Scientist, Gene Therapy - Vector Engineering

The Scientist I/II, Vector Engineering, will work collaboratively with a cross-function team and has high growth potentials. The goal of this role is to design and evaluate novel gene therapy vectors to expand our gene therapy pipeline. The incumbent will be part of a team focused on transgene cassette engineering/construction, microRNA cassette engineering, and capsid evolution/engineering. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in molecular cloning, molecular biology assays, research-scale AAV production, and ideally, animal models for neurological disorders. The successful candidate should also maintain an up-to-date knowledge of pertinent literature and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills to efficiently present results to project teams and to lead collaborations.

He/She will be expected to develop projects independently as well as to collaborate cross-functionally. He/she will benefit from a rich and growing set of technological resources across Biogen and will also be involved in lead external collaborations to support our gene therapy pipeline.

Direct responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
• Design and generate AAV transgene constructs using molecular cloning techniques to support both existing and new programs in the pipeline
• Generate and characterize novel AAV capsids with optimized cell type tropism
• Produce and purify research-scale AAV vectors for internal applications
• Characterize transgene expression profiles in vitro and in vivo using molecular biology techniques (DNA/RNA isolation, qPCR, RT-qPCR, ddPCR, ELISA, WB, etc.)
• Establish SOPs and adapt new protocols from literature
• Manage external CROs for plasmid or vector production
• Maintain electronic laboratory notebooks, present data to the team, and write study reports

• 3+ years of research experience in gene therapy, preferably in an industry setting
• Strong skillsets in designing and cloning novel AAV constructs
• Strong skillsets in mammalian cell culture and assay development
• Extensive experience with molecul

The Gene Therapy Accelerator Unit (GTxAU) at Biogen is seeking a committed, enthusiastic, and dependable scientist to contribute to the generation of gene therapy clinical candidates for neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases.