Scientist II - Molecular Analytics & NGS

UCB; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 99,200 - 130,200; Full time

Job summary

UCB's Gene Therapy Vector Core group seeks a Scientist II in Upstream Process Development and Bioprocess Analytics to advance gene therapy projects and AAV platform development. You will collaborate across functional teams to develop analytical methods including ddPCR, qPCR, and NGS-based assays.

The role emphasizes hands-on assay development, characterization of research materials, and supporting process development activities with a strong biology foundation and rigorous documentation.

Qualifications

• MS in Molecular Biology with 10+ years experience or PhD/postdoc with 2+ years.
• 4+ years PCR-based assay development and molecular characterization of AAVs.
• 4+ years NGS development (long/short reads) for genomic/transcriptomic analyses.
• 4+ years serving as a functional representative in multi-disciplinary drug discovery teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of ddPCR and qPCR assays to support gene therapy analytics.
• Optimize and apply NGS technologies to characterize impurities and heterogeneity in AAV products.
• Guide cell-based potency assays to evaluate biological function and activity.
• Support platform development through evolving analytics and cross-team collaborations (capsid engineering).
• Collaborate across data scientists, cell biologists, and CMC professionals with strong documentation.

Skills

PCR Assay Dev

NGS Development

Cell-based assays

Cross-functional collaboration

Bioprocess analytics

Education

MS in Molecular Biology

PhD or Postdoc in related field

Tools

ddPCR

qPCR

NGS library preparation

Illumina sequencing

PacBio sequencing

Job description

Make your mark for patients The Gene Therapy Vector Core group is seeking a Scientist II in Upstream Process Development and Bioprocess Analytics team to support genetic medicine projects and AAV gene therapy platform development. The candidate will work across functional teams and will be responsible for developing analytical methods including short- and long-read NGS, cell-based potency assays for AAV, and ddPCR assay development. Additional responsibilities include supporting routine testing for characterization of research grade materials and for guiding process development activities.

Responsibilities

• Leading the development and execution of custom molecular assays including ddPCR and qPCR to support gene therapy analytics
• Optimizing and applying cutting‑edge next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to characterize impurities and assess heterogeneity in AAV drug products
• Utilizing strong biology foundations to help guide or run cell‑based potency assays to evaluate biological function and activity
• Support gene therapy platform development through the application of evolving analytical methodologies and cross‑team collaborations activities; including capsid engineering
• Function independently and cross functionally across various UCB teams (data scientists, cell biologists, disease area experts, CMC professionals, etc.)
• Ability to manage priorities, engage/communicate in a multidisciplinary environment, and provide exemplary documentation of experimental work

Required Education, Skills and Experience

• MS degree in Molecular Biology, or related field, with over 10 years of experience – OR – PhD or Post Doc with 2+ years of experience.
• 4+ years expertise in PCR‑based assay development and molecular characterization of AAVs or biomolecular characterization for gene therapies
• 4+ years of NGS (long and/or short read technology) development experience (genomic DNA, targeted amplicon, small RNA, and RNA‑seq) to enable genomic and transcriptomic analyses for early drug discovery and drug substance analytics
• 4+ Experience in serving as a functional representative in multi‑disciplinary drug discovery project teams

Preferred Education, Skills and Experience

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or related field with direct AAV characterization experience supporting molecular analytics of AAV vectors
• 6+ years of experience in molecular analytical characterization of AAV vectors
• 6+ years of hands‑on experience with NGS library preparation, Illumina and PacBio data acquisition and QC to support drug discovery activities
• At least 6 years of experience in drug discovery or development in a pre‑clinical setting with a focus on molecular characterization, analytical method development, characterizing impurities and identifying biological complexities.
• Serve as the primary owner of developing, optimizing, and/or routinely conducting cell‑based potency assays to evaluate biological function and activity

Salary

This position’s reasonably anticipated base salary range is $99,200 to $130,200 per year. The actual salary offered will consider internal equity and may also vary depending on the candidate’s region, job‑related knowledge, skills and experience, among other factors.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. UCB invites you to voluntarily self‑identify during the application process. Provision of self‑identification information is entirely voluntary and a decision to provide or not provide such information will not have any effect on your application for employment, your employment with UCB, or otherwise subject you to any adverse treatment. Any information you provide will be considered confidential and will be kept separate from your application and/or personnel file and will only be used in accordance with applicable laws, orders, and regulations. Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities, contact US‑[e-mail] for application to US‑based roles.