Senior Scientist

Pharmaceutical Company; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Pharmaceutical Company in South San Francisco, CA seeks a collaborative scientist to accelerate LVV and AAV generation platforms. The role focuses on increasing throughput, improving yield, and enabling rapid screening for pipeline studies.

The candidate will develop upstream and downstream processes, integrate high-throughput automation, and apply analytical strategies to ensure product quality and process improvement.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in related life sciences.
• ≥3 years lab/research or industry experience.
• Experience with LVV/AAV production and ex vivo CAR-T engineering is a plus.
• Proficiency in cell culture, transfection, PCR/qPCR/dPCR, Western blot.
• Ability to design experiments, troubleshoot, and present results.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize upstream LVV production from seed through harvest.
• Implement DOE to evaluate process parameters and scale production.
• Optimize downstream purification including filtration and chromatography.
• Perform physical and functional analyses of LVV and AAV products.
• Analyze complex datasets and maintain SOPs, reports, and transfer docs.

Education

Master's or PhD in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Virology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Genetics, or related

3+ years laboratory or industry experience

Hands-on LVV/AAV experience

Mammalian cell culture and molecular biology techniques

Data interpretation and scientific presentation

Experiment design and troubleshooting skills

Tools

Integra Assist Plus

Bravo automation

Ambr 15

Ambr 250

Job description

Contract Position

Position Overview

We are seeking a collaborative and driven scientist to accelerate lentiviral vector (LVV) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) generation platforms. This role will focus on increasing viral vector production throughput, improving yield, and enabling rapid turnaround for screening and pipeline studies.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development and optimization of viral vector production platforms, integrate high-throughput automation, establish robust upstream and downstream processes, and implement analytical strategies to support viral vector quality and process improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Automation and High-Throughput Workflow Development

• Integrate automation into high-throughput LVV and AAV production workflows.
• Implement and program automated liquid-handling systems, such as Integra Assist Plus and Bravo, for transfection, transduction, sample dilution, and cell seeding.
• Incorporate high-throughput shaker arrays and automated microscale bioreactor platforms, such as Ambr 15 or Ambr 250, for parallel expression studies.
• Troubleshoot liquid-handling parameters, pipetting precision, and consumable compatibility to minimize process variability.

2. Upstream Lentiviral Vector Process Development

• Design, execute, and characterize robust and scalable upstream processes, from seed train expansion through shake flask production and primary harvest.
• Develop and optimize suspension-based LVV production platforms.
• Apply Design of Experiments (DOE) methodologies to evaluate multivariable process parameters, including plasmid ratios, transient transfection conditions, transfection reagents, DNA-to-cell ratios, harvest timing, feeding strategies, and chemical enhancers.
• Identify process improvements to increase viral packaging efficiency, production yield, and scalability.

3. Downstream Process Development

• Evaluate and optimize low-shear depth filtration and microfiltration methods for viral vector production.
• Develop and optimize tangential flow filtration (TFF), ultrafiltration/diafiltration (UF/DF), and chromatographic purification methods.
• Establish downstream workflows that support efficient recovery, purification, and consistent product quality.

4. Viral Vector Analytics and Quality Control

• Perform physical and functional characterization of LVV and AAV products.
• Apply appropriate analytical techniques to evaluate viral vector quality attributes and production performance.
• Integrate analytical testing into upstream and downstream process development to identify improvement opportunities and support rapid decision-making.

5. Data Analysis, Documentation, and Inventory Management

• Analyze multivariate process datasets using Excel, GraphPad Prism, and AI-enabled analytical tools.
• Maintain organized viral vector inventories and registries using digital informatics platforms to ensure data integrity and traceability.
• Author and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), technical reports, experimental records, and technology transfer documentation.
• Present experimental findings, process performance data, and recommendations during team and departmental meetings.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Master's or PhD degree in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Virology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Genetics, or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years of laboratory research or industry experience.
• Hands-on experience with ex vivo CAR-T cell engineering using lentiviral vectors.
• Proficiency in mammalian cell culture and molecular biology techniques, including transient plasmid transfection, PCR, qPCR, ddPCR, dPCR, and Western blotting.
• Strong analytical, data interpretation, and scientific presentation skills.
• Ability to independently design experiments, troubleshoot technical challenges, and communicate findings effectively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience producing lentiviral vectors and/or AAV in adherent or suspension cell systems.
• Experience in viral vector upstream and downstream process development.
• Hands-on experience with DOE methodologies and statistical process optimization.
• Experience programming and troubleshooting automated liquid-handling systems.
• Familiarity with viral vector analytical methods, including titer, infectivity, and functional potency assays.
• Experience operating flow cytometers.
• Familiarity with electronic laboratory notebooks, digital inventory systems, and laboratory informatics platforms.
• Experience working in a BSL-2 laboratory environment and supporting laboratory biosafety practices.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is self-motivated, detail-oriented, analytical, and highly organized, with strong experimental troubleshooting skills. They should be comfortable working in a collaborative research environment, managing multiple priorities, and translating experimental results into practical improvements in viral vector production, quality, and throughput.