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Protein Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Arcadia Science

Protein Designer

Emeryville, CA · On-site

$130K - $180K/yr

Our Validation team does this by closing the design-build-test-learn loop through lab validation across diverse organisms. Read more about our work through our publications. We are seeking a Protein ...

Amgen

Protein Design Product Owner What you will do Let'sdo this.Let'schange the world.Within Amgen's Research and Development organization, the Therapeutic Protein Design (TPD) team supports the broad ...

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Protein Design information

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$42K

$114.5K

$201.5K

How much do protein design jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for protein design in the United States is $114,491.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,500.00 and $144,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is protein design?

Protein design is the process of creating new proteins or modifying existing ones to have specific functions or properties. This can involve using computational tools, laboratory techniques, or a combination of both to predict and engineer amino acid sequences that will fold into desired three-dimensional structures. Protein design is used in various fields, including medicine, biotechnology, and research, to develop novel enzymes, therapeutics, or materials. The field requires a strong understanding of biology, chemistry, and computer science to achieve successful outcomes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a protein design scientist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Protein Design Scientist, you need a strong background in molecular biology, biochemistry, and computational modeling, typically supported by an advanced degree in a relevant field. Proficiency with tools such as Rosetta, PyMOL, and molecular dynamics simulation software, as well as experience with protein expression and purification techniques, is essential. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication are important soft skills to drive innovation and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams. These skills are crucial for designing functional proteins, troubleshooting experiments, and advancing research goals in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development.

What are some typical challenges faced by professionals in protein design, and how are they addressed within a team setting?

Professionals in protein design often encounter challenges such as predicting accurate protein folding, ensuring stability, and achieving desired biological activity. These complexities are typically addressed through close collaboration with computational biologists, structural biologists, and experimental scientists. Teams frequently hold cross-functional meetings to troubleshoot issues, share findings, and iterate on design strategies based on laboratory results. This collaborative environment helps leverage diverse expertise and accelerates the development of novel proteins with desired functions.

What is the difference between Protein Design vs Protein Engineering?

AspectProtein DesignProtein Engineering
Required CredentialsBiochemistry, Molecular Biology, BioinformaticsBiochemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, biotech companies, academiaResearch labs, biotech companies, academia
Industry UsageDesigning novel proteins, drug development, synthetic biologyModifying existing proteins for improved function or stability

Protein Design focuses on creating new proteins with specific functions, often using computational methods. Protein Engineering involves modifying existing proteins to enhance or alter their properties. Both roles require similar skills and are used in research, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries, but their goals differ: one designs from scratch, the other optimizes existing proteins.

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Protein Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Protein Design job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $114,491 per year, or $55 per hour.

Scientist, Computational Protein Design

Adimab

Mountain View, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Re-posted 27 days ago

Job description

Role: Scientist, Computational Protein Design

Adimab is the leading technology provider for therapeutic antibody drug discovery, focusing solely on our partnerships without pursuing an internal product pipeline. Since 2009, we have partnered with over 140 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, generating more than 650 therapeutic programs, of which more than 85 have entered clinical trials.  

Role Overview 
The role is on Adimab's computational biology team in Mountain View, CA. Data-driven approaches have been central to the development of the Adimab platform, and the team is actively utilizing and developing modern de novo protein design and generative AI methods to extend its capabilities. You will serve as the computational lead for protein design campaigns, embedded within a world-class team of modeling and wet-bench scientists, with direct access to Adimab's industry-leading experimental capabilities to drive the design-build-test cycle.  

Responsibilities 

  • Take end-to-end ownership of computational protein design campaigns — from design generation through wet-lab collaboration, analysis of experimental data, and optimization of the design-build-test cycle. Applications span de novo epitope-targeted IgG, VHH, and minibinder design, as well as protein solubilization and stabilization. 
  • Partner with wet-lab teams to design experiments that generate custom training data for affinity, epitope, and specificity prediction models. Train and rigorously benchmark resulting models against internal and external baselines. 
  • Build and maintain the computational infrastructure supporting both protein design campaigns and model development, including reproducible pipelines and integration of computational outputs with wet-lab data. 
  • Track developments in computational protein design and ML; evaluate relevance to Adimab's platform and identify opportunities for integration. 
  • Serve as a resource for wet-lab scientists on AI/ML capabilities and best practices, helping antibody and protein engineering teams apply computational design methods. 

Needed Upon Hire 

  • PhD in Biophysics, Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Computational Biology, or a related field. 
  • 2–4 years of post-PhD experience specifically in computational protein or binder design. 
  • Strong foundation in the analysis of structural and energetic factors driving protein-protein interactions. 
  • Proficiency with structure prediction and generative design tools such as RFAntibody, BindCraft, and Protenix. Crystallography or cryo-EM experience is a plus. 
  • Strong Python skills and experience building reproducible analysis and modeling pipelines. 
  • Proven track record of publication or patent contribution in applied ML for proteins or computational design. 
Pay Range: $156,800 - $165,760 base salary and eligibility for 15% bonus

Come join us! 

Our integrated antibody discovery and engineering platform provides unprecedented speed from antigen to purified, full-length human IgGs with exquisite specificity and biophysical behavior. We offer fundamental advantages by delivering diverse panels of antibodies that meet the most demanding standards for affinity, epitope specificity, species cross-reactivity, and developability. We enable our partners to rapidly expand their biologics pipelines through a broad spectrum of technology access arrangements.

As a profitable privately-held biotech company, we take a long-term view on value creation and make substantial investments in technology development, research, and our people. We offer individually tailored compensation packages comprised of a competitive salary, meaningful equity, a 2:1 401(k) match, and comprehensive health care benefits.

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