Sr. Scientist

BioSpace; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 127,000 - 167,000; Full time

Job summary

Legend Biotech USA Inc. in Philadelphia, PA seeks a Sr. Scientist to join the Research & Development team focused on in vivo CAR-T therapies.

The role requires expertise in immunology/oncology, independency, and the ability to advance multiple projects in a fast-paced biotech environment. You will work on a collaborative team researching cell therapies, delivering timely results, and contributing to a pipeline aimed at treating cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology or related discipline required.
• 4 years of experience in cell and gene therapy with in vivo CAR-T experience preferred.
• Expertise in immunology and/or oncology; strong scientific writing and communication skills.
• Experience with immunotherapy state-of-the-art methods and solid tumor models is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and optimize research exploring next generation cell therapies using in-vivo CAR-T.
• Dissect literature to inform novel in-vivo cell therapy solutions.
• Isolate immune cells and evaluate in-vivo CAR virus using in-vitro and in-vivo assays and models.
• Perform tumor biology work including cell culture, transfection, FACS, and functional assays.
• Characterize virus particles and measure transduction rates; manage data and ELN entries.
• Present results to diverse audiences and maintain GLP and EHS compliance.

Skills

Immunology expertise

In vivo CAR-T experience

Flow cytometry

Cell and gene therapy

Independent research

Project planning

Multitasking

Communication skills

Education

PhD in Immunology or related discipline

Tools

LVV, VLP or LNP delivery

Lentivirus production

Virus titering

PCR-based assays

ELN data management

Job description

Legend Biotech is a global biotechnology company dedicated to treating and, one day, curing life-threatening diseases. Headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey, we are advancing the next generation of cell therapy through a portfolio of innovative technologies, including autologous, allogeneic, and in vivo cell therapy approaches. Our research spans chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T), T-cell receptor (TCR-T), natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies, and other emerging platforms designed to transform the treatment of serious diseases. From our global network of research and development sites, we are committed to discovering and developing safe, effective, and cutting-edge therapies for patients worldwide.

Legend Biotech entered into a global collaboration agreement with Johnson & Johnson to jointly develop and commercialize CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel). Through this strategic partnership, we combine complementary expertise and capabilities to advance innovative immunotherapies for patients living with multiple myeloma.

Legend Biotech is seeking a Sr. Scientist as part of the Research & Development team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Role Overview

We are seeking an initiative-taking and creative scientist to grow our pipeline efforts. The candidate will be part of Legend Biotech, a leading cell therapy company with a commercial CAR drug product CARVYKTI and an attractive pipeline portfolio. The candidate will be an integral part of our Philadelphia R&D team, whose aim is to research, develop and advance the next generation of cell therapies using innovative in vivo delivery technologies and create novel CAR therapy to treat a wide range of cancer and autoimmune disease indications. This position will focus on in-vivo CAR. The position requires enthusiasm, passion, outstanding skills in the art, diligence, and a desire to create new medicines for patients.

Expertise in immunology and/or oncology is required. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated individual who enjoys fast paced biotech environment. You thrive in a collaborative work environment and are skilled at advancing multiple projects concurrently. Knowledge of state-of-art immunotherapy and its applications. As part of the Legend Biotech R&D team and under minimal supervision, you will be responsible for timely execution and delivery of projects in our discovery pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, design and optimize research with aims of exploring next generation cell therapies using in-vivo CAR-T.
• Contribute to project creation and formation through dissection of published literature to find novel solutions to in-vivo cell therapy problems.
• Isolate immune cells from leukopak or blood of healthy donors or patients and execute the evaluation of in-vivo CAR virus using a battery of in-vitro assays and in-vivo mice models.
• Perform treatment of solid tumor research requiring cell biology techniques including cell culture, transfection, FACS, and cell-based functional assays.
• Package and titer engineered viruses to infect immune cells in vitro and in vivo; Characterize virus particles with protein and PCR based assays; Measure transduction rate using flow and VCN analysis.
• Generate, manage, evaluate, and maintain critical data in a highly organized manner, including the use of ELN.
• Deliver result to meet timeline with accountability through presentation to a wide range of audiences of internal group meetings and other forums.
• Maintain compliance with GLP and EHS protocols.

Requirements

• PhD in Immunology or related discipline.
• 4 years of experience in the field of cell and gene therapy, in vivo CAR-T experience preferred.
• Extensive experience in immune cell-based analytics and assay development including but not limited to advanced multi-parameter flow-cytometry, immunogenicity assay such as cytotoxicity assay, cytokine release ELISA/MSD multiplex assays.
• Experience with lentivirus particle characterization and quantification using molecular (VCN) and flow-based assays.
• Experience with solid tumor models and in vivo cell-specific gene delivery is a plus.
• Track record of productivity is evidenced by publications or patents.
• Be able to work independently to plan and timely execute research projects
• Deep knowledge of immunology and immunotherapy; a deep understanding of solid tumor models is preferred
• Proficient in advanced gene delivery methods using LVV, VLP or LNP technologies
• Strong experience with lentivirus production, tittering and transduction.
• Working molecular biology and cellular biology knowledge in design and evaluation of modified viral vectors
• Strong multitasking, problem-solving and collaborative skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

The base pay range below is what Legend Biotech USA Inc. reasonably expects to offer at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on experience, skills, qualifications, and geographic location. The company reserves the right to modify this range as needed and in accordance with applicable laws.

Other Types of Pay: Performance-based bonus and/or equity is available to employees in eligible roles.

Benefits and Paid Time Off: Medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a 401(k) retirement plan with a company match that vests fully on day one. We offer eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave after just three (3) months of employment, and a paid time off policy that includes vacation time, personal time, sick time, floating holidays, and eleven (11) company holidays. Additional voluntary benefits include flexible spending and health savings accounts, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, legal assistance, and supplemental plans such as pet, critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance. We also provide voluntary commuter benefits, family planning and care resources, well-being initiatives, and peer-to-peer recognition programs; demonstrating our ongoing commitment to building a culture where our people feel empowered, supported, and inspired to do their best work.

Pay Range (Base Pay)

$127,313 - $167,099 USD

Please note: These benefits are offered exclusively to permanent full-time employees. Contractors are not eligible for benefits through Legend Biotech.

Work Authorization & Employment Eligibility

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. As part of our commitment to maintaining a lawful workforce and ensuring compliance with federal employment regulations, we participate in the E-Verify program. If you are selected for employment, you will be required to complete the Form I-9 process, and your employment eligibility will be verified through E-Verify in accordance with applicable federal law. We are committed to providing a fair, transparent, and welcoming hiring experience for all candidates.

EEO Statement

It is the policy of Legend Biotech to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions and lactation), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state or local laws or ordinances.

Employment is at-will and may be terminated at any time with or without cause or notice by the employee or the company.

For information related to our privacy notice, please review: Legend Biotech Privacy Notice.