Senior Scientist, Advanced Ocular In Vitro Models

Main Responsibilities

• Lead scientific initiatives and research project teams to design, develop, and validate advanced in vitro ocular models for early and late-stage ophthalmic research.
• Lead and contribute to ophthalmology drug discovery programs, driving target validation, translational strategy, and pipeline progression.
• Establish and optimize differentiation protocols for iPSC-derived ocular cell types (e.g., RPE, RGCs, microglia, endothelial cells) for disease modeling and drug discovery.
• Integrate automation and robotics to scale workflows and improve reproducibility, including developing automated liquid handling protocols, implementing high-throughput imaging and data acquisition systems, and optimizing robotic platforms for multi-step differentiation processes. Ensure robust quality control and standardization across automated workflows to support large-scale screening and complex 3D model generation.
• Evaluate and implement innovative technologies (co-cultures, organoids, MPS, organ-on-chip, bioprinting) to enhance model complexity and translational relevance.
• Apply models to study disease mechanisms, validate targets, assess multi-modality therapeutics, and evaluate safety.
• Develop and validate assays for retinal degeneration, retinal immunology, and neuroinflammation to support mechanistic studies and therapeutic evaluation.
• Influence project strategies by providing scientific expertise and resource planning for team objectives.
• Deliver high-quality scientific presentations and documentation to support milestones and decision-making.
• Communicate findings through internal forums and external publications/presentations; maintain involvement in professional societies.
• Mentor junior scientists and foster a culture of scientific excellence and collaboration.

About You

• Education: PhD in a relevant scientific discipline with at least 3 years of postdoctoral experience in a pharma or biopharma environment. Experience leading or contributing to drug discovery programs is preferred.
• Experience & Technical Skills: Expertise in iPSC-based 2D/3D differentiation of ocular cell types for disease modeling and drug discovery. Hands-on experience with robotics, automated cell culture systems, and protocol scaling. Proficiency in qPCR, -omics technologies, immunocytochemistry, and advanced imaging and analysis. Demonstrated track record of scientific contributions through publications, patents, or external presentations.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience leading or contributing to ophthalmology drug discovery programs in an industry or translational research setting. Experience and/or deep expertise in ocular disease indications such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, or other retinal diseases. Experience with CRISPR-based screening approaches for functional genomics and target validation. Experience with automating differentiation protocols for scalability and reproducibility. Experience developing and validating assays for retinal degeneration, retinal immunology, and neuroinflammation. Expertise in computational and statistical analysis tools (e.g., R, Python). Background in bioengineering with emphasis on cellular systems, microfluidics, and translational research.