Scientist, Bioconjugation & Targeted RNA Delivery

A*STAR Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation package

Career growth opportunities

Attractive benefits

Job summary

A leading research institute in Singapore is looking for a motivated Scientist specializing in bioconjugation and targeted RNA delivery. The role requires a PhD in Chemistry and 2-6 years of industry experience. You will design and execute conjugation strategies and collaborate with cross-functional teams while receiving a competitive salary and benefits. This opportunity aims to establish Singapore as a hub for RNA-based medicines and advance therapeutic innovations.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2-6 years of experience in bioconjugation.
• Hands-on experience with conjugation chemistries for LOCs.
• Deep understanding and practical use of analytical techniques.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute conjugation strategies for LOCs.
• Collaborate with chemists and biologists for evaluations.
• Maintain documentation and contribute to innovation.

Skills

Bioconjugation Chemistry

Analytical Techniques (e.g., LC-MS)

Project Leadership

Communication Skills

Education

Doctorate degree in Chemistry or related field

Tools

HPLC

Chromatography Techniques

NMR

Job description

Scientist, Bioconjugation & Targeted RNA Delivery Requisition ID: 1669 Posting Start Date: 10/04/2026

Job Description

About NATi:

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.

The above eligibility criteria are not exhaustive. A*STAR may include additional selection criteria based on its prevailing recruitment policies. These policies may be amended from time to time without notice. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.