Scientist III – Immunologist, iPSC-derived allogeneic T-cell engineering

Scientist III – Immunologist, iPSC-derived allogeneic T-cell engineering

Scientist III – Immunologist, iPSC-derived allogeneic T-cell engineering

The Allen Institute mission is to unlock the complexities of bioscience and advance our knowledge to improve human health. Using an open science, multi-scale, team-oriented approach, the Allen Institute focuses on accelerating foundational research, developing standards and models, and cultivating new ideas to make a broad, transformational impact on science.

Join us on the ground floor to shape the future of programmable cell therapies
. Sea Bridge, a translational incubator powered by Sea Hub technology, is looking for an innovative immunologist to join our founding team. You’ll help launch and shape the incubator while driving our allogeneic (off-the-shelf) CAR-T cell therapy program.

We’re looking for someone with deep expertise in human iPSC culture, differentiation, and genetic engineering. You’ll be responsible for developing robust protocols to derive T-cell lines from iPSCs and applying cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 editing to enhance their therapeutic potential.

At the Allen Institute, we believe that science is for everyone – and should be open to everyone. We are dedicated to combating biases and reducing barriers to STEM careers more broadly. We also believe that science is better when it includes different perspectives and voices. We strive to make the Allen Institute a place where everyone feels like they belong and are empowered to do their best work in a supportive environment.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and strongly encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

• Play a founding role in creating an incubator designed to turn discoveries into cures
• Shape and lead a cutting-edge allogeneic (off-the-shelf) CAR-T cell therapy program
• Drive innovation at the intersection of iPSCs, CRISPR, and translational science
• Develop robust protocols for deriving T-cell lines from iPSCs and for applying state-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies to enhance their therapeutic properties
• Design, execute, and analyze gene editing experiments using CRISPR/Cas9 and other technologies to modify iPSC-derived T-cells
• Maintain and expand high-quality human iPSC lines in a cGMP-compliant manner
• Engineer T-cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) for targeted cancer therapy
• Apply genome editing to remove or insert genes to enhance T-cell potency, reduce T-cell exhaustion, or mitigate off-target toxicity (e.g., knocking out TCR to prevent Graft-vs-Host Disease)
• Use multi-color flow cytometry, cell sorting, and functional assays to characterize iPSC-derived and engineered T-cells
• Assess T-cell functionality, such as proliferation, cytokine production, and antigen-specific cytotoxicity
• Conduct molecular characterization using techniques like ddPCR, qPCR, Sanger sequencing, and next-generation sequencing to confirm successful gene editing
• Work effectively in a cross-functional team, interacting with process development, analytical development, and regulatory affairs
• Document all experimental procedures and results in electronic lab notebooks and technical reports
• Present data and findings at internal meetings to advance CAR-T pipeline programs

Note:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience or equivalent experience

• 5 – 8 years relevant post-doctoral experience
• Strong hands-on experience with human iPSC culture, maintenance, and differentiation protocols
• Extensive practical experience with CRISPR/Cas9 or other gene editing technologies in mammalian cells
• Proficiency in primary human T-cell culture and engineering is a strong plus
• Expertise in…