Scientist, Viral Vector Downstream

About the role

Sana Biotechnology is growing, and we are hiring new team members who believe in the potential of engineered cells as medicines, who want to challenge status quo, and who lead with the desire to work on novel ideas.  As a Scientist-Viral Vector Downstream, you will report to the Senior Director of Vector-Host Biology in the T Cell Therapeutics team. Your focus will be on solving the challenges of developing viral vectors for gene and cell therapy. Specifically, you will be developing downstream concentration/purification methods for viral vectors with the goal of enabling preclinical IND-studies in oncology.

What you’ll do

• Establish and run standard-operating-procedures for the concentration of viral vectors that will be used for in vitro and in vivo studies
• Learn and run full analytical panels on viral vectors (including droplet-digital PCR and flow cytometry)
• Build upon existing viral vector concentration/purification protocols by working cross-functionally across different viral vector teams in Seattle WA, Cambridge MA and South San Francisco CA
• Transfer learnings and protocols in both directions, from Seattle to other sites and back, with an emphasis on learnings/protocols from process development in the Technical Operations teams
• Work closely with the Seattle Vector Core and the scientist working on upstream production (to-be-hired)
• Perform experiments to understand viral vector biology and to optimize titers while engaging with virologists across the company
• Regularly interact with scientists in the T cell therapeutics team who will be using viral vectors for in vivo and in vitro experiments
• Run analytics, self-sufficient, troubleshoot
• Work with vendors to demo, order, operate, and troubleshoot instruments and equipment
• Communicate your data internally and externally, keeping detailed notes on methods and findings
• Demonstrate the ability to engage and effectively influence team members across multidisciplinary teams while prioritizing multiple projects and meeting deadlines
• Drive curiosity, scientific rigor and excellent problem-solving skills across a fast-paced performance driven environment
• Innate ability to assess talent that will help grow the organization and add to Sana’s culture

What we’re looking for

• PhD and 2+ years or BS and 7+ years or equivalent experience
• Skilled in tissue culture and multi-unit downstream purification methods (including filtration, chromatography)
• Hands-on experience and familiar with HPLF/FPLC systems, Tangential Flow Filtration/Diafiltration, and experience in formulation buffer development and assessment.
• Excellent documentation and effective communication skills
• Able to work effectively as a team with multiple locations, often requiring remote (video-conference) interactions as well as occasional travel
• Independent thinker, designer, executer, analyzer who can lead from the bench
• Self-sufficient and able to troubleshoot

What will separate you from the crowd

• Industry experience or similar where you have a successful track record of working cross-functionally
• Prior experience in viral vector manufacturing
• Strong knowledge of cell biology and vector biology with an emphasis on lentiviral vectors

What you should know

• Candidate will be expected to travel to Cambridge MA and South San Francisco CA as needed. At least one travel per quarter, total of at least four travels per year is typical for this role
• This role is mostly at the bench as an individual contributor, utilizing tissue culture and filtration
• Will include occasional moderate-lifting (such as lifting and moving centrifuge rotors as needed)
• Working safely in person on a predictable and regular in-person basis is an essential job function for this position, and the Company requires that all individuals working in-person be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including receipt of a vaccine booster shot if recommended by the CDC

How we work together

• Lead from every seat – we seek to understand, act with honesty, and engage in the crucial conversations
• Thrive as a team – we hire amazing people, are intensely curious, and cultivate inclusion and personal connectivity
• Make it happen – we value vigorous debate, alignment around our decisions, and resilient execution

Get to know us

At Sana, we believe that a diverse workforce strengthens us as a company and helps us to achieve our mission to meaningfully change the outcome of many human diseases. This belief is a pillar of our business and is critical to our success. Our goal is that Sana is the place for talented people to bring their authentic selves to work, to have a great career and to deeply, positively impact patients.

Core to our values, we believe there is nothing more important than the health and wellness of you and your family. For benefit eligible employees, we cover 100% of the cost for employee health coverage and offer generous time-off, parental leave, short- and long-term disability, employer paid basic life insurance,  additional voluntary life insurance protection, financial wellness programs including financial planning resources, a 401(k) Plan with an immediately vested employer match, Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, commuter subsidy and a variety of wellness offerings to support each person individually.

We are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental or sensory disability (including the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability), genetic information, actual or perceived HIV or Hepatitis C infection, medical condition (cancer or a record or history of cancer and genetic characteristics), marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), disability, veteran status, political ideology, social class (including caste/caste identity), taking or requesting statutorily protected leave, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each job responsibility satisfactorily. The job description listed above is representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions described above.