Associate Staff Scientist Manager at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio

Associate Staff Scientist - GENESIS Cell & Gene Therapy Program

This role sits at the intersection of scientific execution and program operations. The Associate Staff Scientist serves as a scientific and operational anchor for the GENESIS Cell & Gene Therapy program - advancing hands-on research within selected programs while ensuring the initiative's milestones, meetings, and documentation infrastructure function at the highest level. The successful candidate brings in-depth conceptual and applied expertise in cell and gene therapy research, with proficiency in cell and molecular biology techniques and platforms. Familiarity with virtual protocol and results documentation systems is preferred. This individual executes complex tasks with minimal supervision, coordinates cross-functional activities, and contributes meaningfully to the scientific and operational progress of multiple C> programs simultaneously.

Job Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and interpret laboratory experiments; apply and critically evaluate scientific protocols; independently develop and refine methods appropriate to C> research goals.
• Develop new assays and protocols relevant to cell and gene therapy programs: design experimental formats, standardize procedures, and validate new techniques within the GENESIS portfolio.
• Synthesize experimental findings and present actionable insights and recommendations to program leadership and the Steering Committee.
• Maintain accurate, detailed, and reproducible records of all laboratory work in compliance with institutional standards and IND-stage documentation requirements.

Program Operations & Scientific Infrastructure

• Track and document program milestones against independently verified go/no-go criteria; prepare progress summaries and flag risks for Steering Committee review.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities across GENESIS C> programs.
• Manage the C> seminar series, program meetings, and other engagements; maintain meeting records and action items.
• Support LOI and application review logistics during competitive program selection cycles.
• Maintain an active role in C> program presentations, publications, and communications.
• Train and supervise junior laboratory personnel as programs require; serve as a scientific resource across the initiative.

Publish

• Draft, write, and edit scientific reports, journal articles, abstracts, and program updates.
• Present research at local, national, and international scientific meetings.
• Contribute to regulatory documents and IND-supporting materials as programs advance toward clinical translation.

Leadership

• Serve as a consistent scientific and operational presence across multiple GENESIS programs, building trusted working relationships with faculty investigators, research scientists, and external collaborators.
• Act as a primary day-to-day point of contact for program questions; escalate strategic issues to the program Director.
• Mentor junior staff; provide education, guidance, and work direction; contribute input on professional development and performance as appropriate.
• Model the collaborative, milestone-driven culture that the program is designed to advance.

Job Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant biomedical science discipline
• 3+ years of post-doctoral or equivalent research experience in cell and/or gene therapy, molecular biology, or a related field
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present scientific and operational content to diverse audiences

About Us

• Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 10 best Children's Hospitals in the nation for more than 15 years
• Consistently among the top 3 Children's Hospitals for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding
• Recognized as one of America's Best Large Employers (2025), America's Best Employers for New Grads (2025)
• One of the nation's America's Most Innovative Companies as noted by Fortune
• Consistently certified as great place to work
• A Leading Disability Employer as noted by the National Organization on Disability
• Magnet designated for the fourth consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

We Embrace Innovation-Together. We believe in empowering our teams with the tools that help us work smarter and care better. That's why we support the responsible use of artificial intelligence. By encouraging innovation, we're creating space for new ideas, better outcomes, and a stronger future-for all of us. Comprehensive job description provided upon request. Cincinnati Children's is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an environment of dignity and respect for all our employees, patients, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. EEO/Veteran/Disability