Research Scientist: RNAi Formulations

Proclinical; Lexington (VA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Proclinical is seeking an Associate Research Scientist for RNAi Formulations focused on hands-on RNAi formulation development and biophysical characterization for injectable therapeutics.

The role requires an MS with ~3 years or a PhD with 1–3 years in pharmaceutical sciences, formulation sciences, or related fields, with strong communication and collaboration across disciplines. Contract position in Lexington, MA with competitive hourly compensation.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD with relevant formulation experience in pharma/related fields.
• Hands-on oligonucleotide or antibodies/proteins formulation and characterization.
• Analytical method development for solubility, viscosity, osmolality, stability.

Responsibilities

• Support development and characterization of preclinical RNAi and oligonucleotide formulations across projects.
• Execute hands-on formulation prep, biophysical characterization, analytical testing, and data analysis.
• Establish and run screening assays for oligonucleotides in early discovery.
• Contribute to high-throughput and DoE-based formulation optimization.
• Support long-term storage and stability evaluations for RNAi conjugates and formulations.
• Maintain thorough documentation and communicate findings through reports.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to meet timelines.
• Identify gaps and contribute to workflow improvements.
• Thrive in a multidisciplinary, fast-paced research environment.

Education

MS with ~3 years relevant experience

PhD with 1–3 years relevant experience

Job description

Research Scientist: RNAi Formulations - Contract - Lexington, MA

Looking to be the heartbeat of medical research? Join our client as a Research Scientist and assist in turning innovative science into life-changing care!

Proclinical is seeking an Associate Research Scientist for RNAi Formulations to be focused on hands-on RNAi formulation development.

Primary Responsibilities:

This position will also focus on biophysical and analytical characterization as well as support the oligonucleotide delivery activities for injectable therapeutics.

Skills & Requirements:

• MS with approximately 3 years of relevant experience, or PhD with 1-3 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical sciences, formulation sciences, chemical engineering, biophysics, analytical chemistry, oligonucleotide delivery, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on experience with oligonucleotide or antibodies/proteins formulation and characterization is strongly preferred.
• Experience developing or running analytical methods for solubility, viscosity, osmolality, aggregation, , stability, or other developability assessments for complex oligonucleotide or antibody/protein formulations.
• Familiarity with automation, high-throughput screening, and DoE-based formulation optimization is an advantage.
• Strong experimental planning, documentation, data analysis, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across disciplines and functions.
• Awareness of external trends and advances in RNA delivery, oligonucleotide therapeutics, and clinical translation is a plus.
• A track record of scientific contributions, publications, or conference presentations in relevant areas is a plus.

The Research Scientist's responsibilities will be:

• Support the development and characterization of preclinical RNAi and oligonucleotide formulations across portfolio and platform projects.
• Execute hands-on formulation preparation, biophysical characterization, analytical testing, and data analysis to support formulation selection and developability assessments.
• Establish and run screening assays for oligonucleotides in early discovery, including formulation performance, solubility, viscosity, osmolality, degradation, , and stability assessments.
• Contribute to high-throughput and design-of-experiments approaches for formulation optimization, where applicable.
• Support long-term storage and stability evaluations for RNAi conjugates and oligonucleotide formulations.
• Maintain accurate experimental documentation and communicate findings through written summaries, reports, and internal presentations.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to support project deliverables and timelines.
• Identify technical gaps, propose practical solutions, and contribute to continuous improvement of formulation and characterization workflows.
• Thrive in a multidisciplinary, fast-paced research environment with competing priorities and tight deadlines.

Compensation:

• $35 to $39 per hour.