Senior Scientist, mRNA Design & Platform Innovation

Prime Medicine•Cambridge, MA

8d•$145,000 - $177,000

About The Position

Prime Medicine is seeking an exceptionally driven, discovery-minded Senior Scientist to join its Platform Technology & Innovation team. This team is central to Prime Medicine's innovation, focusing on accelerating the next frontier of Prime Editing science. The mission is to invent, establish, and rapidly implement platform technologies that will define new capabilities for Prime Editing and enable future cures. The successful candidate will focus primarily on the design and engineering of RNA components for Prime Editing systems, applying molecular biology and Prime Editing expertise to other platform-level research challenges. This role offers a unique blend of deep, inventive science and direct translational impact, with discoveries moving rapidly into programs aimed at patient benefit. As the portfolio expands, this role is expected to take on additional scope. This is a hands-on experimental role with a strong cross-functional dimension. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in RNA biology and mRNA engineering, a rigorous and creative scientific mindset, and a commitment to translating breakthrough science into real-world impact. The team is currently focused on extrahepatic delivery to the lung, with plans for expansion into additional tissues and organs.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, RNA Biology, Chemical Biology, or a closely related field, plus 5+ years of relevant postdoctoral and/or drug discovery research experience
Deep hands-on expertise in mRNA biology and engineering, including practical experience with in vitro transcription (IVT), UTR design and optimization, codon usage, RNA secondary structure, and the relationship between mRNA sequence design and protein expression outcomes
Experience working in a collaborative, cross-functional research environment with the ability to contribute meaningfully to team science while driving individual workstreams autonomously
Experience applying computational tools or AI/ML approaches to mRNA sequence design or optimization is a plus
Experience translating RNA-based therapeutic technologies from in vitro systems into in vivo animal models, using non-viral (e.g., LNP) or viral (e.g., AAV) delivery systems
Working knowledge of human biology and animal models of disease as they relate to therapeutic development
Excellent scientific communication skills, with the ability to present complex findings clearly to diverse audiences and contribute to written scientific outputs; strong publication and presentation record, with engagement in the broader scientific community (e.g., conferences, scientific societies)
Experience providing day-to-day scientific direction to research associates, interns, or co-op students, and comfort collaborating with and directing the work of external CROs; success operating within a lean, matrixed team, including dotted-line working relationships, is a plus

Nice To Haves

Experience with next-generation or engineered RNA formats (e.g., circular RNA, modified nucleosides, or related modalities) is a plus
Familiarity with CRISPR-based or other precision gene editing technologies

Responsibilities

Design, construct, and systematically optimize novel mRNA architectures for Prime Editing applications, including UTR sequences, open reading frame design, codon usage, cap structures, poly(A) tail configurations, and RNA secondary structure, individually and in combination, to maximize expression, stability, translational efficiency, and in vivo performance
Design and execute well-controlled experiments to probe structure-function relationships in Prime Editing system components; generate clean, interpretable data that drives platform design decisions
Lead discovery efforts for novel therapeutic approaches and platform-level applications enabled by Prime Editing, beyond core mRNA design, partnering with program and platform teams to advance the most promising directions
Partner with cross-functional teams (Computational Biology, Technical Development, and program teams) as well as external collaborators and CROs to translate platform advances into program-specific solutions, including supporting Development Candidate nominations
Maintain active engagement with the scientific literature and emerging technologies in mRNA engineering, RNA biology, and gene editing to anticipate the next wave of innovation and identify external advances or collaborations worth pursuing
Communicate research findings clearly to internal scientific audiences; contribute to publications, patent filings, and conference presentations that advance Prime Medicine's scientific profile
Adhere to all laboratory safety requirements and procedures; author, review, and maintain accurate laboratory notebooks
Mentor and provide day-to-day scientific direction to research associates and interns/co-op students, with potential dotted-line oversight of additional staff as the team scales; contribute to a culture of scientific excellence, intellectual curiosity, and collaborative problem-solving