Senior Scientist, Promoter Engineering

Thank you for your interest in a career at Senti Biosciences. Our mission is to create a new generation of smarter medicines that outmaneuver complex diseases in ways previously inconceivable. We are passionate about designing gene circuits to improve the “intelligence” of cell and gene therapies in order to enhance their therapeutic effectiveness against a broad range of diseases that conventional medicines are unable to address.
 
At Senti, we find purpose and meaning knowing that our efforts have the potential to improve the lives of patients and their families with more effective and safer treatment options. With science as our foundation and empathy as our key guiding principle, colleagues become friends, managers become mentors, and with time, cancer becomes history.

Senti Bio is seeking a collaborative and passionate Scientist to join our Gene Circuit Discovery group. The Scientist will lead a team focused on the design and high-throughput screening of synthetic promoters and other regulatory elements. This role will draw upon expertise in bioinformatic analyses, as well as a molecular understanding of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. Working in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment, the Scientist will apply our RNA-based logic gate and cell-state specific promoter platforms to deliver robust and practical solutions that address unmet medical needs. In addition to exhibiting a passion for gene and cell therapies, the successful candidate will value and demonstrate Senti’s core employee attributes: empathy, collaboration, intellectual curiosity, and intrinsic motivation.
Responsibilites

• Apply knowledge of transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and molecular biology to design and optimize synthetic promoters, RNA-based logic gates, as well as other therapeutic genetic circuits.
• Plan and execute Massively Parallel Reporter Assays (MPRAs) in human cell lines using associated experimental and computational techniques, including library construction, flow cytometry, NGS sample preparation and application, and computational analysis of MPRA data.
• Manage a team of research associates, coordinating tasks across multiple projects, demonstrating prioritization and planning.
• Management of an external collaboration, including close coordination with alliance management and presentations to Senti leadership and key stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with a cross-functional team to execute experiments in line with project timelines and milestones.
• Maintain familiarity with the relevant current literature for synthetic transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene circuits, their engineering, and the bioinformatic analyses that support their design and optimization.
• Play a key role in our synthetic biology team to improve efficiency, data management, and process improvement of the company’s scalable design-build-test-learn platform.
• Provide expert support for experiment design and assay development to the broader scientific team.

Requirements

• Proven record of building and screening large-scale DNA barcoded libraries, preferably using MPRA.
• PhD, ideally with 4-8 years of post-graduate experience
• Solid understanding of molecular biology required, with a strong background in both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation strongly preferred. Previous experience working with engineered cells and/or cancer immunology field desired.
• Working knowledge of genome editing and gene modulation techniques, deep sequencing techniques and/or viral vector design is required.
• Experience in library construction, flow cytometry, NGS sample preparation and application, and computational analysis of data obtained using MPRA or similar screens.
• Working knowledge of diverse molecular cloning techniques.
• Experience in mammalian synthetic biology is a plus, such as synthetic gene circuit design, modern DNA assembly strategies, protein design, and quantitative cell circuit characterization.
• Ability to trouble shoot and work independently on experimental design, execution and data analysis.
• Strong organizational skills and record keeping.
• Comfort in working in a highly interactive and vibrant environment and a passion for teamwork.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills are essential in this collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, train and mentor research associates.

Salary and Benefits

• Base pay and stock options to be determined based on application qualifications with the aim of being competitive with similar roles in the area
• Significant growth opportunity as the company expands
• Empathetic, supportive and collaborative colleagues and work environment

Senti Bio is a leading gene circuit company designing gene circuits to create a new generation of “smarter medicines" and enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of cell and gene therapies against a broad range of diseases that are unaddressed by current standards of care. We are proud to count Leaps by Bayer, NEA, 8VC, Matrix Partners China, Mirae Asset Capital, Amgen Ventures, and others among our investors. In December 2021, Senti Bio and Dynamics Special Purpose Corp. (Nasdaq: DYNS), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), announced a definitive business combination agreement to create a public company focused on Gene Circuit-engineered cell and gene therapies. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2022. Senti Bio is based in South San Francisco, CA, USA.

We are committed to an inclusive and diverse Senti Bio. We believe that different perspectives lead to better ideas, and better ideas allow us to better understand the needs and interests of our diverse Senti Team. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives and are an equal opportunity employer.