Senior Scientist, Transplant Immunology & Gene Therapy

Unither Pharmaceuticals; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 128,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

United Therapeutics seeks a Senior Scientist to advance immunomodulatory and gene modification strategies for ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) and enhanced lung development. You will design, execute, and interpret studies on transplant immunology, inflammation, immune cell interactions, and gene delivery in engineered or donor lungs.

The role requires hands-on immunology expertise and translational lung biology experience, with preference for transplant immunology and gene therapy platforms.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in immunology or related field.
• 8+ years in biotech/pharma with Master’s or 5+ years with PhD.
• Strong background in immunology and transplant biology.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute studies on innate and adaptive immune responses in donor and engineered lungs.
• Evaluate immunomodulatory strategies to improve transplant outcomes.
• Assist with gene delivery strategies for lung-directed therapies.
• Mentor junior scientists and collaborate across teams.
• Prepare IND-enabling studies and regulatory documentation.

Skills

Immunology

Translational research

Gene therapy

Experimental design

Data analysis

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Master’s Degree in immunology

PhD in immunology

Tools

AAV vectors

LVV vectors

Non-viral delivery

Job description

California, US residents

The job details are as follows:

Who We Are

We are the first publicly-traded biotech or pharmaceutical company to take the form of a public benefit corporation. Our public benefit purpose is to provide a brighter future for patients through the development of novel pharmaceutical therapies; and technologies that expand the availability of transplantable organs.

United Therapeutics (Nasdaq: UTHR ) seeks to travel down the corridors of indifference to develop treatments for rare, deadly diseases. We were founded in 1996 by a family seeking a cure for their daughter’s pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH ). Today, we have six FDA-approved therapies that treat PAH, pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease ( PH-ILD ) and neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer. Our near-term pipeline seeks to develop additional therapies for PAH and pulmonary fibrosis ( PF ).

The cure for end-stage life-threatening diseases like PAH, PH-ILD, PF, and many others is an organ transplant, but only a small percentage of donated organs are available to address the vast need. For this reason, we are working to create manufactured organs to address the shortage of kidneys, hearts, lungs, and livers available for transplant. We believe an unlimited supply of tolerable, transplantable organs will eliminate the transplant waiting list and cure end-stage organ diseases for which transplant is not currently an option.

Who You Are

The Senior Scientist will play an important technical role in advancing immunomodulatory and gene modification strategies for ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) and enhanced lung development. This individual will design, execute, and interpret studies focused on transplant immunology, inflammatory signaling, immune cell interactions, and gene delivery approaches within engineered or donor lungs. The role requires strong hands-on expertise in immunology and translational lung biology, with preference for experience in transplant immunology and gene therapy platforms.

• Design and execute studies focused on innate and adaptive immune responses in donor and engineered lungs during EVLP


• Evaluate immunomodulatory strategies to improve lung preservation, reduce inflammation, and enhance post-transplant outcomes


• Assists with gene delivery strategies (AAV, lentiviral, adenoviral, mRNA/LNP, or other platforms) for lung-directed therapies


• Optimize transduction efficiency, durability of expression, and immunologic safety profiles


• Characterize immune cell populations and inflammatory pathways using flow cytometry, multiplex cytokine assays, transcriptomic approaches, and histologic analysis


• Support preclinical transplant studies, including experimental design, tissue analysis, and data interpretation


• Develop and validate molecular and functional assays (qPCR, ddPCR, ELISA, flow cytometry, multiplex assays, etc.)


• Collaborate cross-functionally with device, manufacturing, analytical, translational, and regulatory teams


• Contribute to IND-enabling studies and regulatory documentation


• Mentor junior scientists and research associates


• Contribute to publications, patents, protocols, abstracts, and scientific presentations


• Present data internally and externally


• Assist with EVLP procedures and translational lung studies

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s Degree in immunology, transplant biology, molecular biology, pulmonary biology, gene therapy, or related field


• 8+ years of related biotech/pharma industry experience with a Master’s Degree or 5+ years of related biotech/pharma industry experience with a PhD


• Strong background in immunology, including immune cell biology, inflammatory signaling, or transplant immunology


• Experience with viral vector systems (AAV, LVV, AdV) or non-viral gene delivery platforms


• Experience with immunologic and molecular assay development, including flow cytometry and cytokine profiling


• Strong experimental design and data analysis skills


• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced translational environment


• Good written and oral communication skills


• Ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary teams


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills


• Ability to mentor and motivate team members


• Highly self-motivated


• Ability to organize and present complex data clearly

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in immunology, transplant biology, pulmonary biology, gene therapy, or related field


• Experience with lung transplantation, EVLP, or thoracic organ preservation


• Experience in transplant immunology or immune modulation strategies


• Experience with gene therapy platforms in pulmonary or transplant applications


• Industry experience in cell or gene therapy development


• Experience working with human tissue and translational preclinical models


• Familiarity with IND-enabling studies and regulatory interactions

Job Location

This role is based 100% onsite at our Silver Spring, MD location.

The salary range for this position is $127,500 - $170,000 per year and reflects our good-faith estimate of the compensation for this role at the time of posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business needs, as well as other factors permitted by law at the time of posting. This range may be modified in the future based on company and market factors.

At United Therapeutics, our mission and vision are one. We use our enthusiasm, creativity, and persistence to innovate for the unmet medical needs of our patients and to benefit our other stakeholders. We are bold and unconventional. We have fun, we do good.

Eligible employees may participate in the Company’s comprehensive benefits suite of programs, including medical / dental / vision / prescription coverage, employee wellness resources, savings plans (401k and ESPP), paid time off & paid parental leave benefits, disability benefits, and more. For additional information on Company benefits, please visit https://www.unither.com/careers/benefits-and-amenities

United Therapeutics Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.