Scientist - Protein Production (Indianapolis)

Helix BioStructures, LLC (HBS) is a contract research organization (CRO) based in Indianapolis, Indiana, providing early drug discovery services to the biopharmaceutical industry. HBS maintains a full suite of services that encompass chemical & structural analysis, protein production, computational modeling, and design. HBS’s core and most popular services are structural biology imaging techniques: X-ray Crystallography and Cryo-EM. HBS was founded in 2018 and has grown considerably. We are looking to add a Scientist focused on protein production to join our Indianapolis-based team.

Main Responsibilities

This scientist will support our protein production pipeline by expressing and purifying recombinant proteins in bacterial, insect, and mammalian systems; performing biophysical characterization to assess sample quality and stability; developing and optimizing expression and purification protocols; interfacing with our clients; and writing technical project reports. The scientist will also contribute to improving expression and purification methods to accelerate research processes.

Highly desirable hands-on experiences include:

(a) Experience in recombinant protein expression and purification across bacterial, insect, and mammalian cell lines.

(b) Use of biophysical and analytical techniques (e.g., SDS-PAGE, SEC, Western Blot, TSA, DLS, Mass Spectrometry, and others) to assess protein quality, purity, and stability.

This scientist will employ a range of experimental methods (biochemical, biophysical, and/or computational) to support our clients’ structure-based drug discovery, antibody discovery, and/or protein engineering. Accordingly, proficiency in recombinant protein expression and purification and a passion for generating high-quality, well-characterized protein reagents are essential. Any structural biology experience (X-ray crystallography or Cryo-EM) is a plus, but is not required for this role. The successful candidate will be a strong technical contributor who can execute reliably at the bench and collaborate with colleagues on multiple projects in parallel. This role is open to candidates ranging from entry-level to experienced scientists; the level of hire, scope, and degree of independence will be determined by the candidate’s experience and qualifications, with the opportunity to help drive discovery projects from inception through early development.

Additional Responsibilities

- Express and purify proteins to target quality and yield within industrial timeframes.

- Document experimental data and communicate research priorities, progress, and results with clients/project teams.

- Provide technical and scientific input to project teams, with the scope of guidance to other members of the Protein Sciences group, scaling with seniority and experience.

- The candidate will be responsible for timely updates on project statuses, reporting to their supervisor informally and to Helix’s customers by formal report writing and oral presentations.

Required Qualifications

This position is open to candidates ranging from entry-level to experienced scientists. The qualifications below represent the minimum requirements for the role; the final level of hire will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

- Ph.D. in biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, protein engineering, or a related field; OR a Master’s degree with 2–5 years of relevant industrial experience; OR a Bachelor’s degree with 5–10 years of relevant industrial experience.

- Demonstrated competency in recombinant protein expression and purification using bacterial, insect, and mammalian cell lines; hands-on experience across all three systems is strongly preferred.

- Ability to generate and characterize milligram to gram quantities of high-quality protein reagents for downstream studies.

- Experience with standard analytical and biophysical techniques (e.g., SDS-PAGE, SEC, Western Blot, TSA, DLS, Mass Spectrometry, and others) for assessing protein quality, purity, and stability during purification.

- Strong written and oral communication skills.

Additional qualifications

- Hands-on experience in engineering protein constructs and optimizing the production of protein targets for structural and functional studies.

- Experience in structural biology is a plus but not required, including protein X-ray crystallography (sample assessment, crystallization, optimization, data collection, and structure determination/refinement) and familiarity with software such as Phenix, CCP4, Coot, and PyMOL.

- Experience with protein engineering and/or design approaches.

- Analysis, design, and/or computational approaches to investigate ligand-protein complexes.

- Experience with Cryo-EM is a plus, especially grid vitrification and screening.

- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

- Willingness to tackle challenging technical problems.

Location

This position is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and does NOT offer a hybrid option. Interaction with external service vendors is also expected. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States; Helix BioStructures does NOT provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Physical Requirements

Able to lift 30 lb objects with dimensions 30 inches in height and 18 inches in width.

Able to visualize microscopic objects under microscopes.

Non-standard work schedule, travel, and lab safety

Able to adhere to safe work practices and perform lab work with appropriate personal protective equipment, such as but not limited to safety goggles, facial mask, gloves, lab coat/ protective gowning, and closed-toe shoes. Able to work at flexible hours occasionally when performing time-sensitive experiments.

Other job details

- Eligible for Relocation Package

- Competitive Salary + annual bonus

- Retirement (matching 401K)

- Health/Dental/Vision Insurance

- Company Apple Computer

Helix BioStructures, LLC is an equal opportunity employer, and we embrace the increasingly diverse world around us. Helix BioStructures, LLC prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, marital status, and veteran status.