Associate Scientist

Company Background:

Century Therapeutics is developing novel allogeneic living cell products for oncology that overcome the limitations of current cell therapies. Century’s genetically-engineered, universal iPSC-derived immune effector cell products are designed to specifically target hematologic and solid tumor cancers. Our commitment to developing off-the-shelf cell therapies will expand patient access and provide an unparalleled opportunity to advance the course of cancer care. 

Century’s foundational technology is built on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that have unlimited self-renewing capacity. This enables complex cellular engineering to produce controlled cell banks of modified cells that can be expanded and differentiated into desired immune effector cells, which can supply vast amounts of allogeneic, homogeneous therapeutic products. This platform differentiates Century from other approaches that utilize non-renewable donor-derived cells.

Role:

Century Therapeutics is seeking a qualified candidate to join the Synthetic Biology Team in our recently established research laboratory in Seattle. The Synthetic Biology Team develops innovative new technologies for use in future drug products, including engineering novel promoters, control switches, optimized chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), and genetic circuits to provide spatial and temporal control of immune cell activity within patients. This group also works closely with the Cancer Biology Team to engineer strategies to bolster the immune system and to overcome the suppressive tumor microenvironment. This position will support the evaluation of the functional impacts of genetic modifications, such as gene deletions and transgene insertions, on primary lymphocyte and iPSC derived cell products.

The ideal candidate is proactive, organized and possesses an innate curiosity that drives their desire to innovate and improve cancer immunotherapies.

Responsibilities:

• Design, execute and troubleshoot assays to assess the function of primary and iPSC derived T/NK cell products
• Support construct design and assembly through cloning, DNA/RNA transfection and retroviral generation
• Generation of CAR-T/NK cells and cell line maintenance using sterile tissue culture techniques
• Gene manipulation using transposon and/or CRISPR-based KO/KI protocols.
• Data analysis, documentation, and communication of results to team members and the broader Research organization
• Participation in an interactive, team-oriented culture

Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in a scientific discipline with 4 years of experience or MS degree with 2 years of relevant experience in an immunology, biological engineering, cell, or molecular biology laboratory setting
• Typically, a BS or MS degree in a relevant biological, technical, or engineering field and 4-6 years for BS, or 2-4 years for MS, of relevant professional experience.
• Experience with basic molecular biology skills, e.g. cloning and transfection, is preferable but not required
• Murine handling and dissection experience is a plus

Requirements:

• Mammalian tissue culture experience, with both cell lines and primary cells, preferably human T and NK cells
• Familiarity with standard cell biology techniques, including multiparametric flow cytometry and gene delivery.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for data sharing to a broad range of audiences, both internal and external
• Ability to manage multiple projects and ability to prioritize based on timelines.