Scientist, Preclinical Development

Company: Visterra, Inc.
Location: Waltham
Posted on: March 19, 2026

Job Description:

Summary The Scientist, Preclinical Development is responsible for supporting activities related to transitioning drug development candidates from research into early development to enable clinical studies. Visterra is seeking a flexible candidate with broad-based knowledge of immunology; knowledge/experience in antibody therapeutics and preclinical development are preferred but not required. This role will be responsible for activities related to drug development candidates. They will be expected to design and perform in vitro and ex vivo cell-based assays in lab to support the evaluation of specificity and safety of drug development candidates. They will assist in advancing the team’s understanding of programs transitioning from research to development, which includes working cross-functionally with research teams to understand the biology of targets, as well as performing independent literature research on target pharmacology, diseases of interest, and key/relevant biomarkers to support program development. The ideal candidate would have a Ph.D in biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology or related field with 0-3 years of experience post-graduation, although candidates with a B.S. or M.S. in these fields who have at least 5 years of research experience in either academic or biotech settings- particularly those with experience in antibody therapeutics- are also encouraged to apply. This is a full-time position based on-site at Visterra’s facility in Waltham, MA, with anywhere from 20-80% of time allocated to working in the lab, based on departmental and program needs. Responsibilities Work cross-functionally with research teams to support transfer of program knowledge and assays from research to development Conduct specificity/binding experiments, ex vivo cytokine secretion assays, potency and other cell-based functional assays to help characterize and support new programs entering the development phase Designs, analyzes and interprets quantitative pharmacology and in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo PK/PD/RO studies and communicates results to teams and management. Review, analyze, graph, interpret and present data at internal and/or cross functional team meetings Write/review study reports to support IND or CTA filings Provide support for regulatory submissions as needed Perform independent literature reviews on relevant diseases, biomarkers, and therapeutics to advance understanding of nonclinical programs Oversee external contractors to leverage appropriate preclinical in-vitro and in-vivo models and procedures to support development programs. Other duties and responsibilities as required by departmental and business needs Requirements At least 5 years of research experience, either in an academic or biotech setting; experience with biologics is highly desirable An M.S. or Ph.D. in Immunology, Biology, Biochemistry, or related field is preferable, although candidates with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree with significant research experience are also encouraged to apply Ability to execute and troubleshoot experiments independently, document results, and perform quality review of data from both internal and outsourced studies Excellent written and verbal communication skills Demonstrated ability to perform as a team player and complete tasks according to established deadlines The ability to think critically, synthesize and extract simple principles from complex datasets, communicate effectively across a broad spectrum of audiences Familiarity with Microsoft Office, including Teams, as well as Prism GraphPad preferred Limited travel to attend conferences and/or industry events that support the candidate’s professional development will be expected ( Company Visterra is a clinical stage biotechnology company committed to developing innovative antibody-based therapies for the treatment of patients with kidney, immune-mediated and other hard-to-treat diseases. Our proprietary technology platform enables the design and engineering of precision antibody-based product candidates that specifically bind to, and modulate, key disease targets. Applying this technology to disease targets that are not adequately addressed by traditional therapeutic approaches, we are developing a robust pipeline of novel therapies for patients with unmet needs. Visterra’s pipeline has multiple clinical-stage assets and one approved therapeutic, sibeprenlimab. As a member of the Otsuka family of companies, we are uniquely positioned as a small, dynamic, nimble and innovative organization where individuals and teams are empowered to make big impacts – while benefiting from the support, strength, stability and long-term perspective of a 100-year-old global company. Visterra has approximately 105 employees and is located in Waltham, Massachusetts. Visterra provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual o rientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Keywords: Visterra, Inc., Worcester , Scientist, Preclinical Development, Science, Research & Development , Waltham, Massachusetts