Senior Scientist I, siRNA Therapeutics – Oncology

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

At AbbVie, we are dedicated to addressing the world’s most complex and serious diseases. Within the Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine (BGM) organization, the newly established siRNA team is building and advancing therapeutic programs from early discovery through development, applying rigorous biology, innovative experimental approaches, and data-driven decision-making to deliver differentiated RNA medicines.

AbbVie is seeking a highly talented and motivated Senior Scientist I to join our siRNA therapeutics team within BGM at the South San Francisco (ABA) site. The successful candidate will lead in vitro discovery biology efforts to support the development of innovative siRNA-based medicines for oncology. This individual will design and execute experiments, drive scientific innovation, collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, and contribute to advancing therapeutic candidates from early discovery through development candidate nomination for oncology programs. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in RNA interference (RNAi) biology and a passion for translating cutting-edge science into transformative medicines.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute in vitro siRNA discovery and proof-of-concept activities, including target validation, assay development and optimization, siRNA screening, lead optimization, and mechanism-of-action studies to support active therapeutic programs for oncology.
• Develop, validate and execute robust siRNA-based in vitro screening funnels for hit-to-lead identification to support siRNA-based drug discovery projects (e.g. 96 well RNA isolation, qPCR, westerns, ELISA, flow cytometry, reporter assays, RNA-seq, microscopy and others)
• Identify and resolve key biological and technical pitfalls related to siRNA activity, delivery, stability, and on-target and off-target effects.
• Maintain updated and well-organized ELNs and ensure high scientific rigor, reproducibility, and data integrity.
• Author internal technical reports and regulatory documents, and contribute as primary author on conference proceedings, manuscripts, and/or inventor of patents.

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology or related field with typically 0-3 (PhD), 8+ (MS), or 10+ (BS) years of relevant experience. 
  • RNA biology/therapeutics industry or postdoctoral experience preferred.
• Strong hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques (e.g. stem-loop RT-qPCR and RT-qPCR), including assay design, optimization, validation, and data interpretation for siRNA quantification and mRNA target knockdown.
• Extensive experience with mammalian cell culture and transfection techniques. Experience working with animal tissues would be a plus.
• Demonstrate ability to learn, understand and master new experimental techniques.
• Strong data analysis and critical thinking abilities.
• Routinely demonstrate scientific initiative and creativity in research or development activities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, multi-tasking and organizational skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with a team.
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to clearly articulate scientific findings and project updates to project teams, senior leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Highly independent and productive in performing laboratory research or assay development, requiring only minimal direction from or interaction with supervisor.

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with tumor intrinsic biology and/or immune oncology. Experience working with tumor models would be a plus.
• Experience with extrahepatic oligonucleotide delivery technologies, p