Research Scientist/Engr 4

Job Description

POSITION PURPOSE

This position focuses on epigenetic engineering, gene regulation, and stem cell biology, specifically the development and application of AI-designed epigenetic protein binders (EpiBinders) and CRISPR-dCas9-based systems (e.g., EBdCas9, DNMT3a binder recruiter fusion to dCas9, TET binder recruiter fusion to dCas9) to modulate gene expression in regenerative medicine, immunotherapy, and disease modeling.

Purpose of Research:

The position supports translational research projects aimed at:

• Enhancing pancreatic islet cell differentiation and function for diabetes therapies

• Reversing muscle aging and promoting regeneration in sarcopenia

• Reprogramming ductal or hepatic cells for cell replacement therapies

• Developing next-generation epigenetic tools to improve therapeutic precision and reduce off-target effects.

Major duties and responsibilities:

• Design and execution of epigenetic, editing experiments using CRISPR-dCas9 or EpiBinders (35%)

• Computational and experimental development of AI-guided mini-proteins for chromatin modulation (25%)

• Mentoring and supervising trainees and junior Scientists (10%)

• Project management, experimental planning, data analysis, and manuscript preparations (15%)

• Grant Writing, IP strategy, and stakeholder engagement (10%)

• Collaborative coordination with internal and external research teams (5%)

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS :

Master Degree in Molecular Biology and four years of experience with epigenetic engineering, gene regulation, and stem cell biology, OR Equivalent combination of education/experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Advanced knowledge of epigenetic regulation, including chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and DNA methylation/demethylation pathways.

• Expertise in CRISPR-based epigenetic editing platforms, including dCas9 fusion proteins and guide RNA design for transcriptional modulation.

• Proficiency in designing, generating, and testing AI-guided epigenetic mini-proteins (EpiBinders) for targeted gene regulation.

• Experience with mammalian cell culture, including iPSCs, primary immune cells, and muscle cell models.

• Technical skills in molecular biology techniques, such as qRT-PCR, ChIP-qPCR, Western blotting, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and co-immunoprecipitation.

• Ability to develop, execute, and interpret high-throughput screening experiments for gene expression and chromatin changes.

• Strong data analysis skills, including interpretation of multi-omics datasets and bioinformatics tools for off-target assessment.

• Excellent scientific communication skills, including manuscript and grant writing.

• Experience mentoring students and coordinating interdisciplinary research teams.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Expertise in therapeutic development, including preclinical validation strategies and regulatory considerations for gene and cell therapies.

• Experience in epigenome engineering across diverse diseasemodels (e.g., diabetes, sarcopenia, cancer, immunotherapy). Familiarity with computational protein design platforms (e.g., Rosetta/IPD pipeline) and AI-guided binder development.

• Knowledge of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation and delivery strategies for mRNA and protein therapeutics. Patent strategy development and experience with technology