Principal/Senior Scientist, mRNA Engineering

Location: South San Francisco, United States; onsite laboratory role

Salary: $170,000–$200,000 per year

Company

hirify.global is a biotechnology company developing medicines for age-related diseases by reprogramming the epigenome and restoring regenerative potential in aged and diseased cells.

What you will do

• Execute and scale end-to-end mRNA production, including template preparation, in vitro transcription, and purification.
• Operate TFF and chromatography systems for large-scale RNA batches.
• Implement and interpret mRNA quality control assays, including direct RNA sequencing, fragment analysis, dsRNA quantitation, and residual contaminant analysis.
• Author and maintain SOPs and batch records to ensure production runs meet GLP standards.
• Design experiments to improve mRNA sequence potency, specificity, and manufacturing performance.
• Train, manage, and mentor team members on mRNA optimization and production workflows.

Requirements

• PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience of 5+ years.
• Deep hands-on experience with in vitro transcription and scaling nucleic acid production.
• Proficiency with TFF and chromatography systems for large-scale RNA purification.
• Ability to perform and interpret mRNA QC assays and troubleshoot production challenges.
• Strong experience drafting technical reports and standardized protocols.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with Python or R for sequence analysis and secondary structure prediction.
• Understanding of how mRNA quality attributes affect LNP formulation and delivery.
• Experience with complex plasmid design and bacterial scale-up for DNA template generation.
• Experience managing external contract manufacturing organizations.

Culture & Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid parental leave.
• 20 days of paid time off per year plus holidays.
• Meals and snacks provided onsite.