Lead Scientist
: Job Details :

Who We Are

Optimeos Life Sciences is pioneering a transformative nanotechnology platform for non-viral gene therapies. We are a venture-backed, early-stage company, founded by experienced entrepreneurs and leading nanotechnology experts. We are developing and commercializing an innovative formulation technology developed at Princeton University. Our dynamic team, located at Princeton Innovation Center BioLabs, is growing as we take on crucial unmet medical needs.

Summary of the Position

We are seeking a motivated and versatile scientist to lead discovery biology and preclinical pharmacology at Optimeos. We are looking for someone comfortable with creatively solving new technical challenges and executing on rigorously designed experiments. We are trying to solve crucial medical problems, and we are looking for someone excited about growing with us through the startup journey.

Biology and pharmacology has responsibility for efficacy and toxicity assessments of new formulations across program areas. Drawing on state-of-the-art in academia and industry, you will lead the design, execution, and analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies supporting formulation screening, lead optimization and candidate selection. Working collaboratively, you will oversee pharmacology work conducted in-house (at our vivarium located in Philadelphia) and studies conducted at CROs. We anticipate that the role is ~50% lab based. The role will support all preclinical programs, including in two therapeutic areas: gene replacement for metabolic diseases of the liver and in vivo engineering of immune cells. In this role, you will work closely with the formulation team to refine our in vitro/in vivo evaluation pipeline. There are growth opportunities to support investor discussions, grant submissions, external collaborations, and patent filings.

• Education and experience: PhD with 0-3 years of industry experience
• Location: Princeton, NJ
• Full-time
• Competitive compensation: salary, equity, benefits/401k

Responsibilities

• Be an innovative problem solver and proactive team member
• Design, develop and execute assays for the preclinical assessment of non-viral gene therapies, including efficacy and toxicity read-outs
• Lead the design and execution of pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo pharmacology studies in-house and at CROs
• Provide preclinical biology and pharmacology expertise to support the work of the broader R&D team
• Provide mentorship and technical oversight to junior scientists

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field (molecular/cell biology, virology, immunology, or related) with 0-3 years of experience in the biotech industry
• Experience with preclinical rodent models, including handling, husbandry, injections, and luminescence imaging (3+ years in academia or industry)
• Experience with mammalian cell culture (3+ years in academia or industry)
• Highly proficient in new assay development and standard biology techniques, including flow cytometry, gene transfection, PCR/qPCR, microscopy, etc.
• Experience with viral/non-viral gene therapy or cell therapies preferred
• Experience in clinical translation (academic or industry) beneficial