Lab Head, RNA and Vector Biology

GSK Vaccines – Lab Head, RNA and Vector Biology

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At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. R&D is committed to discovering and delivering transformational vaccines and medicines to prevent and change the course of disease.

We believe the Greater Boston area is an important hub for the biotech and pharma industry, which is why we’ve invested in growing our footprint and expanding our R&D space in Cambridge, with a primary focus on additional state-of-the-art lab space. Here, we will bring together talent and expertise, building upon GSK’s long history of vaccine development, to create globally leading viral capabilities and cutting-edge vaccines technologies, as we add to our robust portfolio targeting infectious diseases at every stage of life.

In the plan to create a new hub for mRNA-based vaccine discovery in Cambridge, we are building new laboratories that will be focused on the development of state-of-the-art methods that will be supporting deep product understanding, process, and product development, as well as testing of pre-clinical and clinical samples for new mRNA-based vaccines.

The RNA & Vector Biology group at the US Research and Development Center, GSK Vaccines, is seeking a highly motivated and visionary leader to spearhead efforts in designing, producing, and characterizing mRNA vaccine candidates. This team is at the forefront of understanding RNA biology, biochemistry, and RNA/protein interactions, playing a crucial role in advancing GSK's mRNA technology platform and supporting GSK Vaccines projects in preclinical and discovery phases.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide expertise in RNA biology and biochemistry to direct the selection of novel mRNA vaccine designs and platforms.
• Lead a diverse team of molecular biologists to apply engineering principles to RNA sequence elements, including chemistry, structure, localization, translation, degradation, and processing.

• Develop and refine experimental protocols, utilizing cutting-edge molecular biology and biochemistry techniques to innovate and characterize new mRNA modalities, advancing preclinical development of mRNA-based vaccine platforms.
• Employ state-of-the-art DNA cloning, in vitro RNA transcription, and cell-based assays for the generation and evaluation of RNA vaccines.
• Regularly assess external advances in mRNA medicines, integrating novel capabilities at GSK as the field evolves.
• Provide inspiring leadership with an enterprise mindset, fostering professional development and qualifications among staff.
• Ensure the team utilizes cutting-edge technologies to provide top-tier preclinical expertise for GSK vaccine projects, from discovery through lifecycle management.
• Align team objectives with R&D and business priorities, ensuring activities are structured and delivered according to project needs.
• Take full accountability for managing team tasks, meeting data integrity and quality standards, and innovating technology in the lab for enhanced data quality and resource utilization.
• Engage in strong scientific leadership to facilitate collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Participate in intellectual property and regulatory filings and publish findings in peer-reviewed journals.
• Supervise a team of 5-10 scientists, including PhD students and postdoctoral fellows where necessary.
• Oversee lab management, ensuring compliance with GSK's Environment, Health, and Safety standards as a fundamental aspect of operations and culture.

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology or a related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience.
• Five or more years of experience in RNA design, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, high-throughput technologies, and screening.
• Two or more years of experience in leading a team of RNA scientists and building collaborations within a matrix organization.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a pharmaceutical research environment developing nucleic acid therapeutics.
• Familiarity with bioinformatics tools and computational biology approaches for RNA design.
• Prior experience with high-throughput cloning, RNA synthesis, and cell-based screening platforms.
• Deep domain expertise in eukaryotic post-transcriptional gene expression.
• Strong track record of scientific publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
• Fluency in English, both spoken and wr