Lead Scientist

Syngene International; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Syngene International is seeking a Lead Scientist-Molecular Biology in Bangalore to provide molecular biology support for discovery programs. You will lead cloning strategies, design expression constructs, and integrate bioinformatics with experimental workflows to accelerate reagent generation and next‑generation genetic delivery platforms.

The role requires strong bench skills in cloning and expression system design, plus experience with software tools and predictive modeling within protein

Qualifications

• MSc/MTech in Biotechnology/Biology/Molecular Biology required.
• Bench skills in cloning and expression system design.
• Experience with cloning software (SnapGene/Geneious/Vector NTI) beneficial.
• Familiarity with bioinformatics and computational biology.
• Strong documentation and lab notebook practices.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute cloning strategies for cell line engineering and protein generation.
• Design expression constructs with vectors, promoters and tags for screening assays.
• Apply computational tools for protein design and variant engineering.
• Build datasets and develop predictive models to improve construct success rates.
• Collaborate on gene delivery construct design (AAV, mRNA, LNP) with in vivo teams.

Skills

Molecular cloning

Gibson Assembly

Vector design

Promoter selection

Protein tagging

Python

Bioinformatics

Education

MSc in Biotechnology

MTech in Biotechnology

Tools

SnapGene

Geneious

Vector NTI

Job description

Designation: Lead Scientist-Molecular Biology

Job Location: Bangalore

Department: BBRC-Discovery Technologies

About Syngene

Incorporated in 1993, Syngene International Ltd. is an innovation-focused global discovery, development and manufacturing organization providing integrated scientific services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, nutrition, animal health, consumer goods and specialty chemical industries around the world. Syngene' s clientele includes world leaders such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Baxter, Amgen, GSK, Merck KGaA and Herbalife. Its innovative culture is driven by the passion of its 4240- strong team of scientists who work with clients from around the world to solve their scientific problems, improve R&D productivity, speed up time to market and lower the cost of innovation.

Job Purpose (1-2 Lines): To provide Molecular biology support for discovery programs.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Molecular Biologist with computational expertise to support and develop construct design workflows at the interface of protein engineering and data science. The role leverages molecular cloning, computational biology, and AI-driven design approaches to accelerate reagent generation, engineered cell models, and next-generation genetic delivery platforms.

The ideal candidate brings rigorous bench skills in cloning and expression system design, paired with the capability to integrate bioinformatics and predictive modeling into cloning workflows.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute cloning strategies (ligation-based, Gibson Assembly, recombination-based, shRNA, long-range PCR) for cell line engineering and recombinant protein generation
• Design expression constructs with appropriate vectors, promoters, and tags optimized for screening assays
• Apply computational tools (AlphaFold, ESM, ProteinMPNN, Rosetta) for protein domain design, linker optimization, and variant engineering
• Build and maintain sequence-to-outcome datasets; develop predictive models to improve construct success rates
• Curate and expand a multi-species gene/isoform ortholog database linked to experimental outcomes
• Design gene delivery constructs (AAV, mRNA, LNP) in collaboration with in vivo teams

Educational Qualifications:

M.Sc/M.Tech in Biotechnology/Biology/Molecular Biology

Experience

4-7 years of research experience

Required Technical Skills

• Proficiency in molecular cloning techniques: ligation-based, recombination-based (e.g., Gateway, Gibson Assembly), sub-cloning, and long-range PCR
• Solid understanding of expression vector design, including promoter selection, signal peptides, and protein tags
• Hands-on experience with construct design software: SnapGene, Geneious, and/or Vector NTI
• Familiarity with computational protein engineering tools (AlphaFold, ESM, Rosetta, ProteinMPNN) or strong interest and aptitude to develop these skills
• Strong foundation in bioinformatics, sequence analysis, comparative genomics, and computational biology.
• Proficiency in Python, R, or related scientific programming tools
• Experience with or exposure to NGS data analysis and multi-species sequence comparison
• Diligent documentation practices, including detailed electronic lab notebook (ELN) entries
• Working knowledge of EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) practices in a laboratory setting

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience in reagent and plasmid inventory management.
• Familiarity with automated liquid-handling platforms and workflow automation.
• High-throughput cloning workflows.
• Exposure to ML/statistical modeling applied to biological datasets

Behavioral Skills

• A proactive team player.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks and work on multiple projects simultaneously with minimal supervision; comfortable working in a dynamic environment with changing requirements.
• Good oral and written communication and presentation skills to work in a multi-disciplinary team.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

It is the policy of Syngene to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable legislation or local law. In addition, Syngene will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.