Senior Scientist – Vector Development
About The Position
Cornell is seeking a motivated Senior Scientist with deep expertise in viral and non-viral vector and genetic construct design to develop next-generation gene delivery strategies in a fast-paced, collaborative, clinical translation research environment. The role focuses on designing lentiviral vectors, transposon-based architectures, and mRNA-based delivery systems for functional genomics, cell engineering, and therapeutic development. The ideal candidate brings rigorous academic training and a practical engineering mindset to translate biological objectives into high-performance genetic constructs. The position operates at the interface of academia and biotech, combining hypothesis-driven research with milestone-oriented execution. It offers access to genomic technologies and collaborative expertise, with an emphasis on rapid iteration, data-driven decision making, and translational impact.
Requirements
- PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Genetic Engineering, Synthetic Biology, or a related field.
- Five years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience in gene delivery systems or advanced molecular cloning.
- Proven track record of designing and implementing complex genetic constructs.
- Deep knowledge of lentiviral vector biology and design, including multi-plasmid systems and safety features.
- Expertise in plasmid architecture, including promoters such as EF1α, CMV, and CAG; enhancers; insulators; and post-transcriptional regulatory elements.
- Experience designing mRNA constructs for transient expression and delivery optimization.
- Strong understanding of transposon systems and stable integration strategies.
- Proficiency with DNA design software and sequence analysis tools such as SnapGene, Benchling, or Geneious.
- Familiarity with gene expression tuning, including codon optimization, RNA stability, and translational efficiency.
- Ability to interpret NGS and Sanger sequencing data for construct validation.
- Engineering-driven approach to biological problem solving.
- High attention to detail in sequence-level design.
- Ability to balance innovation with practical constraints.
- Strong communication skills across scientific disciplines.
- Self-directed approach and bias toward execution in a fast-moving environment.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with CRISPR/Cas systems, including multiplexed guide RNA architectures and delivery strategies.
- Background in cell therapy, gene therapy, or genome engineering applications.
- Familiarity with non-viral delivery systems, such as LNPs for mRNA.
- Exposure to scale-up considerations and translational or regulatory frameworks.
- Experience working in highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environments.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and optimize plasmid constructs for lentiviral vector systems, including transfer, packaging, and envelope components.
- Engineer self-inactivating lentiviral backbones, optimizing elements such as LTRs, the ψ packaging signal, RRE, cPPT/CTS, and WPRE.
- Design and implement optimized transposon-based systems, including donor vector architecture, cargo optimization, and transposase delivery strategies.
- Architect expression systems with precise control over gene expression, including constitutive, inducible, cell-type-specific, and multiplexed designs.
- Evaluate payload size, recombination risk, silencing, and integration profiles across delivery platforms.
- Develop and refine mRNA delivery constructs by optimizing UTRs, codon usage, modified nucleotides, cap structures, and poly(A) tail configurations.
- Collaborate with vector production, cell engineering, and functional validation teams to iterate on construct design.
- Analyze construct performance using sequencing, expression data, and functional assays; troubleshoot packaging, delivery, or expression inefficiencies.
- Maintain comprehensive design documentation, sequence maps, and construct libraries.
- Contribute to strategic direction by evaluating emerging delivery modalities and synthetic biology approaches.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
