Principal Scientist – Galway (On-site)
Our client is an early-stage, fast-growing biotechnology company using a proprietary bioengineered stem-cell exosome delivery platform to develop transformative therapies for respiratory disease, cancer, and beyond.
What you'll work on:
* Lead complex research programmes across lung cancer, CF, COPD, ARDS + future CNS applications
* Drive scientific innovation in EV/exosome engineering, gene therapy & regenerative biology
* Design & execute preclinical studies: delivery, mechanism, efficacy, safety
* Develop & validate assays (qPCR, microRNA, flow cytometry, ELISA, Western blot, NTA, protein expression)
* Contribute to upstream/downstream process development, scale-up and CMC-readiness
* Collaborate closely with CMC, regulatory, toxicology and external CRO/academic partners
* Mentor Senior Scientists & shape best-practice across the R&D organisation
* Support IND-enabling packages, documentation and regulatory interactions
What they're looking for:
* PhD + 5–7+ years in biotech, gene therapy, or advanced biologics
* Expertise in molecular/cellular biology, gene & microRNA engineering, EV biology, or exosome-based delivery
* Experience advancing therapeutic candidates through preclinical → IND
* Knowledge of scalable cell culture systems, EV production & purification
* Strong analytical assay development experience (flow cytometry, ELISA, qPCR, NTA, protein work)
* Understanding of GMP/GLP and CMC workflows
* Leadership experience within fast-paced biotech teams