Principal Scientist, Delivery

AskBio•Durham, NC

13h•Onsite

About The Position

AskBio Inc., a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is a gene therapy company focused on developing life-saving medicines. The company has a portfolio of clinical programs for various diseases and utilizes proprietary technologies like Pro10™ for manufacturing. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland, AskBio is dedicated to pioneering science and creating transformative molecular medicines. The company's mission is to lead innovative science and drive clinical outcomes to transform people's lives. AskBio is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead capsid discovery and development within the Delivery group in R&D. This role is crucial for advancing next-generation AAV capsid technologies to support AskBio’s gene therapy pipeline. The Principal Scientist will serve as a scientific and people leader, providing strategic and technical direction for capsid library design, screening, and characterization. The ideal candidate will possess extensive hands-on experience with AAV capsid library screening, AAV production, and associated molecular and NGS-based workflows. They should be capable of independent thought, generating novel scientific ideas, and translating complex data into actionable program decisions. This role involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, including bioinformatics, vector biology, translational, and therapeutic teams, to oversee high-impact projects, ensure scientific ownership of integrated biology-and-data workflows, and contribute to the evolution of AskBio’s capsid and delivery platforms. The position is based in Research Triangle Park, NC.

Requirements

PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Biotechnology, Gene Therapy, or related discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience (may include postdoctoral training)
Demonstrated hands‑on experience with AAV capsid library screening, including pooled or barcoded libraries and NGS‑based analysis
Demonstrated experience in leading others in direct line management or matrix style roles
Demonstrated understanding of bioinformatics and data analysis workflows that support library discovery
Strong experience in AAV production, purification, and QC supporting discovery and preclinical research
Proven experience leading complex scientific projects with broad scope and minimal day‑to‑day supervision

Nice To Haves

Experience with in vivo capsid selection, biodistribution studies, and tissue‑level analysis
Experience developing lead candidates in the context of therapeutic indications
Experience with CNS capsid discovery, in addition to other tissue targets
Experience with non-viral modalities
Familiarity working closely with bioinformatics teams for analysis and interpretation of large NGS datasets
Track record of mentoring scientists and building strong, high‑performing teams
Experience contributing to capsid, vector, or delivery platform strategy in a gene therapy or advanced R&D setting
Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences and influence cross‑functional stakeholders

Responsibilities

Provide scientific and strategic leadership for capsid discovery and optimization efforts, overseeing multiple high‑impact projects aligned with AskBio’s R&D and delivery platform objectives
Provide line and/or matrix leadership to scientists and research staff, including mentoring, scientific coaching, performance feedback, and development of scientific and leadership capabilities
Define and drive innovative capsid screening and characterization strategies, independently conceiving new experimental approaches to improve transduction, specificity, and translational relevance
Ensure rigorous scientific oversight of capsid library screening campaigns, including experimental design, data interpretation, and translation of results into clear candidate‑selection recommendations
Provide scientific ownership of integrated biology and data workflows, guiding bioinformatics and NGS analyses to ensure alignment with biological questions and delivery goals
Provide technical and organizational oversight for AAV production needs within the Delivery group, ensuring production, purification, QC, and comparability of research‑grade AAV for capsid libraries, pools, and lead candidates
Own scientific direction, priorities, timelines, and decision‑making across multiple capsid‑focused workstreams, proactively identifying risks and driving solutions to ensure timely delivery
Set and uphold scientific standards and best practices across the group, including expectations for experimental rigor, data quality, and reproducibility
Partner closely with cross‑functional teams (bioinformatics, product development, translational medicine, manufacturing and early stage product teams) to ensure alignment, integration, and impact of capsid delivery efforts.
Operate as Delivery lead within EPTs