Scientist, Bioconjugation & Targeted RNA Delivery

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Attractive benefits

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

A leading research institution in Singapore is seeking a highly motivated bench-level scientist to focus on developing ligand-oligonucleotide conjugates for targeted RNA delivery. The successful candidate will have a doctorate in Chemistry and 2-6 years of industry experience. Responsibilities include executing conjugation strategies, conducting hands-on synthesis, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. This role offers competitive compensation and a chance to contribute to innovations in RNA therapeutics within a dynamic research environment.

Qualifications

• 2-6 years of experience in bioconjugation chemistry.
• Hands-on experience with multiscale purification methods.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute conjugation strategies for LOCs.
• Perform synthesis and purification of LOCs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for evaluation.

Skills

Bioconjugation chemistry

Analytical techniques

Collaboration with CROs

Project leadership

Innovative thinking

Education

Doctorate degree in Chemistry or related field

Tools

HPLC

LC-MS

NMR

Job description

Overview

The Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi), hosted by A*STAR, is Singapore's national platform dedicated to advancing RNA-based medicines and revolutionizing drug and vaccine development. NATi's mission is to establish Singapore as a globally recognized hub of excellence in nucleic acid therapeutics research, clinical translation, and commercialization.

NATi focuses on key RNA modalities such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNA (siRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA). To drive this vision, NATi is building a biotech-like translational engine focused on asset and technology development spanning discovery to clinical development. We are actively seeking passionate and committed RNA scientists with deep translational expertise to join us in advancing the next generation of RNA-based therapeutics.

Position Overview

We seek a highly motivated, results-driven, bench-level scientist with strong expertise in bioconjugation and targeted delivery to support the development of ligand-oligonucleotide conjugates (LOCs) for extrahepatic RNA delivery. This role is focused on hands-on experimental work and project leadership, contributing directly to the design, synthesis, and characterization of LOCs that efficiently target tissues such as skeletal/cardiac muscles, adipose tissues, and ocular compartments with high selectivity. The successful candidate will lead individual projects and collaborate cross-functionally to identify and optimize LOCs with high tissue/cell selectivity and functional delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute conjugation strategies to generate LOCs with optimized delivery profiles.
• Perform hands-on synthesis, purification, and analytical characterization of LOCs using diverse conjugation chemistries and linker designs.
• Collaborate closely with oligonucleotide chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to evaluate LOCs in vitro and in vivo.
• Support CRO coordination and reagent sourcing for ligand libraries and conjugation reagents.
• Ensure reproducibility and analytical rigor across experimental workflows.
• Maintain high-quality documentation of experimental procedures, results, and data interpretation.
• Contribute to innovation and IP generation through novel conjugation approaches and delivery strategies.
• Present findings in internal meetings and contribute to technical reports, publications, and patent filings.

Qualifications & Experience

• A doctorate degree in Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Organic/Medicinal Chemistry, or a related field.
• A minimum of 2–6 years of relevant industry experience in bioconjugation chemistry applied to LOCs, ADCs, PDCs, or targeted delivery systems.
• Hands-on experience establishing conjugation chemistries (e.g., Click, lysine-/cysteine-based coupling, enzymatic ligation, stimuli-sensitive linkers) workflows for development of LOCs.
• Hands-on experience with multiscale purification methods (e.g., preparative RP-HPLC, affinity, ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and size exclusion chromatography, tangential flow filtration) and the associated instruments.
• Deep understanding of analytical techniques (e.g., LC-MS, LC-HRMS, CE-SDS, DSC, HIC, NMR) coupled with hands-on experience developing analytical workflows for robust characterization of LOCs.
• Experience coordinating with CROs and cross-functional program leadership.
• Demonstrated innovation through IP, publications, IND filings, or other public disclosures.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and verbal/written communication skills.

Global Recruitment & Competitive Compensation

NATi is conducting a global search for top-tier talent in RNA therapeutics. We welcome applications from leading pharmaceuticals scientists and biotech innovators worldwide. This role provides a highly competitive compensation package aligned with global industry standards, including attractive benefits and long-term career growth opportunities within Singapore's thriving biomedical innovation ecosystem. Join us in shaping the future of RNA-based medicines and establishing Singapore as a world-class hub for nucleic acid therapeutics.