Principal Scientist, Immunology, Rheumatology & Lung Fibrosis

Description

Boehringer Ingelheim is seeking a creative, scientifically rigorous, and collaborative Principal Scientist to join the Immunology & Respiratory Translational Biology group. The successful candidate will provide immunology-driven translational biology strategy and laboratory execution for discovery programs at the interface of immune-mediated disease, rheumatology, and autoimmune-associated interstitial lung diseases (ILDs).

The Principal Scientist will help establish and apply disease-relevant experimental approaches to support the positioning and differentiation of discovery molecules in autoimmune and rheumatologic disease spaces where lung involvement, tissue inflammation, and fibrosis are involved. This role is intended for an immunologist with strong mechanistic expertise in immune-cell biology and tissue inflammation, complemented by practical experience in lung/ILD pathobiology, autoimmune-associated ILD biology, and complex in vitro or ex vivo translational model systems.

The candidate should be able to lead and mentor scientists and matrixed project contributors, with prior direct-report experience . The ideal candidate will bring pharmaceutical or biotech drug-discovery or translational research experience and demonstrated readiness to contribute in a cross-functional R&D setting; exceptional candidates from academic or medical-center environments may be considered when they can demonstrate applied translational impact comparable to industry experience.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Contribute immunology-focused scientific leadership in autoimmune disease biology, rheumatology-associated lung involvement, autoimmune ILD, tissue inflammation, tissue remodeling, and fibrosis to support disease positioning and differentiation of discovery molecules.
• Design, develop, and apply disease-relevant translational assays and experimental systems, including complex in vitro/ex vivo models using relevant human immune cells, tissue-derived systems, immune/stromal/epithelial interactions, fibrosis readouts, and biomarker-linked endpoints.
• Translate mechanistic understanding of immune-cell biology, inflammatory pathways, lung injury and repair, tissue remodeling, fibrosis, and autoimmune disease biology into actionable experimental plans that inform project strategy and decision-making.
• Serve as a translational biology representative on discovery and development project teams, contributing to project hypotheses, assay strategy, data interpretation, and integrated translational packages.
• Independently propose, design, execute, analyze, and communicate scientific experiments aligned with predefined project and group goals, including the development or optimization of new methodologies, protocols, and test procedures.
• Guide the experimental work of scientists, contractors, and matrixed collaborators; provide day-to-day scientific mentorship and help build capability within the team.
• Manage direct reports as assigned, including goal setting, coaching, feedback, prioritization, and development of scientific staff, with an emphasis on quality, accountability, and growth.
• Prepare clear technical reports, translational summaries, publications, and presentations; communicate data and recommendations effectively to project teams, group leadership, and cross-functional partners.
• Collaborate across Translational Biology, Spatial Biology, Discovery Sciences, Experimental Medicine, Medicine/Clinical, Biomarker, and other Research functions to ensure that translational plans are scientifically robust and aligned with program needs.
• Build and maintain productive interactions with external scientific experts and collaborators in immunology, lung biology/ILD, rheumatology, and fibrosis; integrate external insights where appropriate into experimental and translational strategies.
• Remain current with scientific literature, emerging therapeutic concepts, technologies, and competitive developments relevant to immunology, autoimmune ILD, rheumatologic disease biology, lung inflammation, and fibrosis.
• Ensure work is conducted in a safe, compliant, and scientifically rigorous manner; maintain appropriate records in accordance with applicable SOPs, policies, and regulations.
• Demonstrate responsible stewardship of resources, including experimental cost, timelines, external collaborations, and technology use.

Requirements

• Ph.D. Degree or equivalent in immunology, pulmonary biology, cell biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, translational medicine, or a related discipline.
• Five (5+) years of relevant pharmaceutical, biotech, postdoctoral, or equivalent translational research experience.
• Strong scientific expertise in immunology, immune-cell biology, and tissue inflammation, with demonstrated ability to connect immune mechanisms to lung involvement, ILD pathobiology, and autoimmune-associated ILD.
• Practical knowledge of lung biology and rheumatology-associated pulmonary disease, including inflammatory and fibrotic mechanisms relevant to connective tissue disease-associated ILDs.
• Strong understanding of immune-cell interactions with stromal, epithelial, endothelial, or fibroblast compartments in inflammation, tissue remodeling, and fibrosis.
• Hands-on experience developing, optimizing, or applying disease-relevant in vitro or ex vivo assays, such as primary human cell systems, co-culture platforms, organotypic models, precision-cut tissue approaches, or related translational model systems.
• Experience interpreting complex biological datasets and translating findings into mechanistic hypotheses, decision-enabling experiments, and clear recommendations for project teams.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to articulate, defend, and contextualize scientific rationale and data in cross-functional settings.
• Proven ability to work effectively in matrixed, collaborative environments with changing priorities and multiple stakeholders.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.
• Must be willing to take a drug test and post-offer physical (if required).
• Must be 18 years of age or older.

Compensation Data

The base salary range for this position is $140,000.00 to $222,000.00.   The position may be eligible for a role specific discretionary bonus, relocation, and/or other compensation elements.  We continuously review market data and may adjust salary ranges as needed in the future.  Actual compensation will be based on job-related factors such as skills, experience, and qualifications, and other factors permitted by law. For an overview of our benefits please click here. 

Desired Skills, Experience and Abilities

• Strong preference for prior pharmaceutical or biotech drug-discovery or translational research experience; exceptional academic or medical-center candidates may be considered when they demonstrate applied translational/project impact comparable to industry experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead scientific work through others, including mentoring, supervising, or managing junior scientists, contractors, or matrixed contributors; prior direct-report experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience applying immunology expertise to rheumatologic diseases with pulmonary involvement, including autoimmune ILDs such as systemic sclerosis-associated ILD, rheumatoid arthritis-associated ILD, myositis-associated ILD, or related connective tissue disease-associated ILDs.
• Experience in translational drug discovery or early development, including target validation, mechanism-of-action studies, biomarker strategy, patient stratification, or translational package generation.
• Familiarity with omics-guided translational biology, including bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, spatial profiling, proteomics, or integration of patient-derived datasets to support assay design and biological interpretation.
• Experience working with external collaborators, academic medical centers, KOLs, CROs, or technology partners to advance translational biology objectives.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications, patent contributions, scientific presentations, or project-impact documentation in immunology, lung biology/ILD, fibrosis, or translational medicine.
• Working knowledge of drug discovery workflows, cross-functional project teams, and decision points from early discovery through candidate selection or early clinical development.