Scientist II/Senior Scientist, Biology

About us:

NextRNA Therapeutics, Inc. is a Boston-based biotechnology company leading the next revolution of RNA-directed therapeutics. Our focus is on identifying and drugging long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) with small molecules in oncology and neuroscience.

Our proprietary computational engine, combined with deep lncRNA biology expertise and strong drug discovery capabilities, positions us well to unlock the therapeutic value of lncRNAs, a vast and promising target space.

NextRNA has assembled an experienced team of industry leaders, biology and chemistry experts, and drug developers, all driven by a common passion for working together and having an impact on science and patients.

About you:

As a Scientist II/Sr. Scientist I at NextRNA Therapeutics, you will join an interdisciplinary team of highly creative and talented individuals whose vision is to improve patients’ lives by expanding the space of RNA-targeted therapies. You will have a key role in contributing to the biology efforts for one or more of our high priority programs. In this role, you will have an opportunity to work with a diverse team of biologists, biochemists, chemists and bioinformaticians to support drug discovery.

• You are a rigorous scientist who takes pride in your ability to execute at the bench.
• You are a real team player and collaboration is one of your best strengths.
• You are conscientious, organized, and detailed oriented.
• You are tenacious and thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy pushing the edge of what is possible.
• You enjoy wearing several hats and volunteer to take on additional responsibilities for the good of the company and the team.
• You possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
• You adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions and cope effectively with complexity and change.
• You preserve and promote our diverse company culture by showing support and compassion to your coworkers.

What you’ll do:

• Independently plan, conduct and analyze innovative and well-controlled experiments to advance our small molecules and to understand their mechanism of action.
• Develop functional assays tailored to our drug discovery programs.
• Maintain scientific integrity by keeping detailed and organized records of experimental protocols and results.
• Communicate and present experimental outcomes effectively across the organization through oral presentations and research reports.
• Work effectively in a cross-functional capacity with bioinformatics, biochemistry and chemistry teams to deliver high-quality results in an efficient manner.

Key Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biology, Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Genetics, or equivalent.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience required, with at least 2 years in industry required.
• Experience in cancer biology and early-stage oncology drug discovery process is required.
• Strong foundational knowledge of RNA biology and experience with mechanism of action studies is preferred.
• Proven track record of scientific innovation, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications or scientific presentations.
• Proficiency in mammalian cell culture, common molecular biology techniques such as RNA isolation, PCR/qPCR, Western Blot, ChIP and reporter gene assays is required.
• Experience with gene silencing techniques such as RNAi-mediated transient gene knockdown and/or CRISPR/Cas9 is required.
• Experience with automation and other high-throughput tools and instrumentation is a plus.
• Capacity for quantitative and/or statistical analysis using common software tools (e.g., GraphPad Prism, Microsoft Suite, etc.).