Principal Scientist

Principal Scientist – Genetic Therapy

Learn more about the general tasks related to this opportunity below, as well as required skills.

Are you passionate about the transformative potential of genetic therapies and excited to share the future of this rapidly evolving field? Are you motivated to join a small but growing team, take on new responsibilities and help drive both our science and business forward? If so, we’re looking for a highly motivated and experienced Principal Scientist to join us and would welcome your application via CV and brief covering letter.

Please note that applications via the LinkedIn Easy Apply Button or applications that do not answer the screening questions below will not be reviewed.

About ISOgenix

We are an Oxford University spin-out developing precision therapies that harness the therapeutic potential of protein isoforms for the treatment of serious diseases. Our approach combines advanced research, state-of-the-art technologies, and a strong founding team with decades of experience in the field of cell and gene therapy. We are based in Oxford, UK (www.isogenixtx.com).

Responsibilities

As a Principal Scientist, you will be at the heart of our ground-breaking gene therapy research. Key responsibilities will include:

• Conducting and leading the development and optimisation of high-throughput screening / functional assays to assess gene and protein expression, target engagement, and therapeutic efficacy, contributing critical scientific insight to experimental strategy and interpretation.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including R&D, bioinformatics teams and external research collaborator groups to support experimental design, hands-on execution, data interpretation and troubleshooting.
• Organising and analysing internal research data to identify key insights that will inform future research activities and business strategy and clearly communicating these to the organisation. Mentoring and training junior scientists where required.
• Gathering, organising and analysing external data, including scientific literature and databases, regulatory filings, clinical trial registries, press releases, industry reports and trends to identify both potential collaborative opportunities as well as to provide program specific recommendations and insights.
• Maintaining high standards of accuracy, confidentiality, and security when handling sensitive data related to proprietary research findings.

Qualifications

To excel in this role, you should possess the following qualifications and skills:

Essential

• PhD in Medical Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Neuroscience, or a related discipline, with considerable relevant experience within academia or industry (preferably industry).
• A proven track record of scientific leadership, progression and innovation in therapeutic development.
• Strong expertise in genetic therapy development, particularly in the context of neurological / neuromuscular disorders.
• Strong background in gene expression profiling, splicing analysis and the use of transcriptomic data to inform therapeutic development.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design, develop, and validate functional assays, including gene and protein expression assays and therapeutic efficacy assays.
• Hands-on experience with antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) or other oligonucleotide based therapeutic platforms, including design, optimisation and characterisation.
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks in parallel, meet deadlines and drive projects forward independently and contribute to strategic decision making.
• Experience in managing scientific staff, with a demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and support high-performing teams.
• Strong understanding of scientific literature, research methodologies and clinical data, and familiarity with public databases like PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and other gene therapy or genetic disease- focussed databases.
• Strong written, verbal communication and presenting skills.

Desirable

• Experience collaborating with academic and / or industry partners in cross-functional teams.
• Prior experience working with patient-derived or iPSC derived neuronal models.
• Experience in scientific writing or publishing research.

Benefits

We are committed to creating an inspiring and supportive work environment. As a Principal Scientist, you will enjoy:

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• A healthy work-life balance.
• Continuous professional development and learning opportunities.
• An open, collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Working in a small dynamic with the opportunity to ultimately make a significant impact on the development of new medicines for diseases with significant unmet need.

How to Apply

If you excited to join us, please submit your resume together with brief covering letter to hr@isogenixtx.com.

In your cover letter, please also address the following two questions:

1. Oligonucleotide Therapy Development

Please summarise your experience in oligonucleotide therapy development (e.g., years of experience, target identification, oligonucleotide design, whether it is a splice-switching approach, and oligonucleotide screening). Also include any work on functional validation and assay development in disease-relevant in vitro models.

2. Genomics and Transcriptomics Analysis

Please briefly describe your experience analysing and interpreting genomics and transcriptomics datasets and indicate any experience with long read sequencing.

We are excited to receive your application! We will be reviewing these on a rolling basis and aim to fill the position promptly. Therefore, we encourage qualified individuals to submit their applications without delay!