Senior Scientist: Ionizable Lipids & LNP Formulations

Serif.ai; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Science-driven culture

Impactful research

Job summary

Serif Biomedicines is seeking a Senior Scientist II with deep lipid chemistry expertise to design ionizable lipids and next-generation LNP formulations for nucleic acid delivery. You will lead small-scale LNP screening, optimize molar compositions, and mentor junior scientists while collaborating across biology, analytics, and process development.

The role blends medicinal and organic chemistry with formulation science, biasing towards independence and strategic input.

Qualifications

• PhD or MS with 5+ / 8+ years of relevant industry experience respectively.
• Strong background in multi-step organic synthesis, purification and characterization of lipids or related delivery materials.
• Hands-on LNP formulation experience (microfluidic mixing, nanoprecipitation) and understanding of lipid structure on potency.
• Experience designing and running formulation screens with DLS, encapsulation assays and pKa determination.
• Experience with nucleic acid delivery (mRNA, DNA, siRNA) preferred.
• Familiarity with lipid analytics (NMR, LC-MS, HPLC-CAD/ELSD) and data-driven lipid design is plus.
• Proven ability to design experiments, analyze data, and innovate (publications/patents).
• Strong communication, collaboration and mentoring skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize novel ionizable lipids, guiding design with SAR and pKa considerations.
• Lead LNP molar composition design for potency, stability and tolerability.
• Prepare LNP formulations at small scale to enable screening.
• Plan and conduct formulation screening studies with structure–property relationships.
• Characterize lipids and LNPs using NMR, LC-MS, HPLC-CAD/ELSD, DLS, encapsulation and pKa assays.
• Collaborate with biology, analytics, process development and partners to evaluate leads in vitro and in vivo.
• Analyze data, maintain documentation, and communicate findings to stakeholders.
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to strategy and IP.
• Stay updated with ionizable lipid chemistry and LNP delivery advances.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Molecular design

Mentoring junior scientists

Cross-functional collaboration

Data interpretation

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field

MS in related field

Tools

NMR

LC-MS

HPLC-CAD/ELSD

DLS

Microfluidic mixing

Job description

Serif Biomedicines is seeking a Senior Scientist II with deep lipid chemistry expertise to design ionizable lipids and next-generation LNP formulations for nucleic acid delivery. You will lead small-scale LNP screening, optimize molar compositions, and mentor junior scientists while collaborating across biology, analytics, and process development.

The role blends medicinal and organic chemistry with formulation science, biasing towards independence and strategic input.