Scientist II, Protein Science

About Voyager Therapeutics
Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VYGR) is a biotechnology company dedicated to leveraging the power of human genetics to modify the course of – and ultimately cure – neurological diseases. Our pipeline includes programs for Alzheimer’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple other diseases of the central nervous system. Many of our programs are derived from our TRACER™ AAV capsid discovery platform, which we have used to generate novel capsids and identify associated receptors to potentially enable high brain penetration with genetic medicines following intravenous dosing. Some of our programs are wholly owned, and some are advancing with partners including Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease; Novartis Pharma AG; and Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.voyagertherapeutics.com.

Voyager Therapeutics® is a registered trademark, and TRACER™ is a trademark, of Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. 

Job Summary

Voyager Therapeutics is seeking a dedicated Scientist II, Protein Science to join our growing Non-Viral Therapeutics Team. This role will be responsible for the design, construction, and expression of fusion proteins and bispecific antibodies, to support the discovery and development of novel biotherapeutics. This role requires deep technical expertise in molecular biology and cell-based expression, as well as the ability to independently design complex molecules, troubleshoot cloning or expression problems, and guide experimental strategy across projects. The ideal candidate should have experience utilizing structural information to inform construct design.

This role will require coordination and collaboration within our Protein Science and Bioconjugation group to generate complex biotherapeutic candidates, and close interaction with our Antibody Discovery and Engineering team for seamless delivery of robust high-quality material for antibody campaigns and candidate validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and optimize mammalian cell culture expression systems for recombinant fusion protein and antibody expression
• Cell engineering, including stable cell line creation using various host cell lines
• Lead the construction and design of complex DNA constructs for recombinant protein expression using standard and advanced molecular cloning strategies (restriction cloning, Gibson assembly, Golden Gate, site-directed mutagenesis)
• Drive the optimization of cloning strategies to improve protein expression, solubility, and yields
• Utilize various bioinformatic tools for expression construct design (e.g., codon optimization and stable domain boundary determination)
• Design expression constructs incorporating various purification tagging strategies and complex multi-chain antibody formats that require chain pairing solutions
• Perform PCR, restriction digestion, ligation, plasmid preparation, bacterial cell transformation, clone selection by colony PCR and DNA sequencing, and endotoxin-free DNA scale-up
• Manage electronic plasmid and construct inventory, and cloning and expression queues
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Protein Science & Bioconjugation, Neuroscience, and Bioinformatics) to design, troubleshoot, and scale molecule production for anticipated studies in a time-sensitive manner
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date experimental records in electronic lab notebook

Qualifications

• PhD or MS in biochemistry, protein or cell engineering or related field, with 2+ years or 9+ years respectively, of relevant industry experience
• Proficiency using vector design tools and sequence analysis software for molecular biology; familiarity with high throughput cloning methods is desirable
• Experience with multiple mammalian cell line hosts
• Track record of success in designing functional stable, soluble fusion proteins
• Ability to design and execute experiments and trouble-shoot challenges independently
• Self-motivated with an ability to multitask different activities, e.g., cloning and expression
• Experience with designing bispecific antibodies is preferable, i.e. familiarity with Fab, scFv, VHH, alternate linkers, heavy chain and light chain pairing solutions
• Familiarity with protein purification methods (e.g., affinity tags such as His, Fc)
• Outstanding analytical, research, and organizational skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Attention to detail is a must-have
• Technical experience with basic chromatographic separation techniques (affinity, ion-exchange, size exclusion) to isolate homogenous monodispersed protein is a plus

The anticipated salary range for candidates for this role will be $120,000 - $157,500.  The final salary offered will depend on several factors, which may include, but is not limited to relevant years of experience, educational background, industry knowledge, technical skills and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.