Viral Vector Scientist

Neion Bio is harnessing nature’s best molecular factory, the chicken egg, to make medicine affordable, accessible, and resilient. Using cutting edge genetic engineering and stem cell technology, we create “living bioreactors”, which act as fully autonomous 3D biomolecular printers, operating on existing industrial-scale infrastructure. Our platform can rapidly and scalably produce almost any protein, provide national resilience to drug shortages and de-risk complex supply chains, and ultimately take advantage of novel biological environments to solve unmet medical needs. We are on a mission to reimagine the way in which complex biological molecules are produced to transform human health.

At Neion Bio you will play a pivotal role in an early-stage, fast-growing company, working alongside leading scientists and entrepreneurs. You will have the opportunity to participate in the enormous potential upside while having a huge impact on the world.

We are looking for a talented molecular biologist on the scientist level experienced with the engineering, production and purification of viral vectors, including lentivirus, adenovirus and AAV; and with a deep understanding of the underlying biology of viral vector transduction of cells, ideally in non-model organisms.

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform cloning of large viral genomes, design and run PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR assays to quantify viral transgene and transcription
• Perform transfections on primary cells, immortalized cells, and animal tissues
• Design, manufacture, purify, characterize, validate and test a range of viral vectors, at small and large scale
• Design experiments, generate and analyze datasets allowing to adapt vector strategies to use in avian systems
• Assess efficiency of workflows through cellular assays and NGS sequencing approaches
• Extract DNA, RNA, protein from animal tissue
• Conduct experiments and work on research problems
• Maintain excellent electronic laboratory records
• Work on project milestones
• Attend lab meetings, prepare reports and presentations on the progress of projects

• BA/MS/PhD in biological sciences, bioengineering, molecular biology, genetics, or any science related field, or equivalent experience
• Experience with cloning, transfecting, producing, purifying, characterizing, validating and testing of a range of viral vectors including adenovirus, lentivirus, AAV
• Deep understanding of the cellular biology and mechanisms involved in viral transduction
• Experience with ultracentrifugation and with resin and column based viral purification methods
• Strong aseptic techniques and GLP procedures
• Experience in genome engineering, cloning, DNA amplification, PCR, NGS, transfections, and other molecular biology skills
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to effectively manage time and priorities
• Strong written and oral communication skills, as well as creative problem-solving skills
• Curious, eager, and hardworking

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience working with avian viruses or AAV capsids
• Experience with viral capsid engineering by rational design or directed evolution
• Extensive experience with and knowledge of adenoviral vectors
• Experience with viral capsid library engineering

Compensation: base salary is expected to be $110-145K depending on experience, with additional bonus compensation, equity compensation, and benefits including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and 401(k).