Senior Scientist, Vector Engineering

Senior Scientist position focused on designing and validating lentiviral vectors for in vivo cell therapy applications. The role combines hands-on viral vector engineering with cross-functional collaboration to advance cell and gene therapy platforms at AstraZeneca's Cambridge, MA location.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and validate novel lentiviral vectors for in vivo cell therapy applications
• Perform construct design, viral genome optimization, envelope pseudotype engineering, and vector assembly
• Design and execute in vitro and in vivo experiments to assess transduction efficiency, specificity, and safety
• Develop assays for titer, potency, biodistribution, integration analysis, and immunogenicity
• Collaborate with discovery teams to align vector designs with product requirements and generate IP contributions

Requirements

• PhD in molecular biology, virology, bioengineering, or related discipline
• 2+ years postdoctoral experience in academia or industry
• Demonstrated expertise in viral vector design, engineering, and characterization
• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques for vector construction and payload optimization
• Experience with protein engineering, antibody engineering, or envelope pseudotype modification
• Strong competence with flow cytometry, qPCR, and ddPCR quantitative analytics
• Ability to design rigorous experiments, apply statistics, and interpret complex datasets

Compensation: $118,000-$178,000 base