Senior Scientist, Nucleic Acid Delivery

About the Opportunity

Asriel is working with a venture-backed biotechnology company developing next-generation genetic medicines.

The company requires delivery systems adapted to different tissues, therapeutic applications and administration routes. This role will lead delivery development from early formulation and laboratory testing through preclinical validation and transfer into manufacturing.

About the Role

You will take ownership of lipid-based delivery development across the company’s therapeutic programmes. Working closely with construct engineering, biology and preclinical teams, you will optimise formulations for effective tissue targeting and functional activity.

This is a hands-on role spanning formulation design, analytical characterisation, cell-based evaluation, preclinical handover and manufacturing scale-up.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of lipid nanoparticle delivery systems across local, systemic and respiratory administration routes
• Design and optimise formulations for nucleic acid payloads
• Characterise formulations using measures such as particle size, encapsulation efficiency and surface charge
• Evaluate delivery performance in cell lines and primary cells using functional biological readouts
• Select promising formulations for progression into in vivo studies and support their transfer to preclinical teams
• Develop scalable formulation processes using microfluidic mixing
• Support the evaluation and selection of external manufacturing partners
• Contribute to process transfer and the development of GMP-compatible manufacturing workflows
• Collaborate with biology and engineering teams to connect formulation properties with therapeutic performance

Required Experience

• PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, drug delivery, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering or a related discipline
• At least 3 to 5 years of hands-on experience developing lipid nanoparticle formulations
• Strong experience in at least two of the following areas:

• Encapsulation and delivery of nucleic acid payloads
• Tissue-selective delivery through lipid design or formulation screening
• Delivery through pulmonary or other specialised administration routes
• Experience with microfluidic formulation methods and process scale-up
• Experience assessing delivery performance in both established cell lines and primary cells
• Strong understanding of how physicochemical formulation properties influence biological activity

Preferred Experience

• Development of formulations for specialised local administration routes
• Experience transferring formulation processes to a contract manufacturing organisation
• Familiarity with advanced in vitro tissue models and aerosol-based delivery methods
• Understanding of CMC development and GMP manufacturing requirements