Principal Scientist, Molecular Biology

About the role

The Principal Scientist, Molecular Biology will provide expertise in Molecular Biology to support drug discovery efforts leveraging novel modalities across CSL R&D and external collaborations. This role requires deep expertise across multiple modalities, experience working with academic and industry partners, and the ability to drive innovation and advance drug candidates from early discovery through clinical development.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to scientific direction supporting CSL’s novel modalities portfolio and pipeline.
• Participate in external due diligence, assessing modality suitability, technical feasibility, and risk.
• Identify scientific and technology gaps and propose innovative approaches to enable program advancement.
• Design, execute, and interpret complex experiments with high scientific rigor, creativity, and efficiency.
• Advance programs from concept through preclinical development toward clinical candidates.
• Apply expertise across molecular modalities (e.g., RNA-, DNA-, and gene editing–based approaches) to drive therapeutic design, optimization, and mechanistic understanding.
• Develop and implement novel approaches to address complex scientific challenges and critical program needs.
• Evaluate and incorporate impactful technologies (e.g., AI-enabled design, multi-omics, advanced sequencing) to support internal and external programs.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in Molecular Biology and genetic medicines.
• Provide scientific guidance and mentorship to team members and collaborators.
• Ensure robust experimental design, data quality, and interpretation aligned with appropriate scientific standards.
• Communicate findings, risks, and recommendations clearly to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.
• Contribute to intellectual property activities through technical input and scientific insight.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc with 8+ years of relevant experience in Molecular Biology or a related discipline in industry and/or academia, with demonstrated progression in scientific responsibility.
• Strong track record of scientific achievement in a relevant life sciences field, ideally including high-impact publications and/or a strong patent record.
• Recognized as an innovative and scientifically rigorous researcher with deep subject matter expertise.
• Experience working in cross-functional and multidisciplinary environments.
• Expertise in several of the following areas is required: - RNA therapeutics (e.g., siRNA, mRNA, circRNA, saRNA) - Gene editing and/or gene therapy - Gene expression regulation and modulation - Next-generation sequencing (short-read and long-read) and multi-omics - Computational or AI-enabled molecular design

Benefits

For more information on CSL benefits visit .

Pay

The expected base salary range for this position at hiring is $158,000-180,000. Please note this salary range reflects the minimum and maximum base pay that CSL expects to pay for this position at the time of this posting in MA. Individual base salary for a successful candidate is determined by qualifications, skill level, experience, competencies and other relevant factors. In addition to base salary, total compensation for this role may also include incentive compensation and equity.

Schedule

This is an onsite position five days a week.