Job Description

Full-Time position

Level: Assistant Scientist

Location: On site (Philadelphia, PA)

Start date: Available immediately

Why Join Verismo?

Our team is small but driven, with the single focus of bringing life-changing cell therapies to patients with cancer. With a solid pipeline built around the novel KIR-CAR platform, and two clinical trials underway, our technology has found a way to circumvent the barriers in solid cancer where other CAR therapies have had limited success. KIR-CARs eliminate the artificial recombinant chimeric receptors used in CAR T cells and instead use a natural NK cell derived signaling system. This system is potent against both hematologic and solid tumors, and in preclinical models is superior to current CAR T in conferring long-term, sustained anti-tumor function to overcome T cell exhaustion. We have a strong team for pre-clinical development, CMC with PD and AD, clinical product manufacture, and lead clinical investigators bringing KIR-CARs to patients in need.

Our company is comprised of individuals who each bring something unique to the table and are valued for their contributions. Our culture is based on the concept of ‘love what you do’ and the dedication that builds a team where people do their best and support one another. Because we believe our people are our greatest asset, career development is an encouraged as an investment in our team and we encourage a healthy work/life balance.

Overall Job Purpose:

An Assistant Scientist will first and foremost be a people-person, with the necessary scientific background to assist the senior Scientist with conducting scientific studies in the cutting-edge gene-engineered T cell therapy. The candidate will be working closely with our KIR-CAR translational science team in managing daily operations in the laboratory, and assisting with in vivo preclinical studies and ensuring Quality and Data Integrity are preserved in preparation for IND application and transition to first-in-human clinical trials. Additional responsibilities will include assisting with lentivirus preparation, cell line maintenance and related tasks. This role will also be fluent in communicating with our internal scientific team. The candidate will report directly to our Executive Director of Translational Science and assist R&D senior scientists with our in vivo experiments, by preparing materials, designing experiments, acquiring and analyzing data for IND-enabling studies and other translational studies. This individual will help manage daily operations in the laboratory and contribute to studies across R&D functions when needed. The candidate will be a team player who is eager to work in a fast-paced environment. 

Job summary:

• Assist R&D scientists with all in vivo experiments including, design, data acquisition, and data analysis to support pre-clinical development of Verismo’s pipeline candidates in potential cancer indications. (70%)
• Manage the daily operation in the Verismo’s translational science laboratory, including but not limited to ordering laboratory consumables and reagents, monitoring and maintaining the inventories, maintaining laboratory equipment, following safety procedures, and maintaining compliance records and lab notebooks in an industry setting. (15%)
• Assist R&D scientists with other lab tasks as assigned (15%).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• General scientific knowledge and laboratory skills. Hands-on lab work in a flexible, fast-paced industry setting is essential.
• Aseptic cell culture techniques are required.
• Working knowledge in mouse handling, IV/IP/SubQ injections, and blood and tissue collection is preferred.
• Experience in problem solving ability and ability to apply risk-based critical thinking in a technical environment.
• Ability to collaborate across R&D teams and good interpersonal skills.
• Technical written and oral communication skills are essential.
• Ability to prioritize, independently manage and complete deliverables within given timelines.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail with high quality output.
• Appropriately document research findings in lab notebooks.
• Takes responsibility for laboratory efficiency, compliance and cleanliness.

Required Qualifications, Experience & Abilities:

• B.A./B.S. in molecular biology, cell biology or related field with at least 2-3 year research experience.
• Working experience with cell culture and mice is a must.
• Molecular biology and flow cytometry experience is preferred.
• Prior industry experience with adoptive cell therapies is preferred.
• Prior experience working in a team setting.
• Well-organized and has experience documenting protocols and recording the data generated from them in an industry setting.
• Willingness to take other duties as assigned.