Principal Scientist, Cell Line Genome Engineering

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We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative scientist to join the Cell Line Genome Engineering team at Bristol Myers Squibb. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing advanced engineered cellular models to support drug discovery, contributing to a foundational capability within Lead Discovery and Optimization. In this fast-paced and collaborative environment, the individual will work across therapeutic areas and global sites to design, engineer, and validate physiologically and/or disease-relevant cellular systems that enable the initiation and progression of drug discovery programs. In addition, the candidate will help guide project teams in selecting the most appropriate cellular models at the outset of projects to ensure strong biological alignment and maximize translational impact.

To succeed in this role, the candidate should bring strong experience in drug discovery, along with a broad and deep technical background in cell and molecular biology. Expertise in emerging functional genomics technologies is highly desirable, with a demonstrated ability to implement and adapt these approaches to advance cell line engineering strategies. The ideal candidate will be able to translate cutting-edge concepts into practical, scalable solutions that enhance biological understanding and discovery outcomes.

This laboratory-based position requires effective collaboration with both internal teams and external academic and industry partners. The successful candidate will be expected to integrate insights from these collaborations into innovative, research-driven solutions. This role is critical to maintaining Bristol Myers Squibb’s leadership in leveraging next-generation cellular and genomic engineering approaches to transform the drug discovery process.

The successful candidate will have:

• A deep and comprehensive understanding of genome biology, including gene regulation and its impact on cellular function, with a demonstrated ability to apply this knowledge to design and guide strategy for engineered cellular systems in drug discovery.
• Extensive hands-on and strategic experience with CRISPR-based genome engineering technologies (e.g., Cas9, Cas12a, dCas9, base-editing, prime-editing and related systems), and gene delivery methods (lentiviral, AAV, electroporation, transposon), with a proven track record of leveraging these tools to build, scale, and optimize cellular models that advance discovery programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in engineering and deploying diverse cellular systems, including established cell lines, primary cells, and physiologically relevant models, with the ability to guide project teams in selecting appropriate model systems for specific discovery questions.
• Experience/familiarity with high-content imaging and cell painting and their application in drug discovery.
• Strong proficiency in genomic sequence analysis and bioinformatics, including short and long-read sequencing, enabling rigorous experimental design, clonal characterization, and high-confidence validation of engineered systems.
• Experience integrating emerging approaches such as AI-guided cell line engineering, including the application of computational models to design, prioritize, and interpret genetic perturbations and cellular phenotypes.
• Outstanding analytical and data interpretation skills, with the ability to derive actionable biological insights from complex, multi-dimensional datasets and influence scientific and strategic decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment, managing projects across disciplines, therapeutic areas, and geographic locations.
• A strong desire and wil