Senior Automation Engineer, Platform Biology
On-siteCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Job Summary
Lead biological strategy and target validation by translating human genetic evidence into rigorous, disease-relevant cellular phenotypes and translational readouts. Drive preclinical drug discovery programs from early through established stages, managing timelines, data quality, and scientific narratives across small molecules, biologics, and emerging modalities. Serve as research project lead for neurodegeneration and other therapeutic areas, overseeing iPSC-derived assay design, execution, and orthogonal validation while mentoring scientists and establishing standards for experimental rigor. Partner with data science and external CROs to integrate multi-omic datasets and accelerate learning cycles toward development readiness.
Required Qualifications
- PhD (or MD/PhD) in neuroscience, biology, immunology, genetics, or related field; or MS/BS with commensurate industry experience
- 10+ years of relevant experience (industry and/or advanced academic), including leadership roles in target validation and assay/model development
- Demonstrated success validating targets and progressing programs through a preclinical therapeutic pipeline
- Demonstrated experience in using molecular genomic tools (e.g. genome engineering, RNAi) to interrogate biological systems
- Proven experience working across multiple therapeutic areas, with emphasis on neurodegeneration and meaningful exposure to cardiovascular and immune biology
- Deep expertise in human-relevant in vitro systems (e.g., iPSC-derived models), cell culture, molecular biology, genetic manipulation, and functional assay development
- Track record of impactful scientific contributions (e.g., publications, patents, or delivered programs) and strong scientific judgment
- Experience leading and mentoring teams, including direct people management and matrix leadership across functions
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex datasets into clear recommendations for senior stakeholders
Desired Qualifications
- Hands-on experience with neuro-inflammation/immunology and CNS-relevant cell types (e.g., microglia, astrocytes, neurons, oligodendrocytes)
- Experience designing studies with external CROs and managing vendor relationships for complex assay execution
- Experience building biology capabilities within a platform or biotech environment and setting organization-wide standards
- Comfort operating in a fast-paced, ambiguity-tolerant environment with a bias toward action and learning
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