Associate Principal Scientist, Preclinical Research

Cabaletta Bio; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Competitive benefits

PTO

Job summary

Cabaletta Bio is seeking an Associate Principal Scientist in Preclinical Research to lead discovery efforts in molecular biology and gene delivery. The role focuses on developing assays, overseeing a team, and collaborating across departments to advance preclinical programs.

The successful candidate will mentor scientists, drive assay development, and help build a robust product pipeline supporting IND-enabled studies in autoimmune diseases. Hybrid work in Philadelphia is offered.

Qualifications

• PhD in Molecular Biology/Cell Biology or another similar field.
• At least 2 years of biotechnology industry experience.
• Demonstrated expertise with advanced molecular biology techniques, assay development, and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience with gene delivery to primary T-cells (e.g. Lentiviral vectors, lipid nanoparticles, AAV).
• Strong leadership and management skills with cross-functional collaboration experience.
• Excellent written and oral scientific communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team executing R&D experiments and developing assays.
• Design and execute critical experiments with lab colleagues across discovery teams.
• Oversee planning, execution, and interpretation of team experiments per program timelines.
• Identify resources needed to meet discovery objectives, including people and equipment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners and senior management to align objectives and report progress.
• Contribute to process improvements and adoption of new technologies in molecular biology and gene delivery.

Skills

Molecular biology

Gene delivery

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

PhD in Molecular Biology/Cell Biology

Tools

Lentiviral vectors

Lipid nanoparticles

AAV

Job description

Position Title: Associate Principal Scientist, Preclinical Research

Location: Hybrid/Philadelphia, PA

Reports to: Vice President, Preclinical Research

Department: Preclinical Research

Cabaletta Bio (Nasdaq: CABA) is a late-stage clinical biotechnology company focused on developing and launching curative targeted cell therapies designed specifically for patients with autoimmune diseases. The CABA™ platform encompasses two complementary strategies which aim to advance the discovery and development of engineered T cell therapies with the potential to become deep and durable, perhaps curative, treatments for a broad range of autoimmune diseases. The lead CARTA (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells for Autoimmunity) strategy is prioritizing the development of rese-cel, a 4-1BB-containing fully human CD19-CAR T cell investigational therapy. rese-cel is currently being evaluated in the RESET™ (REstoring SElf-Tolerance) clinical development program spanning multiple therapeutic areas, including rheumatology, neurology and dermatology. Cabaletta Bio’s headquarters and labs are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please visit www.cabalettabio.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Uniquely Differentiated. Rapid. Elegant.

At Cabaletta, we are driven by the shared mission of developing cures, where a patients’ own cells are used to fight disease. We are building a culture grounded in the knowledge that successful cures can be achieved for patients if every member of the Cabaletta is focused on the success of the team. To nurture this, we make an active commitment to the well-being and continuous growth of each employee who joins the team. In this way, we are not only working to improve the lives of patients, but of everyone involved. #CabalettaCrew.

We’re proud to be a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company! #GPTWcertified Check out what our employees say makes working here so great: Working at Cabaletta Bio Inc | Great Place to Work®

About The Position

Reporting to the Vice President, Preclinical Research, we are seeking an experienced and motivated Associate Principal Scientist. The successful candidate will work in discovery research as a molecular biology and gene delivery subject matter expert, collaborating cross-functionally with other teams within discovery research (Cellular Immunology, Pharmacology, CMC, etc) and more broadly with other departments in Cabaletta to establish a product pipeline and to support preclinical IND enabling studies. They will oversee and lead a team of individuals tasked with developing and implementing molecular biological assays and reagents and will oversee the use of these assays to assess both novel and existing platforms.

Responsibilities

• Management of a team of employees that are responsible for executing R&D experiments, designing and implementing assays, and supporting reagent production to enable short and long-term success.


• Support new preclinical discovery projects by working closely with scientists in the lab to design and execute critical experiments.


• Oversee the planning, timely execution, and interpretation of team laboratory work, per program timelines.


• Assist in identifying critical resources needed to meet discovery research objectives, including people, equipment, supplies, and space.


• Collaborate with cross-functional peers/ senior management to set team objectives, gain alignment, communicate results and project status, and meet company objectives.


• Actively contribute to process improvements and the implementation of new technologies by being a subject matter expert in the field of molecular biology and gene delivery.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Molecular Biology/ Cell Biology or another similar field


• At least 2 years of biotechnology industry experience


• Demonstrated expertise with advanced molecular biology techniques, assay development, and implementation.


• Demonstrated experience with a variety of methods to enable gene delivery to primary T-cells (e.g. Lentiviral vectors, lipid nanoparticles, AAV, etc.)


• Strong leadership and management skills with a track record of achievement, and demonstrated ability to operate in cross-functional collaborative environments.


• Ability to clearly communicate both in writing and via scientific presentations,


• Must have a desire to be part of a growing early stage organization that uses cutting-edge science.


• A high level of flexibility to support evaluation of new technologies, possibly outside of existing field of expertise, and the ability to learn and guide junior team members in evaluating and developing those technologies following evaluation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior management of direct reports in the biotechnology industry.


• Hands-on experience with technologies for gene delivery to primary T-cells including lipid nanoparticles and viral vectors.


• Prior experience in a fast-paced start-up biotechnology company.


• Experience in the design and execution of in vivo studies to assess CAR-T cells in murine and non-human primate models.


• Experience supporting IND-enabling studies for CAR-T related therapies.

Our name – Cabaletta – is derived from the operatic term that represents a rapid, repetitive, and technically challenging section of an operatic aria, designed to showcase the skills of the lead singer. Analogously, Cabaletta Bio strives to achieve rapid and repetitive product development, building on our indication prioritization and biologic platform that target the driver of specific autoimmune diseases without the need for long-term immunosuppression.

For more information, please visit https://www.cabalettabio.com/join-our-crew

Our most important asset is our people, and we offer competitive benefits, PTO, and stock option plans.

Cabaletta Bio is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Cabaletta Bio, Inc. does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Cabaletta, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Cabaletta shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, if a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Cabaletta has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.