Scientist

Description

This position will support rare disease–focused cell therapy programs, distinct from traditional oncology CAR-T development. The scientific focus is on non-malignant, genetically defined, or ultra-rare indications, where therapeutic goals, experimental design, and success criteria differ from oncology applications. Key characteristics of this rare disease focus include:

• Emphasis on precision, durability, and controlled activity rather than tumor eradication
• Engineering CAR-T cells for long-term function, safety, and tight regulation
• Developing logic-gated or multi-input CAR systems to minimize off-target risk and enhance specificity
• Working with limited patient biology or scarce disease models, requiring thoughtful experimental design and data interpretation
• Supporting programs that may progress with smaller datasets but high mechanistic rigor

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor or Masters degree with relevant experience in Immunology, Cell Biology, Bioengineering, or related field
• Two years of experience
• Hands-on experience with CAR-T cell therapy or engineered T cell platforms
• Demonstrated expertise in lentiviral vector production and associated QC assays
• Strong practical experience with primary T cell culture and manipulation
• Working knowledge of flow cytometry and functional T cell assays
• Ability to work independently while following established protocols

Key Responsibilities

• Execute pre-designed experimental plans for CAR-T cell engineering and validation
• Perform high-throughput lentiviral production and QC following established workflows, escalating issues as needed
• Conduct CAR validation and T-cell functional assays with guidance on experimental objectives
• Maintain accurate, traceable, and timely experimental documentation in electronic lab notebooks
• Communicate results clearly and proactively, including deviations, challenges, or unexpected findings
• Contribute to team troubleshooting discussions
• Work independently on assigned tasks while seeking input on experimental design changes
• Adhere strictly to AstraZeneca data integrity, safety, and compliance standards