Upstream Vector Scientist: Lentiviral CAR-T

Merck & Co.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 96,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Eight weeks parental leave

Paid time off & holidays

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Legend Biotech is hiring a Scientist for the Upstream Vector Biology team in Philadelphia, focusing on in‑vivo CAR‑T programs. The role involves hands‑on execution of lentiviral vector upstream processes and scale‑up from small scales to 40 L bioreactors with close collaboration across Molecular Biology, Downstream, and Analytical teams.

The candidate will develop and optimize production workflows, contribute to comparability and readiness studies, and support technology transfer to the internal

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with viral vector production and characterization.
• Experience with mammalian suspension cell culture, transient transfection, and upstream bioprocess development.
• Strong molecular biology skills including plasmid construction and PCR/qPCR/dPCR assays.
• Ability to design, execute, analyze, and troubleshoot complex experiments in a fast-paced R&D environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and optimize the upstream process from shake flasks to bioreactors (up to 40 L).
• Execute and optimize lentiviral vector production workflows for in‑vivo CAR‑T applications.
• Perform media optimization, feeding strategy development, and process control adjustments to improve yield and robustness.
• Develop and execute studies to support scalability and readiness for technology transfer.
• Collaborate with Vector Biology and cross‑functional teams to support development and technology transfer.

Skills

Viral vector production

Mammalian cell culture

Molecular biology

PCR/qPCR/dPCR

Data analysis

Experiment design

Upstream bioprocess development

BSL-2 biosafety

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical report writing

Education

MS degree with 4+ years in bioengineering/virology

PhD with 1+ year industry experience

Tools

ELNs

Job description

Legend Biotech is hiring a Scientist for the Upstream Vector Biology team in Philadelphia, focusing on in‑vivo CAR‑T programs. The role involves hands‑on execution of lentiviral vector upstream processes and scale‑up from small scales to 40 L bioreactors with close collaboration across Molecular Biology, Downstream, and Analytical teams.

The candidate will develop and optimize production workflows, contribute to comparability and readiness studies, and support technology transfer to the internal