Position Summary

GenScript is seeking a highly motivated and experienced scientific leader to lead its Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) R&D team in Seattle. The successful candidate will bring multidisciplinary expertise in lipid nanoparticles, nucleic acid delivery, formulation development, and RNA therapeutics, together with demonstrated scientific leadership and people-management capability.

This role will lead the development and commercialization of innovative RNA and nucleic acid delivery technologies, with a focus on LNP platforms for mRNA, DNA, small RNAs, and other emerging nucleic acid modalities. The team will translate new delivery technologies, formulations, workflows, and operating capabilities into differentiated GenScript products and services for global research and drug-development customers.

The ideal candidate is both a scientific innovator and a people leader who can convert emerging delivery technologies into scalable, reproducible, and commercially relevant solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific and Technology Leadership

• Lead the development of innovative LNP and nucleic acid delivery platforms for mRNA, DNA, small RNAs, and other therapeutic payloads across diverse research and therapeutic applications.
• Drive next-generation LNP development, including novel ionizable lipid design and synthesis, formulation optimization, targeted LNPs, extrahepatic delivery, and tissue- or cell-specific delivery strategies.
• Establish technology roadmaps and development strategies that create differentiated LNP capabilities, products, and services.
• Partner with the RNA R&D team to develop integrated RNA and delivery solutions for vaccines, gene editing, protein replacement, cell engineering, and other emerging applications.
• Provide scientific leadership for LNP formulation design, screening, characterization, optimization, and delivery-performance evaluation.
• Monitor emerging technologies, scientific publications, competitive platforms, intellectual-property trends, and industry developments in nucleic acid delivery.

Team Leadership and Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing LNP R&D team, with responsibility for workforce planning, hiring, resource allocation, budgeting, performance management, and employee development.
• Foster a culture of scientific rigor, innovation, accountability, collaboration, transparency, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor scientists through regular one-on-one meetings, technical guidance, career-development discussions, and timely, constructive feedback.
• Allocate resources effectively to achieve project milestones, platform-development objectives, and organizational priorities.

Cross-Functional and Project Leadership

• Serve as the primary technical and organizational leader for LNP R&D and partner with RNA R&D, Operations, Production, Quality, Marketing, Sales, and Program Management.
• Define project scope, technical strategy, milestones, resource requirements, risks, and timelines for key R&D programs.
• Monitor project and team performance and communicate progress, risks, scientific findings, and recommendations to senior leadership through project reviews and presentations.
• Review and approve key R&D deliverables, including research reports, experimental protocols, SOPs, technical procedures, production records, presentations, and scientific publications.

Technology Transfer and Commercialization

• Lead the translation of new LNP technologies from early-stage R&D into robust, scalable, customer-facing products and services.
• Provide technical leadership for formulation scale-up, process optimization, technology transfer, and implementation in Production and Operations.
• Work with Production, Quality, and Operations to establish reproducible processes, critical process parameters, analytical requirements, and fit-for-purpose documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve platform performance, operational efficiency, scalability, reproducibility, profitability, and customer value.

Customer and Market Engagement

• Serve as a technical expert in customer discussions involving LNP formulation, nucleic acid delivery, troubleshooting, and customized development programs.
• Partner with Commercial, Marketing, and Program Management to understand customer needs and translate them into new capabilities and service offerings.
• Participate in scientific conferences, technical seminars, and customer engagements to identify emerging trends and unmet needs.
• Translate market and customer insights into actionable R&D priorities and technology roadmaps.

Laboratory, Quality, and Safety

• Oversee the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of laboratory procedures and technical workflows.
• Promote high standards of scientific documentation, experimental reproducibility, data integrity, and laboratory organization.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laboratory-safety requirements and GenScript EHS policies, particularly for lipid chemistry, formulation development, and chemical handling.
• Collaborate with EHS, Quality, and site leadership to maintain a safe and compliant laboratory environment.
• Perform other responsibilities consistent with leading and continuously improving GenScript LNP R&D capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, or a related discipline.
• At least 5 years of relevant post-PhD industry or research experience in nucleic acid delivery, drug delivery, lipid nanoparticles, or related technologies.
• At least 2 years of direct people-management experience leading scientific or technical teams, including hiring, coaching, performance management, employee development, and resource planning.
• Deep scientific expertise in lipid nanoparticle formulation and nucleic acid delivery, particularly RNA delivery.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in LNP formulation, production, optimization, and analytical characterization.
• Strong understanding of lipid-based and/or polymeric nucleic acid delivery technologies.
• Experience with particle size/PDI, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, RNA concentration, lipid composition, morphology, and stability assessment.
• Experience evaluating nucleic acid delivery performance in relevant in vitro and/or in vivo models.
• Strong understanding of RNA biology and analytical methods for evaluating RNA quality, delivery, and functional expression.
• Experience with relevant molecular and cellular methods, which may include RT-qPCR, ELISA, Western blotting, flow cytometry, fluorescence-based assays, gel electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis, and RNA-quantification methods.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex data, identify root causes, design effective experiments, and make data-driven development decisions.
• Strong project-management and organizational capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and development programs.
• Excellent scientific writing, presentation, interpersonal, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and influence across technical and business functions without direct authority.
• High standards of integrity, scientific rigor, accountability, teamwork, and professional conduct.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in novel ionizable lipid design or synthesis, targeted LNPs, extrahepatic delivery, or cell-specific nucleic acid delivery.
• Experience developing LNPs for mRNA therapeutics, vaccines, gene editing, in vivo cell engineering, siRNA, or other nucleic acid modalities.
• Experience transitioning technologies from early-stage R&D through scale-up, technology transfer, production, or commercial service launch.
• Experience in a CRO/CDMO, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life-science service organization.
• Experience working directly with customers, external collaborators, or commercial teams on technical development programs.
• Demonstrated innovation through new technology development, patents, publications, platform development, or successful product/service launches.

Success Profile

The successful candidate will combine deep scientific expertise with strong leadership and execution. They will be comfortable moving between hands-on scientific problem-solving, technology strategy, team development, cross-functional execution, and customer engagement. Most importantly, they will bring scientific curiosity, ownership, creativity, and urgency to building next-generation LNP technologies that strengthen GenScript's global RNA and nucleic acid delivery capabilities.

Perks: 

• Free colleague meals during shift
• Onsite gyms

Compensation:
Salary range: $125,000 – $160,000 total compensation, including bonus, depending on experience and qualifications.