Job Description

The Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering (BIIE) is a newly founded non-profit research organization aiming to become a world leading research institute for the advanced study of immunological systems with a mission to develop translational solutions for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.

The scientific foundation of the BIIE and the broader field of Immune Engineering is based on the intersection of three interdisciplinary subdomains: (i) systems immunology, (ii) synthetic immunology and (iii) computational immunology. The BIIE will serve as a hub for multidisciplinary science, by uniting people with diverse expertise in immunology, biomedicine, bioengineering, systems and synthetic biology, computational biology, artificial intelligence and machine learning. As part of the mission of BIIE to make a lasting impact, it will dedicate significant efforts in training early-stage researchers in this unique multidisciplinary environment, thus enabling them to become future leaders in Immune Engineering.

Tasks

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative researcher with nanotechnology for drug delivery know-how to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in biomedical engineering, biochemistry, biophysical measurement techniques and related fields. The candidate will also have experience in protein design and related computational methods. This role involves the design of novel mRNA or gene therapies with increased cell types specificity through engineering of the delivery platform and the nucleic acid payload.

Principal Responsibilities

• Designing and experimental testing of nanoparticles and virus-like particles for the delivery of nucleic acids to human cells.
• Designing and testing of synthetic proteins and other modalities for targeting mRNA therapeutics to specific cell types.
• Performing massively parallel measurements with sequencing-based readouts to identify efficient delivery vehicles.
• Performing massively parallel measurements with sequencing-based readouts to identify cis-regulatory elements that result in high mRNA stability and/or cell type or state-specific expression.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to advance nucleic acids therapeutics testing.
• Analyzing data, preparing detailed reports, planning follow-on experiments, and presenting findings to internal teams and at scientific conferences.
• Staying abreast of latest developments in drug delivery, protein design and related topics to continuously improve methodologies and outcomes.
• Preparing technical reports, summaries, protocols, and quantitative analyses.
• Composing scientific manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and patent applications.
• Helping train and mentor junior scientists and technical staff.

Requirements

• D. in Biomedical Engineering, Nanotechnology or a related field.
• Proven experience with developing nanoparticles for drug delivery.
• Strong background in nanoparticle synthesis, surface functionalization and biophysical characterization.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture, targeted binding assays, flow cytometry and related techniques.
• Proven experience with data science, python programming, machine learning and related techniques.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present complex scientific data to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently and constructively as part of a team in a collaborative scientific environment.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to overcoming research and project challenges.