---
title: 'Associate Director, Protein Sciences at Alector'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/associate-director-protein-sciences-alector-south-san-francisco-31rfw6947pf6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-17'
---

# Associate Director, Protein Sciences at Alector

- **Company:** Alector
- **Location:** South San Francisco, CA
- **Compensation:** $200k–$225k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-29
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-17
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/alector/e052e7f5-2d98-446c-8dbf-f4cde45e20be

## Job description

Our mission is to develop therapies that empower the immune system to combat neurodegeneration and our team is focused on developing treatments for some of the most challenging diseases facing our society. By harnessing advancements in genetics, immunology and neuroscience, we are pioneering the development of potential therapies to counteract the devastating progression of neurodegeneration. We are supported in this mission by experienced and accomplished scientists and clinicians, a novel portfolio of programs, leading healthcare investors, and pharma company partners, who share in our commitment to bettering the lives of patients and realizing a world where we make brain disorders history.

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Protein Sciences leader to oversee protein science activities conducted internally and through external CRO partners. This is an opportunity to join Alector at a critical inflection point, lead and develop a small internal team, and build new capabilities supporting our growing focus on antibody–oligonucleotide conjugate therapeutics. This individual will serve as a cross-functional scientific connector and directly manage members of the Protein Sciences team. The ideal candidate combines strong people leadership and external-partner oversight with a willingness to work in the laboratory to train colleagues, introduce new techniques, and troubleshoot complex technical challenges.

## Key Goals & Accountabilities

- Advance our Protein Sciences strategy. Lead internal and external Protein Sciences activities to deliver high-quality proteins and conjugates that support Alector’s research and development programs.

- Build capabilities for emerging modalities. Establish and evolve protein purification, conjugation, and analytical capabilities to advance antibody–oligonucleotide conjugates and other emerging program needs.

- Develop the team and scale our impact. Manage, mentor, and develop a small Protein Sciences team while providing hands-on technical guidance and effectively leveraging external CRO partners to meet program priorities and timelines.

- Accelerate programs from research toward development. Partner across discovery, platform, development, CMC, and other teams to advance lead candidates, ensuring production and analytical strategies address developability, process viability, and manufacturing considerations.

- Innovate how we work. Integrate new technologies, including AI and large language models, into Protein Sciences workflows to accelerate programs, generate insights, and use resources more effectively.

Required Qualifications

- PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, protein sciences, or a related scientific discipline with 8+ years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry experience, or an equivalent combination of MS/MSc with 10+ years of relevant industry experience.

- Significant biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry experience in protein sciences, therapeutic antibodies, or related biologic modalities, including experience leading and developing scientific staff.

- Demonstrated history of advancing therapeutic proteins or antibodies from research and discovery toward development, including familiarity with developability and CMC considerations.

- Broad scientific expertise across protein production, purification, characterization, and analytical methods, with hands-on experience using FPLC/AKTA and familiarity with HPLC, mass spectrometry, or related analytical platforms.

- Active user of large language models (LLMs), with a strong interest in applying evolving AI technologies to scientific research and drug development.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Hands-on experience with antibody–oligonucleotide conjugates or closely related conjugated biologic modalities.

- Experience managing external CRO partnerships; experience working with WuXi Biologics or similarly fast-paced global CROs is a plus.

At Alector, our vision is bold, people are our priority, and our values are at the core of everything we do. Our dynamic and flexible environment encourages our teams to experiment, take ownership of decisions, and question convention to solve complex problems. We value shared wins, perseverance, and a growth mindset, which drives us forward, together.

Among the things you'll discover at Alector from your very first day are our committed and driven colleagues, a bold company vision, and new, modern offices designed to inspire innovation and collaboration in South San Francisco, right at the heart of Biotech Bay. Our benefits are thoughtfully designed around Alectorians and their loved ones and include flexible hybrid work options, competitive compensation, and comprehensive and unique benefits that enhance your health and well-being. Come join us!

We believe that hard-working teams include people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences who can challenge each other’s assumptions with fresh perspectives and bring creative ideas to the table. We are committed to building an open, diverse, and inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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## About Alector

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Alector is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immuno-neurology therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases by targeting the brain’s immune system.
- **Entity Type**: Public (NASDAQ: ALEC)
- **Headquarters**: South San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2013
- **Founders**: Not publicly available on their website or in recent reports; co-founded by a team of scientific and industry veterans.

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Biotechnology / Immuno-Neurology
- **Target customers**: B2B (partnerships with large pharma), but primarily focused on patients, healthcare providers, and clinical trial sites.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “To slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and to one day prevent their occurrence.” [alector.com](https://alector.com/about-us/our-mission/)

## Products & Services
For each major offering:
- **Therapeutic Pipeline (Multiple Programs)**: A portfolio of investigational therapies targeting frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions. These are biologic drugs designed to remove toxic proteins, replace deficient proteins, and restore immune and nerve cell function.
- **Alector Brain Carrier (ABC) Platform**: A proprietary technology designed to enhance brain penetration of therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) using receptor-mediated transcytosis. This is an enabling platform technology, not a standalone product.
- **Biomarker-Guided Development**: An internal capability for identifying and using diagnostic and pharmacodynamic biomarkers to select patient populations and track therapeutic impact in clinical trials.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: As of early September 2026, Alector’s market cap is approximately **$1.2 billion** (based on recent trading data from Yahoo Finance).
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of **$21 million** (latest fiscal year); total funding to date (including IPO and follow-on offerings) is approximately **$1.1 billion** (sum of disclosed financings per SEC filings).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Key institutional investors include **Fidelity**, **OrbiMed**, **Baker Bros. Advisors**, and **BVF Partners**. Strategic collaboration with **GSK** (GlaxoSmithKline) for the development of INHBE programs.
- **Growth Signals**: Despite a 38.3% year-over-year reduction in headcount (85 employees as of mid-2025), the company has made significant clinical progress, including advancing its lead program to Phase 3 and expanding the ABC platform. Recent hires in clinical operations signal a push toward late-stage trials.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Immuno-Neurology Focus**: Alector is a leader in the emerging field of immuno-neurology, targeting immune pathways directly in the brain rather than just neurons, which represents a novel approach distinct from competitors working on amyloid or tau alone.
- **Alector Brain Carrier (ABC)**: A proprietary BBB-crossing platform that could be a significant differentiator, potentially applicable to many other therapeutic modalities beyond Alector’s own pipeline. This creates a potential partnership or licensing revenue stream.
- **Human Genetics Foundation**: Their discovery approach is deeply rooted in human genetics, focusing on genetically validated targets, which reduces the risk of pursuing biologically irrelevant mechanisms.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities and direction for growth**: Alector is laser-focused on advancing its lead clinical programs toward regulatory milestones, particularly for frontotemporal dementia. The company is also investing in expanding the ABC platform’s utility, both internally and through partnerships. Cost discipline (headcount reduction is a recent signal) suggests a focus on extending cash runway into late-stage data readouts.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture highlights**: Alector has been certified as a “Great Place to Work” since 2020 and was named one of the San Francisco Business Times’ “Best Places to Work” in 2023. The company emphasizes a culture of growth, feedback, and inclusivity. [alector.com](https://alector.com/culture-careers/)
- **Remote/hybrid/office policy**: Hybrid model—regular on-site days for collaboration with flexibility for remote work. Headquarters in South San Francisco, CA.
- **Notable perks or engineering culture**: Comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, mental health), onsite gym and basketball court, 20 days PTO plus 10 holidays and a winter shutdown, 401(k) match, employee stock purchase plan, and peer mentorship programs. The company also offers a seminar series with visiting academics.

## Sources
1. [alector.com](https://alector.com/culture-careers/) — Company culture, benefits, and demographic data.
2. [alector.com](https://alector.com/about-us/our-mission/) — Mission statement.
3. [alector.com](https://alector.com/our-scientific-approach/) — Scientific approach, ABC platform, and biomarker strategy.
4. [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/alector) — Employee count, revenue, and location.
5. [jobs.lever.co/alector](https://jobs.lever.co/alector) — Current job openings and work model details.
6. Yahoo Finance / SEC Filings — Market cap and revenue data (cross-referenced via public filings).

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