Senior Director, Protein Sciences

Who are we?

We are a next-generation gene editing company focused on discovering and developing potentially curative genomic medicines, with the most extensive toolbox of proprietary genomic editors in the industry. We have the unique ability to work backward from disease pathology and choose the optimal editors or combination of editors for the disease in question. Find out more at arbor.bio.

Who are you?

Passionate, determined, and accountable. Curious, resourceful, innovative, forward thinking, and resilient. Authentic, humble, open-minded and puts team above self. At Arbor, our people embrace these qualities, so if this sounds like you then please read on!

What you can expect:

• Set strategy for protein engineering platform in collaboration with the senior leadership team and members of the SAB.
• Represent the team in interactions with internal and external partners for protein production, structure determination, and protein engineering to transition lead candidates to preclinical development.
• Provide leadership and day-to-day management of protein sciences team to meet key organizational objectives and support the professional development of direct reports.
• Provide strategic leadership for all aspects of protein engineering campaigns utilizing directed evolution and structure-based design to optimize precision editing technologies to meet disease specific performance criteria.
• Conceptualize and oversee development of biophysical & biochemical methods quantitatively measure precision editing activity in high throughput in collaboration with the research analytics & automation teams.
• Partner with the analytical sciences team to establish protein purification methodologies, workflows, QC strategies and metrics to prioritize development candidates.
• Collaborate with the computational biology team to apply protein modeling methods such as AlphaFold and machine learning approaches to capture learnings from protein engineering campaigns and inform future engineering efforts.

What you bring:

• Familiarity with standard laboratory automation for high throughput screening.
• Direct experience with state-of-the-art directed evolution methods in both bacterial and mammalian systems is required.
• Preference will be given to candidates with experience using Rosetta, AlphaFold, and related methods for protein structure prediction and modeling.
• PhD in biological engineering, biophysics, structural biology, biochemistry, or another related bioscience field.
• Knowledge of next generation sequencing techniques is also preferred.
• Excellent collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of modern structural biology approaches including cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography.
• Familiarity with standard protocols for purification, biochemical, and biophysical characterization of CRISPR enzymes.
• Experience with second generation gene editing platforms such as base editing, prime editing, or targeted insertion of large payloads is strongly preferred.
• Experience using cryo-electron microscopy for protein structure determination is preferred.
• In depth knowledge of the enzymology CRISPR gene editing systems is essential.
• 5+ years of experience building, leading, and managing protein science teams to successfully meet objectives.
• 10+ years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry experience in protein engineering, biochemistry, and structural biology.

We promote diversity and inclusion not just in our recruitment processes, but in everything we do. We’re an equal opportunity employer and we will continue to ensure our recruitment process is free of bias and our workplace is inclusive, positive, and free of discrimination and respecting of all backgrounds and beliefs.