Postdoctoral Research Scientist

We are seeking a highly skilled Postdoctoral Scientist to lead our AAV (Adeno‑Associated Virus) and lentiviral Vector Engineering Project in Ottawa. This role is focused on the end‑to‑end development of novel viral delivery systems, from in silico design to benchtop purification and analytics. You will be responsible for conducting experiments in molecular biology, maintaining organoid cultures, and advancing our purification and analytical workflows in collaboration with the engineering team.

Bowhead Health Inc. is a Canadian biotechnology company dedicated to advancing precision medicine through the integration of intelligent systems, multi‑omics data and high‑impact translational research. We are currently expanding our suite of translational laboratory tools to enhance the molecular design of biologics and biomanufacturing, accelerating discovery in therapeutics and regenerative medicine.

• AAV Production: Lead the production of recombinant AAV vectors or other relevant platforms.
• AAV Purification: Perform high‑efficiency purification of AAV serotypes using affinity chromatography and HPLC .
• Characterization & Analysis: Utilize flow cytometry and high‑content imaging to analyze transduction efficiency, tissue tropism, and transgene expression in both cell lines and organoid models.
• Construct Design: Execute molecular biology construct designs in silico and perform laboratory cloning to optimize capsids and genomes.
• Organoid Research: Contribute to the development and maintenance of human organoid cultures as advanced models for vector validation.
• Lab Leadership: Organize and maintain the laboratory environment while mentoring junior and technical staff.

• Education: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Virology, Human Immunology, or a related field, completed within the last 3 years .
• Technical Expertise:
  • Demonstrated proficiency in AAV or lentiviral production and purification workflows.
  • Hands‑on experience with chromatography for biologic separation and analysis.
  • Expertise in flow cytometry for cellular characterization and assay development.
  • Advanced skills in molecular biology (e.g., Gibson assembly, library construction) and tissue culture.
  • Experience in working with Claude Cowork and Claude code is desirable.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross‑functional collaboration with researchers and pharmaceutical partners.
• Independence: Ability to work independently to drive research projects while contributing to a collaborative team environment.