Azalea Therapeutics

Job Title: Analytical Development Scientist I Reports to: Principal Scientist Location: Berkeley, California Employment Type: Full Time, onsite 4-5 days/week FLSA Status: Exempt Bonus/Equity: Eligible About Azalea Azalea Therapeutics is enabling precision genome engineering directly inside the body, with an initial focus on creating cancer immunotherapies in vivo. Azalea is pioneering a new way to turn a person’s own T cells into a powerful cancer therapy — directly inside the body. Instead of removing cells and manipulating them in a lab, we use precision genome editing tools to engineer T cells where they already live. At the center of our approach are Enveloped Delivery Vehicles, or EDVs. As highly selective couriers, EDVs are designed to specifically locate T cells within the patient and deliver our genome engineering cargo. Once inside the cell, the anti-cancer agent is inserted into a precise site in the genome, ensuring safe and potent modifications to fortify the T cells against cancers. Why this matters: ● We aim to make cell therapy faster and more accessible by avoiding complex manufacturing outside the body. ● Our platform is designed for precision, so the right cells are safely programmed to effectively fight cancer. ● This technology has the potential to treat a wide range of cancers with a streamlined, scalable process. Our goal is simple: develop next-generation delivery technologies to bring genetic engineering and cell therapies to more patients. The Opportunity We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist to support the development and execution of analytics for lentiviral and/or adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to support in vivo gene therapies. Reporting to a Principal Scientist, this role will include overseeing internal development of cell-based potency assays including, nucleic acid detection assays, and protein-based assays (e.g. qPCR, ddPCR, ELISA, Western blot, LCMS, etc). This role will also include coordinating activities with external CRO partners, including assay transfer, qualification, and execution on program-driven timelines. If you are a passionate and talented scientist looking to make a significant impact in the field of in vivo delivery, we encourage you to apply. Key Responsibilities ● Serve as a hands-on analytical lead for cell, nucleic acid, and protein based viral vector characterization activities in collaboration with internal teams and external CROs. ● Coordinate assay transfer, optimization, and qualification at external partners to support preclinical and IND-enabling studies. ● Review, interpret, and troubleshoot internal and CRO/CDMO-generated data to ensure scientific rigor and regulatory readiness. ● This role will require 70% internal assay development work, and 30% external collaboration. ● Contribute to the design and execution of analytical strategies supporting identity, purity, potency, and safety testing. ● Author and review technical documentation including assay descriptions, protocols, reports, and sections of regulatory submissions. ● Partner cross-functionally with CMC, process development, manufacturing, and quality to support vector development. ● Support internal assay development and execution as needed, particularly during early-stage method development or troubleshooting. Qualifications ● Minimum Qualifications o PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, or a related field with 1-3 years of industry experience OR o MS with 5-8 years of relevant industry experience. o Independent design and execution of cell-based transduction, infection, or potency assays ideally for viral vector activity or expression in vitro. o Familiarity with developing and optimizing nucleic acid and/or protein-based assays (e.g. qPCR, ddPCR, ELISA, MSD, Western Blot, LCMS, etc). o Working knowledge of ICH Q2(R2) Guidelines for Analytical Procedures, and parameters for assay qualification. o Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage parallel activities on tight timelines. o Adaptable and capable of mentoring junior team members. o Comfortable operating in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving priorities. ● Preferred Qualifications o Background in gene therapy, CMC or QC analytics o Familiarity with assay qualification/validation principles o Experience with in-process and release testing for viral vector products o Experience supporting IND submissions or regulatory interactions o Experience managing analytical activities across multiple vendors o Prior experience working in a regulated, GMP, or GxP-adjacent environment What Success Looks Like (first 3–6 months) ● Gain hands on learning of core analytical assays for AAV and/or lentiviral vectors. ● Optimization and refinement of a cell-based potency assay, in collaboration with junior scientists. ● Successfully kick off the development of critical assays at an external CRO. Working Conditions / Physical Requirements (if/as applicable) ● Occasional travel to CROs as needed (under 10% of total time). ● Ability to sit and stand throughout the day to complete lab activities. Compensation ● The expected salary range for this role based on the primary location for this position in California is $115,000- $140,000 per year. Offer amounts are determined by factors such as experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. Azalea’s Commitments Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): Azalea is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable Accommodation: We will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, consistent with applicable law. To request accommodation, email HR at [email protected] ( [email protected] ). Applicant Privacy: Azalea collects and uses applicant personal information for recruiting and employment purposes. If applicable, Azalea will provide a California applicant privacy notice describing categories of information collected, purposes, retention, and rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA). Job Description Disclaimer: This job description may change at any time based on business needs. It is not a contract and does not create a promise of employment for any particular duration. Notice to Recruiters/Staffing Agencies: Recruiters and staffing agencies should not contact Azalea Therapeutics through this page. We require that all Recruitment Vendors (e.g., search firms, recruitment agencies and staffing companies) have a fully executed, formal written agreement on file with Azalea prior to submitting candidates. Any resumes submitted through the website or directly by Recruitment Vendors will be considered unsolicited. Unsolicited vendor submissions do not constitute any actual or implied contract with Azalea, and Azalea will not be responsible for any purported fees. For more information, please contact our HR team at [email protected] ( [email protected] ). Information on Fraudulent Job Offers: Azalea is aware that some job seekers have received false employment offers or recruitment emails from individuals or organizations posing as Azalea. The individuals or organizations sending these false employment offers may send requests seeking to gain personal information, items of value or monetary funds under the premise that doing so is required to further the recruitment process. Azalea never requests passport details, financial information, items of value or money from job seekers for any reason as part of the recruitment process. Individuals who receive an offer of employment from Azalea are always required to go through a formal recruitment process, which includes an interview with a member of Azalea’s Human Resources recruitment team and the hiring manager. Legitimate email communications from Azalea will also only use emails that end in “@azaleatx.com” from our core recruitment team. Fraudulent emails claiming to be sent by Azalea or Azalea employees may come from similar sounding emails with endings like “@azaleajobs.com” or “@azalea.com” or even emails ending in common public domain addresses with endings like “@gmail.com,” “hotmail.com” or “@yahoo.com.” There can also be instances of fraudulent communication that use the names and pictures of known company employees claiming to be sent from those employees, or that even link out to fake websites that were created to look and feel like the real company website. We are taking steps to investigate these fraudulent communications. If you feel that you have been a potential victim of an employment application scam, please contact the Internet Crimes Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov( https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint ). The Internet Crimes Complaint Center is an FBI entity that aggregates criminal events in order to analyze and prosecute numerous related scams.