Associate Director Molecular Biology PC 305

Miltenyi Biotec•Gaithersburg, MD

About The Position

Your Role: Miltenyi Biotec is seeking a visionary and strategic Associate Director of Molecular Biology to lead the scientific direction and daily operations of a multidisciplinary team advancing novel viral and non-viral vector platforms, scalable gene engineering workflows, and programmable expression switches and sensors that enable next generation cell and gene therapies. This role oversees end to end delivery from exploratory design and platform prototyping through tech transfer ready methods while establishing quality standards, analytics, and documentation that ensure reproducibility and scalability. As a people leader, the position recruits and develops talent, fosters an inclusive and high-performance culture, and drives cross functional collaboration with Process Development and CMC, Translational, IP, and Regulatory partners to reduce program risk and achieve portfolio milestones. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise in nanoparticle and/or viral vector technologies, strong strategic vision, and a collaborative mindset to expand platform capabilities and accelerate translation into impactful therapeutic solutions.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, or related field; 10+ years of experience in molecular biology, with a focus on viral and non-viral vector development, Directed evolution, protein engineering.
5+ years proven leadership experience managing scientific teams and cross-functional projects.
Strong understanding of GMP principles, tech transfer, and regulatory expectations.
Demonstrated ability to translate scientific innovation into scalable processes.
Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to generate and implement new ideas that push the boundaries of current technologies.
Capable of setting long-term vision and aligning team efforts with business objectives.
Skilled in building partnerships across departments and sites.
Balances creativity with operational discipline to deliver results.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of scientists in the design, development, and optimization of viral and non-viral vector systems, RNA-based delivery technologies, and advanced gene engineering toolsets that support platform and therapeutic program needs.
Drive scientific and technological innovation by implementing directed evolution strategies, improving molecular components, and enhancing workflow efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability.
Develop and execute strategic development plans that accelerate maturation of RNA, vector, and genome engineering platforms while ensuring alignment with broader organizational objectives.
Partner cross functionally with Analytical Development, Process Development and CMC, Manufacturing, Quality, and Translational teams to ensure seamless integration of molecular biology, RNA, and vector engineering workflows.
Evaluate emerging technologies in RNA engineering, synthetic biology, directed evolution, and vector innovation, and incorporate high impact approaches into development pipelines.
Ensure compliance with regulatory, quality, and safety standards across all molecular biology, RNA, and vector engineering R&D activities while effectively communicating scientific progress, risks, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and external collaborators.
Other duties as assigned