Senior Scientist, Cell Therapy Islet in Cambridge

Sana Biotechnology is growing, and we are hiring new team members who believe in the potential of engineered cells as medicines, who want to challenge the status quo, and who lead with the desire to work on novel ideas. You will join the Beta Islet Team at the Cambridge location to optimize 3D expansion and differentiation in stem cell (SC)-islet differentiation. As a Senior Scientist, you will execute optimization experiments critical to scaling up our differentiation process.

The ideal candidate should have ample experience handling bioreactors and performing directed PSC differentiation in 3D. The ability to work in a highly collaborative environment and learn from each other will be essential to your success.

What you’ll do:

• Execute routine 2D and 3D PSC expansion, passaging and directed SC-islet differentiation.
• Design optimization experiments with the goal to achieve a highly scalable and robust 3D SC-islet differentiation process that is compliant to manufacturing standards.
• Optimize the differentiation protocol to achieve highly pure on-target populations.
• Hands-on experience with closed systems (tube welder, sealer, single-use assemblies).
• Expertise in controlled bioreactor setup, operation, automation, and process control (DO, pH, perfusion, agitation).
• Collaborate and communicate findings with other team members.
• Maintain excellent scientific documentation and contribute to SOP development.
• Assure compliance with all relevant lab safety and biosafety regulations.
• Demonstrate Sana’s core values and the attributes that support these core values (Lead from every seat, Thrive as a team, Make it happen).
• Engage in crucial conversations by providing and receiving feedback supporting the growth and development of team members.
• Demonstrate ability to engage and effectively influence team members across multidisciplinary teams while prioritizing multiple projects and meeting deadlines.
• Drive curiosity, scientific rigor, and excellent problem-solving skills across a fast-paced performance-driven environment.
• Innate ability to assess talent that will help grow the organization and add to Sana’s culture.

What we’re looking for:

• PhD in Stem cell biology, biochemical/biomedical Engineering or related fields with 3-5 years of direct cell therapy industry experience.
• Significantly experienced and knowledgeable in operating various types of bioreactors for suspension culture.
• Experienced with bioreactor control software, process development tools, or DOE-base optimization is preferred.
• Significantly experienced in operating a closed system for cell culture.
• Significantly experienced in Flow cytometry, Immunofluorescent staining, Proficient with standard flow cytometry and imaging software (e.g. FACSDiva, FlowJo, ImageJ, Halo, etc.).

What will separate you from the crowd:

• Knowledge or direct experience in directed stem cell differentiation toward pancreatic islet lineage.
• Proven ability to optimize differentiation yield and reproducibility across platforms.
• Passion for GMP transition, automation, and continuous process improvement.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills and enthusiasm for advancing cell therapies to the clinic.
• Significant experience in operating large bioreactors (15L+) for cell therapy purposes.
• Expertise in controlled bioreactor setup, operation, automation, and process control (DO, pH, perfusion, agitation).
• Proven ability to optimize differentiation yield and reproducibility across platforms.

What you should know:

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $160,000 and $190,000/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

How we work together for patients:

• Lead from every seat – we seek to understand, act with honesty, and engage in the crucial conversations.
• Thrive as a team – we hire amazing people, are intensely curious, and cultivate inclusion and personal connectivity.
• Make it happen – we value vigorous debate, alignment around our decisions, and resilient execution.

Get to know us:

At Sana, we believe that a workforce with varied backgrounds strengthens us as a company and helps us to achieve our mission to meaningfully change the outcome of many human diseases. This belief is a pillar of our business and is critical to our success. Our goal is that Sana is the place for talented people to bring their authentic selves to work, to have a great career and to deeply, positively impact patients. Core to our values, we believe there is nothing more important than the health and wellness of you and your family. For benefit eligible employees, we cover a generous portion of the cost for employee health coverage, making high-quality care more accessible and affordable. We offer ample time-off (various paid time off benefits, such as holidays, vacation, sick time, and parental leave), short- and long-term disability, employer paid basic life insurance, additional voluntary life insurance protection, financial wellness programs including financial planning resources, a 401(k) Plan with an immediately vested employer match, Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, commuter subsidy and a variety of wellness offerings to support each person individually.

We are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental or sensory disability (including the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability), genetic information, actual or perceived HIV or Hepatitis C infection, medical condition (cancer or a record or history of cancer and genetic characteristics), marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), disability, veteran status, political ideology, social class (including caste/caste identity), taking or requesting statutorily protected leave, status a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each job responsibility satisfactorily. The job description listed above is representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions described above.