Senior Research Associate, Process Development

BioSpace has partnered with our client, a therapeutics company that designs gene circuits and programs cells for tremendous therapeutic value to hire a Senior Research Associate or Associate Scientist to join our Process Development team for our cell therapy programs.  The successful applicant will have prior experience with process development and scale up of gene modified cell therapies and be comfortable in a fast moving and nimble culture.  Applicants should be familiar with culture expanded cell products (e.g. CAR-NK cells and CAR-T respectively), comfortable with pre-clinical process development and GMP tech transfer to a CDMO, and familiar with analytical methods development and implementation.  We are seeking individuals who are passionate about the future of “smart therapeutics” and have the energy and boldness to thrive and grow in a dynamic and fast startup environment.
Responsibilities

• Contribute to process development for cell therapy development programs, including natural killer cells (NK cells), CAR-T cells and other therapeutic cell modalities.
• Perform transductions on primary human cells via viral vectors and other gene delivery methods
• Develop and perform assays that measure function of virus and modified cells
• Independently perform experiments on process conditions and raw material qualification
• Develop internal bioreactor-based generation of genetically modified cells under quality-controlled conditions suitable for transfer to a GMP facility.
• Play a central role in interaction with contract manufacturers, key suppliers, and other external vendors.
• Successfully execute and document laboratory procedures and experiments with great attention to detail
• Maintain accurate lab records and notebooks
• Author protocols, reports and standard operating procedure documents

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Life Science related field
• 5 years of relevant experience
• Experience with mammalian tissue culture including both adherent and suspension cells
• Experience with gene delivery methods (e.g. transduction) and related functional assays
• Bioreactor experience (WAVE) is a plus
• Previous experience working in an industry setting is a plus
• Experience with clinical scale magnetic cell enrichments and depletions in and closed-system cell therapy manufacturing processes is a plus
• Proficiency with flow cytometry strongly preferred
• Ability to design and execute experiments with minimal technical supervision.  Ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to think critically and demonstrate troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Experience with performing technology transfers to GMP Contract Manufacturing Organizations
• Familiarity with Quality Documentation and Systems
• Must be a team player, proactive and willing to work in a small team environment
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient with MS office and other commonly used software and technology platforms
• Self-motivated and eager to take on temporary responsibilities outside of initial job description.