The Role:The Sr. Director of Gene Editing Services serves as a strategic and operational leader overseeing both client-facing scientific support and the internal research and development pipeline for ElevateBio's gene editing technologies. The Sr. Director of Gene Editing Services is a leadership position at the intersection of scientific innovation and translational application. This individual provides unified strategic direction and operational oversight across two interdependent domains: external client engagement-encompassing technical consultation, project design, and collaborative deployment of genome engineering solutions and technology advancement. This role will report into the Chief Technology Officer and requires a leader who can simultaneously champion scientific excellence at the bench level and execute commercially viable strategies that position the organization as a premier provider of gene editing services across therapeutic.
Here's What You'll Do:Strategic & Operational Leadership- Define and execute the strategic vision for gene editing service offerings, aligning technology innovation with market demand and client needs
- Oversee end-to-end operations of the gene editing services division, including resource allocation, budgeting, and capacity planning
- Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for both scientific output and client engagement metrics
- Drive cross-functional alignment between business development, quality assurance, and manufacturing teams
Client-Facing Scientific Support- Serve as the principal scientific authority for high-value client engagements, providing expert consultation on experimental design, target selection, delivery modalities, and functional validation strategies
- Lead technical due diligence for partnership and licensing discussions involving proprietary gene editing platforms
- Oversee the design and execution of custom gene editing projects, ensuring deliverables meet client specifications for efficiency, specificity, and off-target profiling
- Translate complex genomic engineering data into actionable insights for clients across therapeutic, agricultural, and industrial biotechnology sectors
Internal Technology Pipeline Management- Direct the internal technology portfolio, prioritizing programs that advance novel editing modalities, improve delivery systems, and expand targetable genomic loci
- Supervise the development and optimization of guide RNA (gRNA) design algorithms, donor template engineering, and high-throughput screening workflows
- Evaluate emerging technologies (e.g., epigenome editing, RNA editing, transposon-based integration) for incorporation into the service platform
- Oversee intellectual property strategy, including patent landscape analysis and freedom-to-operate assessments
Team Leadership & Development- Recruit, mentor, and retain a multidisciplinary team of molecular biologists, computational biologists, and translational scientists
- Foster a culture of scientific rigor, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving
- Establish training programs to maintain team proficiency in rapidly evolving gene editing methodologies
Requirements:Education Requirements- Required: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related discipline
- Preferred: Postdoctoral training with a focus on genome engineering, programmable nucleases, or functional genomics
- Advantageous: M.B.A. or equivalent business/management credential demonstrating competency in strategic leadership and commercial operations
Experience Requirements- Minimum 12-15 years of progressive experience in gene editing, genome engineering, or related molecular biology disciplines, with at least 5-7 years in a senior leadership or director-level role
- Minimum 5 years of direct experience managing client-facing scientific services, technical account management, or collaborative research partnerships
- Minimum 5 years of experience leading teams through full project lifecycles-from target identification and construct design through functional validation and data delivery
- Demonstrated track record of managing multi-million-dollar budgets and delivering projects on time and within scope
- Proven experience with regulatory and compliance frameworks relevant to gene editing applications (e.g., FDA, EMA, USDA-APHIS guidelines)
Technical Competencies- Deep expertise in CRISPR-Cas systems, base editors, and prime editors
- Proficiency in next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based off-target analysis
- Strong understanding of viral and non-viral delivery platforms (AAV, LNP, electroporation, RNP delivery)
- Experience with primary cell editing, and in vivo gene editing models
- Familiarity with bioinformatics pipelines for variant calling, indel quantification, and large-scale genomic data analysis
- Knowledge of GMP-compatible workflows and translational gene editing for therapeutic applications
Leadership & Professional Competencies- Exceptional scientific communication skills-ability to present complex data to diverse audiences including C-suite executives, academic collaborators, and regulatory bodies
- Strategic mindset with demonstrated ability to identify market opportunities and translate them into scalable service offerings
- Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals and/or patent portfolio in genome engineering
- Experience navigating intellectual property landscapes and negotiating licensing agreements
- Proven ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organizational structure
- Prior experience in a contract research organization (CRO), contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), or biotechnology platform company
The budgeted range for this position is $240,000 - $330,000. This range is a good faith estimate of the expected salary range for this position, based on a wide range of factors including qualifications, experience and training, operational and business needs and other considerations permitted by law.
