Senior/Principal Scientist

SonoThera•South San Francisco, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Gene Therapy group at SonoThera is seeking to hire a Senior/Principal Scientist to become an integral part of the gene therapy drug development effort. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate strong managerial capabilities in a high-pace small biotech environment along with a strong aptitude for innovation in the gene therapy vector development field. This position requires adaptability and the ability to excel in a fast-paced start-up environment. The ideal candidate will have extensive technical experience and a proven record of innovation in the field of gene therapy vectors development and manufacturing.

Requirements

A PhD in biological sciences (e.g., Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, or a related field), with minimum 6+ years of experience in an industry setting.
2-4 years of experience in managing a research team in a high pace small biotech environment
Meticulous attention to detail and effective communication of complex task details to the research team
Demonstrated creativity and the ability to work effectively within an interdisciplinary team
Demonstrated ability to lead and support a team with a balanced approach that is both collaborative and results driven.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Demonstrated success in developing potent and safe gene therapy payloads for both viral and non-viral delivery, evidenced by first authorship in peer-reviewed publications, patents, and presentations at major international gene therapy conferences.
Strong working knowledge of enzymatic and cell-based nucleic acid manufacturing processes.
Extensive experience in literature mining and designing DNA- and RNA-based gene therapy payloads.
Ability to efficiently coordinate the daily activities of the research team in close collaboration with the project management team.
Strong record-keeping and organizational skills.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in using Geneious, Benchling, and SmartSheet platforms.
An ideal candidate will have familiarity with gene editing and high throughput screening technologies.

Responsibilities

Support the innovative efforts in developing gene therapy vectors
Managing a team of 2-4 scientists ranging from Research Associate to Associate Scientist levels.
Provide day-to-day support for vector development team operations, including but not limited to vector design generation, maintenance of research records, and management of vector and oligonucleotide inventories
Work in close connection with project management team and manage vector development activities, leveraging advanced project management tools such as SmartSheet to ensure accurate timelines, resource allocation, and milestone delivery.
Manage external and internal collaboration activities
Scope open-source resources to identify technologies that address major limitations in the delivery of non-viral gene therapy vectors.
Establish novel development and manufacturing procedures for scalable production of next-generation DNA and RNA payloads.