PopVax is an Indian full-stack biotech building first-in-class and best-in-class vaccines and cancer immunotherapies using machine learning-driven design and relentless empiricism. We design, develop, and manufacture our own RNA medicines end-to-end because we believe great pharmaceutical science can only flourish in tight feedback loops that iterate rapidly. PopVax’s experimental work and clinical dose production is based at the RNA Foundry, our integrated R&D and GMP-capable clinical dose production facility in Hyderabad.

PopVax's north star is our goal of developing novel vaccines and therapeutics over the next decade with the cumulative ability to save 1 million lives each year – the Million Lives Mission. To that end, we are developing first-in-class vaccines against Hepatitis C Virus, Strep A, and adult pulmonary TB, broadly-protective best-in-class vaccines against COVID-19, influenza, and HPV, and precision immunotherapies against hard-to-treat solid tumours such as liver cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Our work is funded by Vitalik Buterin’s Balvi Fund, the Gates Foundation, the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and Renaissance Philanthropy. Our first vaccine program will begin a Phase I clinical trial in the US in mid-2026 conducted & sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We intend to put 6 novel vaccines and immunotherapies into Phase I clinical trials over the next 3 years.

No matter the job title, each person’s role at PopVax is ultimately focused on helping take safe & effective new medicines that represent a step-change improvement on the current standard-of-care to the people who need them as fast as possible. If you want to work where the ambition is high, the learning curve is steep, and the work matters to billions, you’ll feel at home here.

If you’re excited by the idea of advancing scientific, clinical, and regulatory frontiers of vaccines and immunotherapies, spending each day developing medicines with the potential to save millions of lives, and building a generational global pharmaceutical company in India along the way – join us!

We are seeking an exceptional Scientist for our Hyderabad labs to join our Vaccine Immunology team. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, optimising, and executing flow cytometry–based assays to characterise immune responses to vaccine candidates. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Ph.D. in Immunology, Cell Biology, or a closely related life sciences discipline is required, accompanied by 2–3 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience. Alternatively, candidates with an M.Sc. or M.Tech. degree demonstrating 5+ years of hands-on experience specifically in immunology or vaccine research will be considered.

• Demonstrated expertise in the design of flow cytometry assays to accurately evaluate a broad spectrum of cellular immune responses such as T-cell and B-cell activation, differentiation, and proliferation. Proficient operation of various flow cytometers (e.g., BD FACSLyric, FACSymphony, or FACSMelody) is essential.

• Has proficiently performed advanced intracellular cytokine staining (ICS), activation-induced marker (AIM) assays, proliferation assays, and comprehensive immune phenotyping. 

• Has supported immunogenicity assessments by integrating flow cytometry data with complementary immunoassay results such as ELISPOT, ELISA, and multiplex bead-based assays (e.g., LegendPlex/Luminex) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the immune landscape.

• Proficiency in advanced data analysis using specialised software such as FlowJo, Prism, or other equivalent statistical and graphical analysis tools is mandatory for interpreting complex immunological datasets and presenting findings.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. The ability to present scientific findings clearly and concisely is a vital and non-negotiable component of success at PopVax.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a demonstrated track record of independently interpreting experimental data and troubleshooting technical challenges.

• A willingness to shoulder substantial and often repetitive assay workloads on a daily basis and a desire to rapidly learn, troubleshoot, and master new experimental techniques.

• Strictly adhering to good lab practices, maintaining laboratory records and ensuring compliance with company policies, safety regulations, and quality standards at all times in the office premises is mandatory.

We offer very competitive compensation, comprehensive health insurance with the option to cover immediate family (including pre-existing conditions), and, most importantly, a collaborative work environment focused on solving the cutting-edge multidisciplinary challenges of our novel mRNA platform.