Senior Scientist, Bioconjugation

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 an experienced Senior Scientist, Bioconjugation to join our growing Non-Viral Therapeutics Team. The ideal candidate will lead the execution of the bioconjugation strategy to enable development of our brain-penetrant antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate (AOC) platform. This role requires strong cross-functional collaboration with Protein Science, Oligonucleotide Chemistry, and Technical Operations teams to develop and advance brain-penetrant oligonucleotide conjugates. Reporting to the Senior Director of Protein Science and Bioconjugation, this role is an opportunity to establish capabilities that will contribute novel biotherapeutic candidates to Voyager’s growing pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement a strategy to develop scalable bioconjugation processes enabling antibody-oligonucleotide-conjugate platform optimization
• Contribute to the growth of Voyager’s non-viral pipeline by delivering on critical platform and program goals related to oligonucleotide delivery to the CNS
• Establish capabilities in-house to support production and characterization of oligonucleotide bioconjugates
• Establish cross-functional relationships with downstream CMC groups to ensure seamless transition of AOC methods from Research to Development
• Maintain a high degree of awareness of current technological advancements in the oligonucleotide/ADC space
• Develop and manage timelines for platform activities by prioritizing resources and objectives

Qualifications

• PhD in biochemistry, protein engineering, chemical engineering or related field
• 4+ years of industry experience
• A deep knowledge of the latest developments in critically relevant areas of antibody bioconjugation, including site-specific approaches, chemical and enzymatic techniques, and linker optimization
• Experience with oligonucleotide conjugation is strongly preferred
• Direct hands-on experience with analytical characterization techniques for assessing conjugate quality control, stability in biological matrices, and cellular activity (e.g. SDS-PAGE, SEC, IEX, LC-MS/MS, ELISA/MSD, tissue culture, qPCR)
• Prior experience managing contract research organizations (CROs) for the production and characterization of bioconjugates is desired
• Outstanding analytical, research and organizational skills
• Self-motivated with an ability to handle multiple projects, meet deadlines and make decisions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

*Position level determined by candidate experience