Scientist/Sr. Scientist, Preclinical Gene Therapy

Scientist/Senior Scientist - Preclinical Gene Therapy

We are a fully integrated AAV engineering and gene therapy company poised to create the next generation of innovative genetic therapies, with life-changing potential for patients with grievous unmet medical needs.

We leverage our proprietary high-throughput AAV engineering platform to create viral vectors with cell-type and tissue level specificity, overcoming many of the biological limitations of early gene therapy efforts. Combined with our in-house preclinical and manufacturing expertise, we are positioned to create the next generation of AAV delivered gene therapies, dramatically changing the lives of patients.

We are founded on the idea that diverse backgrounds and skill sets combine to create an environment that stimulates innovation and creativity, enabling us to grow into a leader in the AAV gene therapy space. Our leadership team is comprised of the scientific founders that developed the underlying intellectual property, and experienced industry veterans with a track record for bringing transformative drugs to market. Together with our partners, we will combine next generation engineered capsids with cutting edge gene editing and delivery modalities to bring novel medicines to patients that need them. Our research and development labs, offices, and manufacturing space are located in Newbury Park, near the Amgen campus.

The Role
We are looking for scientists to work on our gene therapy team. Members of this team will be responsible for quantifying AAV distribution and safety, and cargo activity, of drug candidates in animal models. Successful candidates will have experience with one or more of the following: in vivo experiments, histology, imaging[KH2] , protein and nucleic acid quantification methods. This position will require the applicant to work with internal and external collaborators to design and execute projects, as well as directly manage research associates. Laboratory activities are expected to constitute approximately 40-70% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Biomarker assay development for measuring safety and efficacy.
• Biodistribution assay development using QPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and related tec[KH3] hniques.

• Collaborations both within the gene therapy team for measuring safety and efficacy of constructs, as well as with other teams at Capsida, including the high-throughput sequencing core, AAV production, and capsid and cargo engineering[KH4] .
• Keep up to date with advances in the gene therapy field.
• Present findings to interdisciplinary scientific teams to seek input on key studies and propose data-driven decisions.
• Develop a small scientific team, coordinate their efforts, and see to their own scientific and professional improvement, along with your own.

Requirements

• PhD or equivalent degree in biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Master's degree in biology, or a related scientific discipline with 4 or more years of industry[KH5] experience.
• Experience with in vivo experiments in rodents or primates.
• Demonstrated capability of generating data-driven hypotheses and designing/developing properly controlled studies/assays for hypothesis testing.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Collaborative mindset and a willingness to work with and provide mentorship to junior research associates.
• Thrives in a dynamic and fast-paced research environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AAV gene therapy.
• Experience with disease models of neurological disorders

Compensation and Benefits:
The well-being of our employees and their families is of the highest importance. As such, we offer a competitive salary and exceptional benefits, including generous stock options, medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, and significant PTO.

Additionally, we offer:

• Relocation compensation
• Fully stocked kitchen
• Social lunches, happy hours, and other events on a regular basis

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local laws.