Principal Scientist, Synthetic Biology

JOB PURPOSE

The Principal Scientist will lead a small team responsible for genetic engineering and testing in the context of cell and gene therapy. This individual will lead a team focused on innovative methods and genetic payloads for regulated cell killing (e.g., safety switches). The candidate will collaborate with research program teams and functional groups throughout the company to design and engineer safety switches to meet project needs. This work will require expertise in synthetic biology, molecular biology, gene editing and lentiviral biology and excellent collaboration and management skills.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Supervise and participate in the design, construction and testing of functional payloads for engineered cells and lentiviral-based gene therapy vectors, especially payloads designed for regulated cell killing, including reagent design and procurement
  • Lead the design of short-, mid and longer-term strategies and approaches for innovative safety switch designs
  • Collaborate with research functional leaders and program leaders to ensure that payloads are designed and constructed to meet specifications, and communicate robustly with them throughout development
  • Develop screening designs suitable for automation (if appropriate) and methods for tracking cell fates (e.g., barcoding with single cell sequencing) with appropriate controls
  • Design in vitro and in vivo testing strategies with go/no decision criteria to prove out payload efficacy and safety in partnership with our pharmacology and toxicology team
  • Collaborate closely with Analytical Genomics and Computational Biology to develop methods and analyze data for payload testing
  • Manage a small team including day-to-day scientific supervision, on-going performance management, and career development
  • Maintain good electronic lab notebook procedures, and ensure data and reports are properly stored in ELN/LMS and ensure compliance across team
  • Participate in cross-functional team meetings representing function and team as appropriate
  • Provide regular oral and written communication on all projects and milestones to all relevant cross functional teams.

Qualifications
  • Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Synthetic Biology, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering or related discipline with a minimum of 5 years of directly related experience in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry
  • Direct hands-on experience with gene and genome editing such as CRISPR-Cas9 or equivalent, lentiviral biology and/or gene therapy vector and payload design
  • Skills in synthetic biology, genetic engineering or gene circuit design (knock-ins and knock-outs), cell biology, cloning and molecular biology
  • Demonstrated experience managing a small team (2 or more direct reports ranging from RA to scientists)
  • Must be detail oriented, self-motivated, flexible, and able to prioritize and manage several fast-paced projects concurrently
  • Outstanding verbal and written communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences
  • Demonstrated ability to work in cross-functional teams as a strong team player as well as independently
  • Known for his/her/their delivery of projects within a timeframe
  • Ability to demonstrate Sana core values as demonstrated in interviews

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with engineering of safety switches
  • Experience working with stem cells including differentiation
  • Experience working with barcoding systems and/or single cell analysis
  • Experience in lab automation and high throughput screening