Senior Scientist, In Vitro Pharmacology - AAV Gene Therapy

What You Will Contribute To Altos

An exciting opportunity is available for a talented Senior Scientist who is specialized in AAV Gene Therapy to join the In vitro Pharmacology team in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at Altos Labs. We are seeking a highly motivated, creative, and collaborative individual who is passionate and dedicated to employing expertise to restore cell health and resilience and reverse disease. At this role, you will join a dynamic team in a unique environment whee leading research labs work side by side with industry scientists. Your work will support our efforts to understand the deep mechanistic biology of rejuvenation/aging in support of target validation. Additionally, you will be part of our drug discovery campaigns through the selection of drug candidates and support a diverse portfolio of early exploratory and drug-discovery stage projects. Your expertise will contribute to our mission to make a significant impact in the field of aging/rejuvenation biology and drug discovery.

Responsibilities

• Work in the In vitro Pharmacology team and closely collaborate with other functions of Altos IOM to perform critical experiments and ensure project goals and timelines are met.
• Function as the lead scientist responsible for the development and optimization of in vitro and cellular assays for AAV.
• Expertise in bioanalytical assay development for AAV gene therapy.
• Serve as a subject matter expert of AAV vector design and optimization.
• Manage partnerships with CRO for AAV vector optimization and testing.
• Collaborate closely with In vivo Pharmacology team for AAV delivery in vivo and nonclinical studies.
• Work with process development and analytical development teams in Technical Operations to discover processes and assays that will align with downstream operations.
• Analyze data, interpret results, and troubleshoot issues; implement statistical and data analysis techniques to validate and improve assays.
• Operate and maintain key laboratory instruments relevant to assays.

Who You Are

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD. in Microbiology, Virology, Immunology, Pharmacology, or related field with 6+ years post-PhD and 3+ years of industry experience is required.
• Ability to independently formulate scientific questions, design strategies, and implement the plans effectively.
• Strong knowledge in AAV capsid/serotype, promoter, transgene and backbone elements.
• Expertise in one or more AAV vectors and experience re-engineering AAV to improve potency, transgene property, or packaging capacity is required.
• Intensive wet-lab experience in AAV analytics and titration methods (e.g. genomic titer by ddPCR, particle titer by ELISA, infectious titer as TCID50, etc.), as well as potency assessment for transgene mRNA and protein.
• Extensive experience in development and optimization of biochemical and cellular assays, with a strong background in relevant laboratory techniques and methodologies.
• Extensive experience in development and optimization of bioanalytical assays for AAV gene therapy, including but not limited to, evaluation of vector genome levels, transgene expression/translation in various tissues.
• Demonstrated high productivity and ability to complete work in a timely manner.
• Proficient in documentation of laboratory procedures and experiment data in an accurate and timely manner on electronic lab notebook (ELN).
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, with the ability to attune through writing and presentation to a variety of audiences including senior executives to entry-level employees.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with strong experience in the following fields are preferred:

• • Experience working across diverse therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, biotherapeutics, nucleic acid therapeutics, and gene therapy is highly desirable.
  • Expertise in viral and non-viral gene therapy delivery technologies, in addition to AAV, is highly desired.
  • Experience in pre-clinical biomarker discovery, development, and assay validation is a plus.
  • Experience working on cellular models of diverse age-related conditions is desirable, including metabolic, musculoskeletal, immune-related as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Strong experience in the field of aging/rejuvenation biology.

The salary range for Redwood City, CA:

• Senior Scientist I: $121,550 - $164,450
• Senior Scientist II: $143,000 - $199,200

Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

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