Director, RNA Biology

ProQR Therapeutics

Leiden, Netherlands

Our Axiomer Unit is currently looking for a Director, RNA Biology, to join our team.

As a ProQR Director, RNA Biology you will use your expertise to develop the strategy to characterize the intracellular interactions of editing oligonucleotides on RNA processing mechanisms, and further investigate their downstream effects. Additionally, you will provide input based on your expertise on the development and prioritization of future research projects. To succeed in this role, you need to be a strong and proactive scientific thinker who is also able to communicate ideas/needs effectively to relevant parties with different scientific backgrounds. You should also have extensive experience in developing and/or evaluating novel nucleic acid-based therapeutics and delivery platforms.

How you will contribute:

Ideate, develop and oversee (novel) scientific projects to understand the localization, modulation and effects of base editing on various intracellular mechanisms.
Lead project team that investigates biological aspects of ProQR in-house platform, which are key to developing effective RNA-based therapeutic strategies.
Collaborate closely with R&D teams (but not limited to) to ensure seamless integration and alignment of research efforts, driving innovation and efficiency in drug development.
Proactively identify complex biological challenges and ways to progress by conducting thorough risk assessments.
Lead identification and implementation of innovative solutions using a diverse set of resources including advanced data analytics, cross-functional collaboration and the latest scientific advancements.
Develop and determine optimal approaches for new assignments by conducting comprehensive literature reviews, pilot studies, and stakeholder consultations.
Make strategic recommendations on projects based on data-driven insights, feasibility analyses, and alignment with organizational goals.
Effectively manage a wide variety of assignments by prioritizing workloads and optimizing project task allocation to deliver high-quality results while maintaining rigorous quality control standards, and continuously improving processes.
Identify key scientific collaborations with both academic and business partners and drive scientific engagement.
Be a scientific mentor.
Communicate effectively with colleagues and leadership.

We expect our Director, RNA Biology to have:

PhD degree in Molecular Biology or another relevant field, a post-graduate experience of minimum 3 years followed by at least 10 years of relevant work experience in Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Industry, preferably on RNA processing, trafficking, and/or intracellular oligonucleotide interactions
Experience in the field of RNA editing, with preferably A-to-I editing by ADARs
Extensive knowledge, experience and understanding of regulatory network of RNA processing, maturation and turnover, and their complexity
Experience in RNA modulation mediated by oligonucleotide and/or base editing therapeutics and delivery technologies is strongly preferred
Experience with working in a project-based environment with multidisciplinary teams
A proven track record of initiating and leading R&D projects
Experience in supervising/mentoring project teams
Proven ability to effectively interact with technical, scientific staff and research management
Solid understanding of in silico and computational approaches in drug development
A very good understanding of business values and project management
The ability to work in a highly dynamic organization