Senior Scientist, Vector Engineering

Are you ready to dive into the world of transformative therapies and make a significant impact? At EsoBiotec, now part of AstraZeneca, we are setting new benchmarks for biotechnological research. Our collaboration combines AstraZeneca’s global influence and scientific innovation with EsoBiotec’ s unique culture of creativity and breakthroughs in cell-based therapies and immunology. Here, your scientific passion will drive real-world impact as you contribute to life-changing treatments. We are looking for an inspiring Senior Scientist Vector Engineering to drive innovation and development of our pioneering lentiviral vector therapeutic platform. Join us in shaping the future of cell and gene therapy with your expertise in viral vector engineering, gene editing, CAR and TCR T cell engineering or myeloid immunobiology in cancer.  You will report to the Associate Director In Vivo Cell Therapy and be based in Cambridge, MA.

Responsibilities 

• Design, build, and validate novel lentiviral vectors for in vivo cell therapy applications. 

• Perform hands-on construct designs, viral genome optimization, viral envelope pseudotype engineering and vector assembly. 

• Design, plan and execute in vitro and in vivo experiments to assess transduction efficiency, specificity, expression durability, and safety profile of novel in vivo LVVs. 

• Develop and run assays for titer, potency, biodistribution, integration site analysis, and immunogenicity in collaboration with analytics partners. 

• Apply literature mining, public datasets, and personal expertise to generate innovative, testable hypotheses and prioritize vector concepts. 

• Implement rigorous experimental design, statistical analysis, and documentation to ensure reproducibility, traceability, and data integrity. 

• Collaborate extensively with discovery teams across AZ including payload biology, bioinformatics, and nonclinical to align vector designs with product requirements. 

• Contribute to platform development by creating screening workflows, model systems, and standardized protocols for vector performance. 

• Present findings, risks, and recommendations in working groups and project meetings and drive decisions through clear data storytelling. 

• Support IP generation by contributing to invention disclosures and sharing FTO considerations with the IP team. 

Essential Skills/Experience  

• PhD in molecular biology, virology, bioengineering, or related field with 2+ years of postdoctoral experience in academia or industry. 

• Demonstrated expertise in viral vectors and virology with a strong track record in viral vector design, engineering, and characterization for gene therapy 

• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques for vector construction, promoter and regulatory element engineering, and payload optimization. 

• Experience in protein and antibody (scFV and VHH) engineering or envelope/pseudotype modification to tune tropism, entry, and transduction profiles. 

• Hands-on familiarity with in vitro cell culture assays and in vivo models for vector evaluation including transduction assays, dose–response, durability studies, and safety readouts. 

• Strong hands-on competence with quantitative analytics such as flow cytometry and qPCR/ddPCR. 

• Ability to design rigorous experiments, apply statistics, and interpret complex datasets to drive go/no-go decisions. 

• Strong collaboration and communication skills to operate as a backbone member of cross-fu