, or a related field with at least 2 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience.
• Cell culture experience required.
• Cell biology and Molecular Biology Technique Expertise required.
• Prior independent de novo assay development strongly preferred.

Technical Skills:

• Excellent cell culture and aseptic technique, including experience in generating cell-based reagents and viruses and working knowledge of cell-based in vitro assays.
• Hands-on experience and expertise with molecular and cellular biology techniques.
• Familiarity with data analysis software including Softmax, Prism.
• Familiarity and ability to locate, view and align sequences and plasmid maps (e.g. Snapgene, CLC Workbench, NCBI, GISAID)
• PCR, cloning, plasmid design, and expression in vitro .

Soft Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong collaboration and team-working abilities.

Physical Requirements:

• Mobility & Dexterity
  • Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time (e.g., during experiments, testing or while working at benches).
  • Fine motor skills for handling small instruments, pipettes or delicate samples.
  • Ability to bend, reach, squat or climb small ladders/steps.

• Visual and Auditory Requirements
  • Good vision (corrected if necessary) for reading labels, observing color changes, using microscopes, etc.
  • Hearing must be sufficient to detect alarms or verbal instructions in the lab environment.

• Lifting and Carrying
  • Ability life and carry up to 25-30 lbs. (e.g., boxes of supplies, lab equipment, waste containers).
  • Some roles may require pushing/pulling carts or equipment.

• Environmental Tolerance
  • Comfortable working in environments with:
  • Chemical fumes or biological materials (PPE is typically provided).
  • Noise from equipment (centrifuges, refrigerators, etc.).
  • Cold rooms, warm rooms, or areas with variable temperature/humidity.

• Protective Equipment Use
  • Must be able to wear lab coats, gloves, safety glasses, face shields, respirators, etc., for extended periods.

The annual base salary (or hourly wage) for this position falls within the range of $98,150.00 - $127,600.00. However, the actual base pay offered may vary based on several individualized factors, such as market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Novavax offers a base salary, annual bonus, equity grants, professional career development/growth opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, Rx, STD, LTD, Life, Optional Life, 401(k) plan.

Our Mission

By leveraging our science, our technology and our people, we will innovate and collaborate to tackle the worlds most significant health challenges.

Our Vision

We envision a world where our technology is amplified to touch the lives of billions, sparking transformation in global health.

Our Values

Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, Agility and Accountability sit at the heart of our culture. They express the mindset and behaviors that guide how we show up, how we work together and how we create impact for patients, partners and each other.

Our Footprint

Novavax is proudly headquartered in the USA with main offices in Gaithersburg, Maryland. We conduct R&D and manufacturing for our Matrix-M adjuvant in Uppsala, Sweden.