Scientist, HIV Virology
About The Position
The U.S. government is moving rapidly toward banning animal models in drug discovery, with the sharpest restrictions aimed at nonhuman primates. NHPs are currently the only animal model for HIV. When they go away, the only path left to discover and develop drugs against HIV in real human tissue runs through human immune organoids. This role is responsible for building the HIV program from scratch, including equipment, reagents, biosafety, assays, and SOPs, to ensure the lab is ready for HIV-based projects. The individual will serve as the in-house HIV expert, providing scientific guidance, safety oversight, and bench expertise for all HIV-related initiatives. This is a foundational scientist position within a program that is expected to become a strategically important asset for the company.
Requirements
- Current or recent postdoc from a top-tier HIV lab with deep knowledge of the field, key players, assays, and controls.
- Fluent in BSL2+ conditions with a thorough understanding of regulatory and safety protocols.
- Mastery of standard HIV assays to measure viral load, infectivity, latency, neutralization, integration, and replication kinetics.
- Strong background in immunology and T cell biology.
- Hands-on bench experience and scientific judgment to generate reliable experimental data.
- Enthusiasm for building a new program from scratch, seeking ownership and responsibility.
- Ability to troubleshoot experiments effectively and apply scientific thinking to problem-solving.
Nice To Haves
- Hands-on experience with organoid or 3D culture systems.
- Experience with single-cell, multi-omic, or high-content imaging readouts.
- Background spanning HIV virology and broader infectious disease work.
- Comfort working alongside hardware engineers and platform scientists in a hands-on R&D environment.
Responsibilities
- Build the HIV lab from the ground up, including equipment, reagents, SOPs, and controls.
- Serve as the in-house HIV expert, answering questions about HIV biology, virology, and assay design.
- Establish and validate a comprehensive assay menu for HIV research, including viral load, infectivity, latency reactivation, neutralization, integration, and replication kinetics.
- Execute experiments with rigor, critically analyze data, and make real-time adjustments as needed.
- Co-own biosafety, ensuring the lab meets and maintains BSL2+ standards in collaboration with the Head of Technical Operations.
Benefits
- Equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
