AbbVie

Senior Research Scientist I/II, Computational Biology & Toxicology

AbbVie$120K — $150K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree with 10 years, Master's Degree with 8 years, or PhD with no experience necessary for Senior Scientist I
  • Bachelor's Degree with 12 years, Master's Degree with 10 years, or PhD with 4 years for Senior Scientist II
  • PhD in Computational Biology, Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, or related field with computational exposure
  • Strong understanding of biological principles and their relevance to experimental and computational data
  • Fluency in Python or R for coding scientific solutions
  • Knowledge of machine learning methods as applied to biological datasets
  • Foundation in statistical methods like hypothesis testing and regression analysis

Responsibilities

  • Serve as a bridge between wet-lab researchers and computational factors
  • Work with scientists to identify and design solutions for research bottlenecks
  • Create accessible tools and applications for non-computational scientists
  • Collaborate on the development of machine learning techniques for safety assessments
  • Integrate diverse datasets into workflow for safety insight generation
  • Communicate findings clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Translate computational outcomes into practical applications supporting drug discovery

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off and medical/dental/vision insurance
  • Eligible for long-term incentive programs
  • 401(k) plan available to eligible employees
Full Job Description
Job Description

The Computational Toxicology group is dedicated to advancing in-silico approaches that improve the prediction and mechanistic understanding of drug safety across small molecules, biologics, and emerging modalities. This role sits at the intersection of biological science and computational innovation - and that intersection is intentional.

We are looking for a scientist with deep domain knowledge in biology who has also developed computational skills to independently design, build, and deploy data-driven solutions. The ideal candidate can stand at the bench conceptually, understand what drives experimental variability, and architect computational solutions that reflect biological reality.

The role focuses on integrating diverse data sources - including pharmacology, toxicology, genomics, pathology, chemistry, and clinical datasets - into predictive and interpretable models. You will work directly with research scientists to understand their workflows, co-design solutions, and build tools that make computational capabilities accessible to generalist scientists across Development Sciences.

Responsibilities
  • Serve as a scientific translator between wet-lab researchers and computational infrastructure - understanding experimental design, data provenance, and biological context well enough to ensure fit-for-purpose solutions
  • Engage directly with scientists to understand existing laboratory and analytical workflows, identify bottlenecks, and co-design computational solutions that are practical, reproducible, and scalable.
  • Develop user-friendly tools, pipelines, and applications designed for scientists without a computational background, enabling broader Development Sciences teams to leverage computational insights
  • Partner with research scientists, data scientists, and safety experts to design, implement, and validate machine learning/AI strategies that address key discovery and preclinical safety questions.
  • Curate, harmonize, and integrate multi-modal datasets including chemical, genomic, molecular, in vitro, pathology, and clinical sources, into scalable workflows that support safety insight generation and risk prediction
  • Translate computational findings into predictive models, analytical tools, and user-friendly applications that support decision-making in drug discovery and development.

Clearly communicate methods and results to multidisciplinary stakeholders, tailoring messages for both technical and non-technical audiences

Qualifications
  • Senior Scientist I Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree and typically 10 years of experience OR Master's Degree and typically 8 years of experience, OR PhD and no experience necessary.
  • Senior Scientist II Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree and typically 12 years of experience OR Master's Degree and typically 10 years of experience, OR PhD and 4 years of experience
  • PhD in Computational Biology, Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, or a related life science field, with meaningful exposure to computational methods through coursework, dissertation research, or applied experience. Postdoctoral or industry experience preferred
  • A genuine scientific foundation in biology - whether through formal training, research experience, or applied industry work - sufficient to critically evaluate experimental data, identify biological confounders, and contextualize computational outputs in mechanistic terms.
  • Scientific coding fluency in Python (preferred) or R. We do not expect a software engineering background - we expect the ability to write clean, functional, reproducible code in service of scientific questions.
  • Working knowledge of machine learning applied to biological or safety datasets, with the ability to select and justify methods based on scientific context, not just algorithmic performance.
  • Strong foundation in statistical and applied analytical methods, including hypothesis testing, Bayesian inference, regression, multivariate, and time-series analyses.
  • Expertise in advanced machine learning, including deep learning, supervised/unsupervised clustering, and classification algorithms (e.g., SVMs, random forests, gradient boosting).
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate computational approaches and results to non-computational scientists, including presenting analytical strategies and translating findings into actionable scientific insights.
  • Preferred
  • Demonstrated experience working with pathology and/or safety datasets; familiarity with integrating histopathology, clinical pathology, or safety study data into computational workflows.
  • Hands-on wet lab experience (e.g., experimental design, assay development, or mechanistic biology studies) that informs a deeper understanding of data generation, variability, and biological constraints.
  • Experience with scalable computing (parallelization, cloud platforms) and database querying for large biological datasets.
  • Experience with generative AI (GANs, VAEs) or large language models (LLMs) in a scientific context.
  • Experience in data visualization and interface development, with an emphasis on presenting biological and safety-related data intuitively for non-technical users.


Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
  • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
  • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

About AbbVie

AbbVie develops pharmaceuticals and medical devices. They provide products and services to therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health, and gastroenterology.

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Joining AbbVie means becoming part of a global team dedicated to making a remarkable impact on patients' lives. At AbbVie, our employees are united in the pursuit of groundbreaking innovation and are committed to transforming the future of healthcare with leading-edge science.

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We believe in nurturing our team's professional growth through comprehensive training programs, leadership development opportunities, and continuous learning. Our commitment to your career growth is reflected in our robust offerings that enhance your skills and knowledge.

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AbbVie is dedicated to supporting our employees' well-being both inside and outside of work. Our benefits package includes health, financial, and social benefits that are designed to support the diverse needs of our employees. Our inclusive culture encourages collaboration and innovation, fostering a workplace where all can excel.

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Our hiring process is designed to ensure a match that will be beneficial both for the company and for your career aspirations. From resume submission to interview, each step is an opportunity to showcase your skills and fit with the AbbVie team.

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Learn more about AbbVie
Size
50,000 employees
Market Cap
$288.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
$4.6 billion
Founded
2013
5 Year Trend
+17%
Revenue
$45.8 billion
NASDAQ

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