Associate Director - Senior Director: Head of AAV Engineering

Associate Director – Senior Director: Head of AAV Engineering

We are a fully integrated AAV engineering and gene therapy company spun out of the Gradinaru lab at Caltech, pioneering the next generation therapies with life-changing potential for patients with grievous unmet medical needs. Our pipeline harnesses the transformative power of advanced molecular and sequencing technologies to engineer adeno-associated viral capsids for efficient and specific delivery to therapeutic targets throughout the body.

We leverage our proprietary high-throughput, data science driven AAV engineering platform to create viral vectors with cell-type and tissue level specificity, overcoming many of the biological limitations of early gene therapy efforts. Combined with our in-house preclinical and manufacturing expertise, we are positioned to create the next generation of AAV delivered gene therapies, dramatically changing the lives of patients.

We are founded on the idea that diverse backgrounds and skill sets combine to create an environment that stimulates innovation and creativity, enabling us to grow into a leader in the AAV gene therapy space. Our leadership team is comprised of the scientific founders that developed the underlying intellectual property, and experienced industry veterans with a track record for bringing transformative drugs to market. Together with our partners, we will combine next generation engineered capsids with cutting edge gene editing and delivery modalities to bring novel medicines to patients that need them. Our research and development labs, offices, and manufacturing space are located in Newbury Park, near the Amgen campus.

As the Head of AAV Engineering, you will work directly with the scientific founders and senior leadership to continue evolving the AAV engineering strategy and platform here at Capsida Biotherapeutics. With input from senior leadership and working cross-functionally with our sequencing, data science, and process development teams, you will be responsible for continuing to build the AAV engineering team, refining the high-throughput screening platform, and developing novel AAV engineering modalities and applications. A strong background in molecular biology and AAV engineering is essential, along with proven experience building and leading a team. A successful candidate will be one who is ambitious and motivated, can adapt to learning and developing new methodologies, and thrives in a fast-paced, team-oriented startup environment.

Essential Requirements:

• Ph.D. in a life sciences discipline with a minimum of 3 years of industry experience
• Strong background in molecular biology and NGS
• Demonstrated ability to build out and manage a small team
• Demonstrated excellence in AAV engineering and/or protein engineering
• Excellent organizational and collaborative skills, with the ability to design and troubleshoot experiments with minimal supervision or as part of a group. This includes the ability to document and maintain detailed laboratory notes.
• Strong computational background with experience analyzing large data sets
• Strong communication and presentation skills, as well as the drive to pursue diverse projects as part of a fast-paced startup team.

Compensation and Benefits:

The well-being of our employees and their families is of the highest importance. As such, we offer a competitive salary and exceptional benefits, including generous stock options, medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, and significant PTO.

Associate Director Salary: $144,000 - $198,000 per year

Director Salary: $176,000 - $242,000 per year

Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. You may also be offered a bonus, stock options, and benefits. These ranges are subject to change.

Additionally, we offer:

• Relocation compensation
• Fully stocked kitchen
• Social lunches, happy hours, and other events on a regular basis

We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local laws