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Senior Protein Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior Scientist

Branford, CT ยท On-site

$90K - $123K/yr

We're hiring a Senior or Principal Scientist to join our Biotherapeutics team's collaborative group ... If you're a protein engineer who thrives in the lab and wants your work to move swiftly toward ...

Senior Scientist (Branford, CT)

Branford, CT ยท On-site

$90K - $123K/yr

We're hiring a Senior or Principal Scientist to join our Biotherapeutics team's collaborative group ... If you're a protein engineer who thrives in the lab and wants your work to move swiftly toward ...

Senior Scientist (Branford, CT)

Branford, CT ยท On-site

$90K - $123K/yr

We're hiring a Senior or Principal Scientist to join our Biotherapeutics team's collaborative group ... If you're a protein engineer who thrives in the lab and wants your work to move swiftly toward ...

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Showing results 1-20

Senior Protein Engineer information

See salary details

$59.5K

$126.6K

$183.5K

How much do senior protein engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior protein engineer in the United States is $126,557.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $104,500.00 and $143,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Senior Protein Engineer vs Protein Scientist?

AspectSenior Protein EngineerProtein Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related fields; experience in protein engineeringBachelor's or Master's; often a Ph.D. for advanced research roles; expertise in protein analysis
Work EnvironmentBiotech or pharmaceutical R&D labs, manufacturing facilitiesAcademic labs, research institutions, biotech companies
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in biotech, pharma, and industrial enzyme companiesCommon in academic research, biotech R&D, and pharmaceutical development

While both roles focus on proteins, Senior Protein Engineers typically work on designing and optimizing proteins for industrial applications, whereas Protein Scientists often conduct fundamental research to understand protein functions. The roles overlap in skills and industry but differ in focus and seniority.

What are Senior Protein Engineers?

Senior Protein Engineers are experienced scientists who design, modify, and optimize proteins for specific industrial, medical, or research applications. They use advanced techniques in molecular biology, biochemistry, and computational modeling to improve protein stability, activity, or specificity. These professionals often lead research projects, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to bring innovative protein-based solutions to market.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Protein Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Protein Engineer, you need expertise in protein biochemistry, molecular biology, and structural biology, typically supported by a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in a related field. Proficiency in tools such as protein modeling software (e.g., Rosetta, PyMOL), high-throughput screening platforms, and familiarity with analytical instruments like mass spectrometers is essential. Strong problem-solving, collaboration, and project management skills help drive innovation and successful cross-functional teamwork. These skills and qualities are crucial for efficiently designing, optimizing, and characterizing proteins to advance scientific discoveries and product development.

How does a Senior Protein Engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during the development of new protein therapeutics?

Senior Protein Engineers often work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including molecular biologists, biochemists, computational scientists, and regulatory specialists, to bring new protein therapeutics from concept to reality. They contribute their expertise in protein design and engineering, lead experimental planning, and interpret complex data to guide project direction. Regular meetings and collaborative problem-solving sessions are common, ensuring that project goals align across departments. This collaborative environment fosters innovation, but also requires strong communication and project management skills.
More about Senior Protein Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Senior Protein Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Senior Protein Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Protein Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Protein Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Senior Protein Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Protein Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Senior Protein Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Protein Engineer jobs are:
Infographic showing various Senior Protein Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $126,557 per year, or $60.8 per hour.
Senior Scientist - Experimental Protein Design for Target Discovery

Senior Scientist - Experimental Protein Design for Target Discovery

Amgen, Inc.

South San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$110K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Re-posted 14 days ago


Job description

Career Category
Scientific
Job Description
Join Amgen's Mission of Serving Patients
At Amgen, if you feel like you're part of something bigger, it's because you are. Our shared mission-to serve patients living with serious illnesses-drives all that we do.
Since 1980, we've helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the world's toughest diseases. With our focus on four therapeutic areas -Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease- we reach millions of patients each year. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, and obesity and obesity-related conditions. As a member of the Amgen team, you'll help make a lasting impact on the lives of patients as we research, manufacture, and deliver innovative medicines to help people live longer, fuller happier lives.
Our award-winning culture is collaborative, innovative, and science based. If you have a passion for challenges and the opportunities that lay within them, you'll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.
Senior Scientist - Experimental Protein Design for Target Discovery
What you will do
Let's do this. Let's change the world. In this vital role you will build and lead high-throughput platforms for binder generation, translating computational protein designs into experimentally validated minibinders and antibodies across diverse pre-discovery targets. A key focus of this role is the production, experimental validation, and characterization of computationally designed de novo binders. You will play a central role in creating scalable binder libraries for multiplexed phenotypic screening, developing multispecific tool molecules to interrogate novel biology and providing tool reagents for early-stage target characterization.
By integrating computational design with rapid experimental validation, you will advance high-throughput binder discovery strategies and drive innovative approaches to probe emerging targets and accelerate early-stage therapeutic discovery.
Key Responsibilities:
  • Translate computational protein designs into experimentally testable minibinders and antibodies across multiple targets in parallel.
  • Lead high-throughput workflows for binder expression, purification, and characterization, including development of cellular assays for binder-target evaluation.
  • Partner with molecular biology teams to establish construct generation and binder library production workflows, enabling both individual binder characterization and scalable pooled library screening.
  • Develop strategies to format de novo binders into appropriate modalities (e.g., multispecifics) to enable testing of biological hypotheses.
  • Analyze and interpret experimental data to guide iterative design-build-test cycles.

What we expect of you
We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The Senior Scientist we seek is a highly motivated researcher with these qualifications.
Basic Qualifications:
Doctorate degree PhD
OR PharmD
OR MD [and relevant post-doc experience on Protein Engineering]
OR
Master's degree and 3 years of Protein Engineering experience
OR
Bachelor's degree and 5 years of Protein Engineering experience
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Protein Engineering, Bioengineering, Structural Biology, or a related field plus relevant postdoctoral experience.
  • Demonstrated experience in the expression, purification, and biochemical or biophysical characterization of engineered proteins, such as antibodies, minibinders, or other designed scaffolds in a high-throughput or library-based manner. Experience with different expression hosts (cell-free expression, E. coli, and mammalian) is a plus.
  • Experience in binder hit validation using flow cytometry and SPR, and in developing cellular-based assays for functional characterization.
  • Experience working with designed binders or protein-protein interaction engineering, with working knowledge of protein structure-function relationships.
  • Experience and interest in collaborating with computational protein design teams and translating in silico designs into experimentally testable reagents.
  • Experience with automation platforms and high-throughput experimentation is a plus.
  • Experience supporting phenotypic screening, receptor biology, or early target characterization is a plus.
  • Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional discovery teams.

What you can expect from us
As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we'll support your journey every step of the way.
The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) is posted. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.
In addition to the base salary, Amgen offers a Total Rewards Plan, based on eligibility, comprising of health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save towards retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities that may include:
  • A comprehensive employee benefits package, including a Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts
  • A discretionary annual bonus program, or for field sales representatives, a sales-based incentive plan
  • Stock-based long-term incentives
  • Award-winning time-off plans
  • Flexible work models where possible. Refer to the Work Location Type in the job posting to see if this applies.

Apply now and make a lasting impact with the Amgen team.
careers.amgen.com
In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Application deadline
Amgen does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship for this role is not guaranteed.
As an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people around the world, Amgen fosters an inclusive environment of diverse, ethical, committed and highly accomplished people who respect each other and live the Amgen values to continue advancing science to serve patients. Together, we compete in the fight against serious disease.
Amgen is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. Amgen is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider you without regard to your race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
Amgen will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
Salary Range
131,028.35USD -177,273.65 USD