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Research Associate I/Research Associate II (Upstream Process Development)

Employer
4D Molecular Therapeutics
Location
Emeryville, CA
Start date
Oct 23, 2019

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Discipline
Manufacturing & Production, Science/R&D, Research
Required Education
Bachelors Degree
Position Type
Full time

Job Details

4D Molecular Therapeutics (4DMT), located in Emeryville, is a global leader in gene therapy product research and development using scientific innovation to unlock the full potential of gene therapy for patients with genetic diseases. At 4DMT, our goal is to design and develop transformative gene therapy products using our proprietary adeno-associated virus (AAV) variants platform to treat serious unmet medical conditions. We seek a talented and passionate Research Associate I/II to join our leading-edge Upstream Process Development team in designing manufacturing processes and novel AAV vectors.

Your creativity and innovative design, development and execution expertise in cell culture and scale-up technologies will be critical to helping us take 4DMT to the next level. Your work will directly impact both Process Development and Manufacturing. This role will require close collaboration with the Analytical Sciences & Bioinformatics (ASB) team.

4DMT is at the forefront of cutting-edge science and technology with proprietary AAV vectors that deliver transgene payloads to the right place for patients. This is an opportunity to join a well-funded, rapidly growing pre-IPO company as a key member of the process development team. You will be involved in the build-out for an expanded process development laboratory and have the opportunity to work on numerous products across multiple therapeutic areas . The diverse nature of our AAV vectors makes this position ideal for scientists looking to be on the cusp of scientific innovation, with much work to be done to advance the field to help accelerate the delivery of high value therapeutics to patients. Moreover, you will have opportunities to present and publish as well as to make important contributions to regulatory filings for novel therapeutics.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Design and execute production studies leveraging 4DMT's vector platform processes. Collaborate with process & analytical teams to screen and evaluate drug candidates across a range of indications.
  • Draft and update batch records, electronic lab notebooks (ELN), standard operating procedures and technical reports. Responsible for documentation that is IND-supporting and will be communicated to relevant internal/external stakeholder &/or regulatory parties.
  • Document, consolidate, interpret and communicate scientific findings with internal/external teams.
  • Contribute to a culture that embraces continuous learning, improvement and innovation. Can work with others to expand their technical skill base and deepen their gene therapy expertise. Work cross-functionally with downstream process development and analytical teams to generate and characterize AAV material across a range of therapeutics doses.
  • Maintains a current awareness and contributes to current scientific literature; actively applies new concepts and technologies.
  • Supports research initiatives such as new technology development and continuous improvement projects.


KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:
  • BS with 1-3 years or MS with 0-2 years of experience of experience in process development, cell culture and/or viral production. Degree in Bioengineering, Biology, Biochemistry, Virology, or related field.
  • Experience with both adherent and suspension cell culture, maintenance and optimization. Technical skills in small and large-scale viral production a plus.
  • Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving and multi-tasking skills. Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail in the lab.
  • Strong communication skills, both written and oral, with demonstrated ability to present ideas and information and data effectively in one on one discussions and team meetings. Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
  • Working knowledge of GMP & GDP is a plus.

Company

4DMT is a gene therapy company with a transformative discovery platform --Therapeutic Vector Evolution --that enables our “disease first” approach to product discovery and development, thereby allowing us to customize our AAV vectors to target specific tissue types associated with the underlying disease.


At 4DMT we are creating and developing optimized “biopharmaceutical grade” AAV vectors that will allow us uniquely to unlock the full potential of gene therapy. Our customized and proprietary AAV vectors are each designed, according to a 4DMT Target Vector Profile, to deliver genes to specific cells and tissues in the body to eradicate both rare and large market diseases.


While AAV gene therapy pioneers are making great strides with the first wave of products, hurdles still exist with the use of conventional vectors. The most commonly used AAV capsids (e.g., AAV2, 5, 8 and 9) were identified either 1) as contaminants in lab stocks of adenovirus, or 2) through monkey tissue processing. Therefore, these conventional vectors are not targeted specifically to any tissue in the body. This can lead to inefficient and non-specific delivery, thus requiring extremely high doses and potentially resulting in toxicities (including inflammation), high manufacturing burdens and suboptimal efficacy. In addition, suboptimal routes of delivery can be required for delivery to the right tissues (e.g., subretinal delivery to the retina). Finally, pre-existing neutralizing antibodies in many patients can limit efficacy, clinical trial enrollment and market sizes. 4DMT Innovation empowers us to create new and improved next generation AAV capsids to allow targeted delivery of our products by the optimal clinical route of administration.


At 4DMT we use our robust discovery platform, termed “Therapeutic Vector Evolution,” to create customized and proprietary gene delivery vehicles (novel AAV vectors) to deliver genes to specific tissues and cells in the body by the optimal route of administration. We use the power of evolution to create and refine these optimized vectors through genetic diversification and then natural selection in vivo.


4D Purpose Statement:  Boldly Innovating to Unlock the Full Potential of Gene Therapy for Countless Patients


GUIDING PRINCIPLES

 

  • Dare to Cure - Patients are waiting. Create big dreams for patients and take calculated risks to achieve them
  • Break Boundaries - Question the status quo and innovate beyond conventional approaches
  • Beyond Yourself - It's about patients, their families, our team, our families. We strengthen each other.
  • Prepare and Execute Relentlessly - Start with the end in mind, over-prepare and make contingency plans to your contingency plans


We invite all of you who share our passion and vision in creating the ultimate gene therapy products to cure genetic and rare diseases in children and adults. We seek the best people in the industry who identify with our mission and innovative results-driven approach. We offer an inspiring and collaborative environment that encourages individual contributions, recognizes performance in multiple ways, offers generous benefits and provides challenging opportunities for career development. 
 

Company info
Website
Phone
510-505-2680
Location
5858 Horton St. Suite 455
Emeryville
California
94608
United States

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