Scientist II, Delivery for Large Gene Insertion

Profluent is the frontier AI lab for biology. Profluent builds powerful foundation models for all of life's molecules, unlocking solutions that transform medicine, agriculture, and beyond. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Emeryville, CA, Profluent is backed by leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Bezos Expeditions, Spark Capital, Insight Partners, Air Street Capital, AIX Ventures, and Convergent Ventures and has raised over $150M to date.

The Role

We are seeking a highly motivated, analytical, and innovative Scientist II to join our Platform Discovery team. In this role, you will lead efforts to solve fundamental challenges in non-viral delivery of DNA templates for recombinase-based large gene insertion. Your work will be foundational for expanding our broader gene editing toolbox and enabling new therapeutic opportunities.

The ideal candidate will have a strong track record of engineering molecular systems for mammalian cells, with expertise in gene editing, nucleic acid biochemistry, protein–nucleic acid engineering, or molecular virology. This is an excellent opportunity to work cross-functionally with a diverse team of experts across AI and machine learning, protein design, cell biology, and gene editing.   

Responsibilities

Lead the development, evaluation, and benchmarking of innovative non-viral methods for nucleic acid donor template delivery for recombinase-based large gene insertion

Design and execute hypothesis-driven experiments to identify and overcome barriers to donor template stability, intracellular trafficking, and nuclear availability

Develop quantitative assays to evaluate donor template delivery and connect these measurements to targeted insertion efficiency and fidelity

Analyze data to drive critical go/no-go decisions, clearly present conclusions and rationale to stakeholders across the organization

Collaborate with downstream translational teams to validate recombinase donor template delivery approaches in therapeutically relevant cell-based and in vivo systems.  

Stay up to date on the latest developments in gene editing technology, delivery systems, relevant clinical applications, and cellular models

Provide mentorship and guidance to junior team members and peers, helping align goals, troubleshoot experiments, and maintain high standards for execution and interpretation

Qualifications

PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or a related field + 2-4 years of experience in an academic or biotechnology setting; title commensurate with level of experience

Proven track record of solving challenging and impactful problems in gene editing, in vivo delivery, or protein engineering relevant to these applications

Demonstrated ability to develop mechanistic cell-based assays and troubleshoot complex biological systems

Deep understanding of the barriers and challenges surrounding nucleic acid delivery in mammalian cells and therapeutic applications

Strong hands-on experience in molecular cloning, nucleic acid construct design, and mammalian cell engineering

Extensive hands-on experience and deep understanding of NGS-based assays for evaluating genome editing outcomes

Proven track record of independently and successfully leading multifaceted research projects

Excellent communication skills, ability to present complex ideas, anticipated timelines, risks, and results to colleagues and stakeholders 

Preferences

Experience with process automation and scaling to develop high throughput workflows, ideally in a biotechnology/industry research setting

Experience working with disease-relevant primary cells and translating early discovery work to preclinical development

What We Offer

High-growth opportunity with meaningful impact on the future of protein design

Competitive compensation package with equity participation

401(k) with a strong employer match

Comprehensive benefits including health/dental/vision insurance

Generous PTO …