At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits.
This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.
As a Senior Scientist within Cell Therapy Analytical Development's Attribute Science group, this technically deep, collaborative, and driven individual will serve as the team's technical leader and subject matter expert for AAV and LVV analytical methods. Grounded in a strong foundation of virology, this person will lead the development, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of methods used to characterize viral vector drug substances, while mentoring and guiding other scientists on the team to elevate the group's collective technical capability. This role will help build and elevate CTAD's viral vector analytical expertise to advance next-generation cell therapy modalities.
Key Responsibilities
- ✓Serve as the team's technical leader for AAV and LVV analytical methods, setting technical direction on method selection, development, and lifecycle management.
- ✓Independently troubleshoot and resolve complex method and instrument performance issues, applying a strong mechanistic understanding of viral vector biology and assay chemistry.
- ✓Develop, qualify, and continuously improve robust analytical methods to characterize AAV and LVV drug substances, including assessment of vector identity, purity, potency, and functional integrity.
- ✓Mentor and coach scientists and associate scientists on the team, elevating overall technical proficiency in viral vector method execution and troubleshooting.
- ✓Partner with process development, manufacturing, and CMC to diagnose and resolve method-related deviations and investigations impacting viral vector programs.
- ✓Lead the identification and definition of Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) for vector drug substances, integrating virology expertise into attribute strategy.
- ✓Author and review SOPs, technical reports, and regulatory submission documents (including S.3.1 sections), ensuring scientific rigor and compliance.
- ✓Present technical strategy and findings to team leadership, cross-functional partners, and external collaborators.
- ✓Collaborate cross-functionally with CTAD peers, research, process development, and CMC, representing viral vector analytical expertise in early platform assessment and program-level discussions.
- ✓Stay current with emerging viral vector analytical technologies and virology literature, bringing new approaches and best practices into the team's toolbox.
Qualifications & Experience
- ✓Ph.D. in Virology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, or a related discipline with relevant industry experience; or M.S./B.S. with proportionally greater hands-on experience in viral vector analytical development
- ✓Solid foundation in virology, including AAV and/or lentiviral biology, vector genome structure, capsid/envelope biology, and vector-host interactions
- ✓Demonstrated track record independently troubleshooting analytical methods (e.g., qPCR/ddPCR, ELISA, potency/functional assays, capsid or particle characterization) end-to-end, from root-cause diagnosis to resolution
- ✓Proven ability to act as a technical resource and informal leader, mentoring colleagues and driving consistent, high-quality execution across the team
- ✓Hands-on experience developing and qualifying analytical methods for viral (AAV/LVV) gene delivery platforms in a regulated environment; experience with non-viral platforms (e.g., RNP, RNA, LNP) is a plus
- ✓Strong collaborative mindset, with experience partnering cross-functionally across process development, manufacturing, and CMC
- ✓Experience contributing to CQA strategy, technical reports, and regulatory submission documents
- ✓Excellent verbal, written, and oral communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex technical concepts to varied audiences
- ✓Experience with automation and high-throughput analytical solutions is a plus
We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway.
Compensation Overview
Seattle - WA: $124,190 - $150,483