Senior​/Principal Scientist, Oligonucleotide Discovery; siRNA​/ASO

Description Senior / Principal Scientist, Oligonucleotide Discovery (siRNA / ASO) – Palo Alto, CA or Shanghai, China About Gondola Bio

Gondola Bio is a clinical‑stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing breakthrough therapeutics for genetic diseases. Gondola Bio is an independent sister company to Bridge Bio, originally carved out in 2024 after securing $300M in private financing from external investors. Gondola Bio aims to leverage cutting‑edge biological research to discover, create, test, and deliver transformative medicines to treat patients who suffer from genetic diseases.

You are a seasoned industry scientist in oligonucleotide therapeutics, with deep hands‑on experience in siRNA and/or antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) discovery and early development. You have direct experience supporting one or more IND submissions, contributing preclinical, DMPK, and/or safety packages that enabled program advancement into the clinic. You bring strong scientific judgment and thrive in a collaborative, fast‑paced biotech environment.

You operate as a technical leader and subject‑matter expert, capable of critically evaluating oligo design strategies, assay approaches, and complex preclinical datasets. You work effectively with cross‑functional partners and are able to influence program direction through rigorous, data‑driven scientific insight, particularly in the context of IND‑enabling decision‑making.

Preclinical Safety & Off‑Target Risk Analysis

• Lead the integration and interpretation of preclinical safety and pharmacology data
  , with a strong focus on off‑target effects to inform program decisions.
• Partner closely with toxicology and biology teams to distinguish target‑related versus off‑target findings
  , assess dose‑limiting toxicities, and evaluate overall therapeutic index and risk profile.
• Identify data gaps, recommend mechanistic or follow‑up studies, and support risk mitigation strategies based on preclinical safety findings.

CRO & External Partner Oversight

• Provide scientific oversight of CRO‑executed studies
  , including preclinical safety, in vivo pharmacology, and supporting studies relevant to oligonucleotide programs.
• Review and provide input on study designs, protocols, data packages, and final reports to ensure scientific rigor, relevance, and alignment with program objectives.
• Serve as a primary scientific point of contact with external partners to ensure clear communication, high‑quality execution, and timely delivery.

Oligonucleotide DMPK & PK/PD Integration

• Contribute to scientific evaluation of oligonucleotide DMPK data
  , including pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, tissue uptake, and durability of effect.
• Collaborate closely with DMPK teams to assess exposure–response and PK/PD relationships
  , and to contextualize safety findings relative to systemic and tissue‑level exposure.
• Integrate DMPK insights into cohesive preclinical and translational narratives that support candidate selection and development planning.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Decision Support

• Collaborate closely with chemistry, DMPK, toxicology, translational, and clinical teams to support data‑driven program decisions.
• Clearly summarize and communicate complex preclinical datasets in team meetings and governance forums.

Oligonucleotide Program Support & Scientific Oversight

• Serve as a senior scientific contributor to siRNA and/or ASO programs
  , providing expert understanding of oligonucleotide design strategies, chemistry, and biology without direct hands‑on design or assay development responsibilities.
• Critically review and contextualize oligo design, modification strategies, and conjugation approaches proposed by internal teams and external partners.

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, pharmacology, chemistry, or a related field, or equivalent advanced degree.
• 8+ years of industry experience in oligonucleotide drug discovery and/or development (siRNA and/or ASO strongly preferred).
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience in oligo design, assay development, and in vitro/in vivo pharmacology.
• Prior experience contributing to programs advancing toward IND.
• Familiarity with…