Director, Protein Sciences and Computational Biology
: Job Details :

About Tonix*Tonix is a biopharmaceutical company, publicly traded on NASDAQ (ticker: TNXP). The Company is focused on commercializing, developing, discovering and licensing therapeutics to treat and prevent human disease. Tonix markets Zembrace SymTouch (sumatriptan injection) 3 mg and Tosymra (sumatriptan nasal spray) 10 mg. Zembrace SymTouch and Tosymra are each indicated for the treatment of acute migraine with or without aura in adults. Tonix's development portfolio is composed of central nervous system (CNS), rare disease, immunology and infectious disease product candidates. Tonix's CNS development portfolio includes both small molecules and biologics to treat pain, neurologic, psychiatric and addiction conditions. The Company's immunology portfolio includes biologics to address organ transplant rejection, autoimmunity, and cancer. Tonix's infectious disease pipeline consists of a vaccine in development to prevent smallpox and monkeypox, which also serves as the live virus vaccine platform or recombinant pox vaccine platform for other infectious diseases. Position OverviewTonix is looking for a Director, Protein Sciences and Computational Biology with extensive experience in computational biology, biophysical chemistry, macromolecular structure function relationship and AI/ML platforms. The candidate will be responsible for developing therapeutics in oncology, infectious diseases, and other indications. The positions are at Tonix's Research and Development Center (RDC) which is the innovation and development arm of Tonix Pharmaceuticals. The individual in this position will work as part of the research team to deliver and optimize biological pipelines for clinical investigation. The individual in this position will participate in many aspects of therapeutic development, discovery, production, characterization, optimization, and program design. We are searching for self-motivated, resourceful, and adaptive scientists with an industry mindset and wide spectrum of expertise to join the RDC discovery and development team. This is a fast-paced challenging position offering a competitive compensation and benefits package. This position will report to the EVP, Infectious Diseases and will be based at the Tonix Research and Development Center in Frederick, Maryland.Essential Duties

• Coordinate activities with other directors and run an independent research program
• Manage and drive Protein Sciences projects to support the development of next-generation protein therapies
• Manage and participate in hypothesis generation, production, and identifying of unique protein constructs with therapeutic applications to allow Tonix Pharmaceuticals competitively advance biologics' pipeline in immunology, oncology, infectious diseases, and related fields
• Establish criteria and workflows to enable efficient evaluation and selection of effective, and developable therapeutic candidates
• Lead computer-aided drug discovery within the Company's pipeline
• Shape and drive AI/ML innovation strategies applicable at various stages of R&D within Tonix pipeline
• Perform research and present reports on the status of current projects and potential benefits of future research developments
• Assess the latest technological advancements that are beneficial to protein engineering, structural biology, computational biology, and bioinformatics programs in the company pipeline
• Lead specific project teams or participate in related project teams, propose new discovery and optimization path with industry mindset
• Elicit, synthesize, and manage the cross-functional inputs required for a robust development plan
• Establish and manage partnerships with CROs and consultants
• Uphold company mission and values through accountability, innovation, integrity, quality, and teamwork
• Perform ad-hoc work/special projects as necessary to support Tonix on various business initiatives

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff
• Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations
• If necessary, handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy
• Contributes to performance and compensation decisions such as: merit raises, bonuses, and promotions
• Supervise and mentor members of the team and be able to communicate well with peers

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree required plus 20 years of experience
• Equipped with deep knowledge in protein engineering, protein expression and purification, protein characterization and analysis, including membrane proteins and large macromolecular complexes
• Demonstrated experience in macromolecule structure determination and analysis using X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and computational methods
• Ability to apply cutting-edge ML/AI and data analytics, computational biology, virtual screening, and molecular dynamics for biologics and lead discovery (Python/C++ and Linux OS experience is preferred)
• Extensive experience in molecular cloning and vector design, RNA/DNA expression and purification
• Experience with various expression systems and in protein characterization techniques including DLS, SPR, BLI, analytical centrifugation, thermophoresis, isothermal titration calorimetry
• Experience in expression and purification of viral glycoproteins in the correct biological context
• Knowledge of virus attenuation and engineering, VLP design, expression, and purification
• Ability to generate hypothesis to test ideas, use the data set to evaluate hypothesis and design new studies
• Strong accomplishment record demonstrating the ability to perform independent, high-quality, creative, and impactful research in the field of Protein Sciences
• Ability for minimal travel
• Dedicated team player who is able to withstand the high demands of a fast-paced environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• Comfortable working independently with minimal supervision
• Highly organized, results driven, problem solver, and collaborator
• Demonstrated ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation

Recruitment & Staffing AgenciesTonix does not accept agency resumes unless contacted directly by internal Tonix Talent Acquisition. Please do not forward resumes to Tonix employees or any other company location; Tonix is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.Compensation & BenefitsAnnualized base salary ranges from $120,000 to $240,000 plus target incentive; actual salaries will vary and may be above or below this range commensurate with several factors including experience, education, training, location, and merit.Tonix provides a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Basic and Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account, and Employee Assistance Programs
• Pet Insurance
• Retirement Savings 401k with company match and annual discretionary stock options
• Generous Paid Time Off, Sick Time, & Paid Holidays
• Career Development and Training

Tonix provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by law. In addition to federal law requirements, Tonix complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfers, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Tonix expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic, information, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.