About Cirrus Therapeutics

Cirrus Therapeutics is a privately held ocular immunology-focused biotech revolutionizing the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other chronic blinding diseases with groundbreaking cell and gene therapies to preserve sight, extend ocular healthspan, and enable a better quality of life as people age. Our lead program is a preclinical stage, novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) ocular gene therapy designed to potentially reverse an underlying cause of dry AMD: loss of IRAK-M protein, a key immune regulator expressed in retinal cells.

Main objectives and responsibilities

We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist with an outcome-driven mindset who thrives in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate possesses experience in cell and gene therapy and expertise in molecular biology to join our innovative biotech team. The successful candidate will contribute to the development and optimization of our therapeutic programs and assets in a close-knit global team, and will work on projects under preclinical development during this traineeship.

Key Responsibilities

Research & Development:

• Design, execute, and analyze in vitro and in vivo experiments related to cell and gene therapy assets, including viral vector development, cell engineering, and therapeutic payload optimization

• Develop and optimize molecular biology techniques including PCR, qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry, and cell-based functional assays

Collaboration & Communication:

• Work cross-functionally across global sites, able to attend cross-site meetings in some evenings

• Present research findings at internal meetings and contribute to scientific publications and patents

• Maintain detailed electronic laboratory notebooks and ensure data integrity

• Contribute to future regulatory filings and technical reports

Lab Organisation & Management:

• Maintain compliance with safety protocols and regulatory guidelines

• Keep accurate and organized laboratory notebooks and electronic records

• Maintain laboratory inventory and order supplies proactively

Required Qualifications

• PhD degree in biology-related field

• Proficiency in aseptic technique, mammalian cell culture and molecular biology fundamentals and techniques; expertise in -omics is a plus

• Experience in cell or gene therapy preferred, understanding of ocular biology and/or immunology a plus

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

• Ability to work independently and troubleshoot experimental issues

• Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills

Skills to be learnt

• Project Management

• Biomedical

• Biology