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Vaccine Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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$67K - $92K/yr

Vaccine Assay Senior Scientist Eurofins In-person · West Point, PA, US 7 months ago Scientist responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: * Perform tissue culture-based potency ...

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Scientist, Vaccine Discovery South San Francisco, CA At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world ...

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Syneoshealth

Clinical Scientist - Vaccine

Concord, NC · On-site +1

Clinical Scientist - Vaccine Syneos Health is a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success. We translate unique clinical, medical affairs ...

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How much do vaccine scientist jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for vaccine scientist in the United States is $40.41, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $30.53 and $42.55 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a vaccine scientist?

Vaccine scientists are professionals who research, develop, and test vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. They typically have backgrounds in immunology, microbiology, biochemistry, or related life sciences. Their work involves identifying disease targets, designing vaccine candidates, conducting laboratory experiments, and overseeing clinical trials to ensure safety and efficacy. Vaccine scientists play a critical role in public health by helping to control outbreaks and improve immunity on a global scale.

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

To thrive as a Vaccine Scientist, you need a strong background in immunology, molecular biology, and biochemistry, typically supported by an advanced degree such as a Ph.D. in a relevant field. Familiarity with laboratory techniques, statistical analysis software, and regulatory standards like Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) is essential. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective collaboration skills help distinguish top performers in this role. These skills ensure the rigorous development, testing, and approval of safe and effective vaccines that protect public health.

What are some common challenges faced by vaccine scientists during the development process?

Vaccine scientists often encounter challenges such as navigating complex regulatory requirements, ensuring the safety and efficacy of new vaccines, and adapting to rapidly evolving pathogens. Additionally, working collaboratively with cross-functional teams—such as clinical researchers, regulatory specialists, and manufacturing experts—is essential to address technical hurdles and bring vaccines from concept to market. Balancing the need for rapid development with thorough testing and documentation can be demanding, but it offers valuable experience and growth opportunities in biopharmaceutical research.

What is the difference between Vaccine Scientist vs Microbiologist?

AspectVaccine ScientistMicrobiologist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in microbiology, immunology, or related fields; often requires research experienceBachelor's or higher in microbiology, biology, or related fields; research experience beneficial
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, government agenciesResearch labs, healthcare facilities, environmental agencies, academia
Industry UsagePrimarily in vaccine development, immunology research, public healthBroadly in healthcare, environmental, food safety, and research sectors

Vaccine Scientists focus specifically on developing and testing vaccines, often working in immunology and public health sectors. Microbiologists have a broader scope, studying microorganisms in various environments and applications. While both roles require similar educational backgrounds and research skills, Vaccine Scientists specialize in vaccine-related research, whereas Microbiologists work across diverse microbiology fields.

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What states have the most Vaccine Scientist jobs?

States with the most job openings for Vaccine Scientist jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Vaccine Scientist jobs?

For Vaccine Scientist jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Vaccine Scientist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Vaccine Scientist job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Internship, 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $84,062 per year, or $40.4 per hour.

Staff Scientist - Vaccine Research

Duarte, CA • On-site

City of Hope
Hospitals • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about City of Hopeexternal

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago

City Of Hope rating

8.4

Company rating: 8.4 out of 10

Based on 91 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Join the forefront of groundbreaking research at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. Our dedicated and compassionate faculty and staff are driven by a common mission: Contribute to innovative approaches in predicting, preventing, and curing diseases, shaping the future of medicine through cutting-edge research.

A Staff Scientist position is available in the Vaccine Research Laboratory of Dr. Don Diamond in the Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation of the City of Hope.  The position is available as part of a multi-disciplinary research team tasked to develop a neoantigen-based cancer vaccine for clinical use. We received favorable comments from the FDA on our Pre-IND submission utilizing a highly efficient and fully synthetic poxvirus-vectored vaccine platform that has already been derisked by its use in Phase 2 clinical trials as a Covid-19 vaccine (see NCT04977024, NCT05672355, and NCT04639466).

Please refer to these publications for further background: doi:10.3390/vaccines11091492, PMC7705736, PMC8906816, PMID33257686, PMID31739399 describing the platform and earlier publications using a p53-expressing MVA as a clinical therapeutic in cancer patients (10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-23-0394, PMC8802616, PMC5856606, and PMC5706612).

As a successful candidate, you will:

         Join a highly productive research team who are developing and characterizing recombinant vaccine vectors incorporating neoantigens identified by proprietary bioinformatic pipelines and test these vaccine candidates for in vivo immunogenicity and protective efficacy in different animal tumor models.

         Understanding and prior experience with construction and use of viral vaccine carriers of antigens in animal models would be valuable for this employment opportunity.

         Have experience in tumor immunology including working with transplantable tumor cell lines in congenic mouse models.

         Have experience and knowledge of human immunology is preferred.

Your qualifications should include:

         PhD degree in an appropriate discipline such as cellular or tumor immunology or related fields and preferably a minimum of 3 years of experience in relevant laboratory work.

         Interest and knowledge in vaccine research and neoantigen-based vaccine methods.

         Experience with animal models: Hands-on experience with preclinical animal models, particularly orthotopic tumor models, including animal handling, tumor cell injections, and routine tumor measurements. Knowledge and experience with ultrasound imaging for tumor monitoring is preferred.  

         Experience in multi-color flow cytometry, ELISPOT, measurement of tumor growth by optical imaging, tumor physiology and growth markers, cell culture and related laboratory techniques.

         Ability to independently document scientific progress and write research articles.

City of Hope employees pay is based on the following criteria: work experience, qualifications, and work location.

City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.

To learn more about our Comprehensive Benefits, please CLICK HERE.

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About City of Hope

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment organization for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hopes translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin, monoclonal antibodies and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. AccessHope, a subsidiary launched in 2019 serves employers and their health care partners by providing access to City of Hopes specialized cancer expertise. City of Hope is ranked among the nations Best Hospitals in cancer by U.S. News & World Report and received Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California and in Arizona.

Industry

Hospitals

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Duarte, CA, US

Year founded

1913

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