Senior Scientist - Vector Development

Location: Upper East Side, NYC

Exemption Status: Exempt • Weekly Hours: 35.00

About the role

We are seeking a motivated Senior Scientist with deep expertise in viral and non-viral vector and genetic construct design to drive next-generation gene delivery strategies in a fast-paced, collaborative, and delivery-focused clinical translation research environment. This role will lead the design of lentiviral vectors, transposon-based architectures, and mRNA-based delivery systems for applications spanning functional genomics, cell engineering, and therapeutic development. The ideal candidate combines rigorous academic training with a practical engineering mindset, capable of translating biological objectives into high-performance genetic constructs.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and optimize plasmid constructs for lentiviral vector systems, including transfer, packaging, and envelope components.
• Engineer self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral backbones, optimizing key elements such as LTRs, ψ (psi) packaging signal, RRE, cPPT/CTS, and WPRE.
• Design and implement optimized transposon-based systems including donor vector architecture (ITRs/TIRs), cargo optimization, and transposase delivery strategies.
• Architect expression systems with precise control over gene expression (constitutive, inducible, cell-type specific, or multiplexed designs).
• Evaluate constraints such as payload size, recombination risk, silencing, and integration profiles across delivery platforms.
• Develop and refine mRNA delivery constructs, including optimization of UTRs, codon usage, modified nucleotides, cap structures, and poly(A) tail configurations for enhanced stability and translation.
• Collaborate closely with teams focused on vector production, cell engineering, and functional validation to iterate on construct design.
• Analyze construct performance using sequencing, expression data, and functional assays; troubleshoot inefficiencies in packaging, delivery or expression.
• Maintain comprehensive design documentation, sequence maps, and construct libraries.
• Contribute to strategic direction by evaluating emerging delivery modalities and synthetic biology approaches.

Requirements

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Genetic Engineering, Synthetic Biology, or related field.
• 5 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience in gene delivery systems or advanced molecular cloning.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing complex genetic constructs.

Skills

• Deep knowledge of lentiviral vector biology and design, including multi-plasmid systems and safety features.
• Expertise in plasmid architecture, including promoters (e.g., EF1α, CMV, CAG), enhancers, insulators, and post-transcriptional regulatory elements.
• Experience designing mRNA constructs for transient expression and delivery optimization.
• Strong understanding of transposon systems and stable integration strategies.
• Proficiency with DNA design software and sequence analysis tools (e.g., SnapGene, Benchling, Geneious).
• Familiarity with gene expression tuning, including codon optimization, RNA stability, and translational efficiency.
• Ability to interpret NGS and Sanger sequencing data for construct validation.
• Engineering-driven approach to biological problem solving.
• High attention to detail in sequence-level design.
• Ability to balance innovation with practical constraints.
• Strong communication skills across scientific disciplines.
• Self-directed with a bias toward execution in a fast-moving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CRISPR/Cas systems, including multiplexed guide RNA architectures and delivery strategies.
• Background in cell therapy, gene therapy, or genome engineering applications.
• Familiarity with non-viral delivery systems (e.g., LNPs for mRNA).
• Exposure to scale-up considerations and translational/regulatory frameworks.
• Experience working in highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environments.

Pay

$95,500.00 - $112,900.00

Working Conditions

• Operates at the interface of academia and biotech: hypothesis-driven research combined with milestone-oriented execution.
• Access to cutting-edge genomic technologies and collaborative expertise.
• Emphasis on rapid iteration, data-driven decision making, and translational impact.