Associate Director, Protein Engineering

Arbor Biotechnologies™, a next-generation gene editing company based in Cambridge, MA, is advancing a pipeline of novel gene editing therapeutics to address a wide range of genetic conditions – from the ultra-rare to the most common genetic diseases. The company’s unique suite of optimized gene editors goes beyond the limitations of early editing technologies to unlock access to new gene targets and has fueled a robust pipeline of first-in-class assets focused on diseases of high unmet need.

With Arbor’s lead program, ABO-101 for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1, progressing into clinical trials, the company continues to focus their research and development efforts on genomic diseases of the liver and CNS for which there are no existing functional cures. For more information, please visit: arbor.bio.

You’re driven by purpose and fueled by curiosity. You take ownership, think boldly, and stay resilient through challenge. You lead with humility, value diverse perspectives, and put the success of the team above personal recognition.

That’s who thrives  this resonates, read on.

We are seeking an Associate Director to lead our protein engineering team to maximize the efficacy of our cutting-edge genome editing tools. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a team environment, is highly organized, and loves tackling challenging scientific problems to enable new types of treatments. You will be in a critical role centralizing our protein engineering efforts, proposing new engineering strategies, managing multiple engineering campaigns, and communicating across multiple functions within R&D.

• Lead the protein engineering strategy and team responsible for advancing Arbor’s CRISPR-based gene editing technologies, establishing the roadmap for enzyme optimization through mutagenesis, screening, and next-generation engineering approaches.
• Drive protein engineering initiatives to improve enzyme activity and performance across diverse editing contexts, prioritizing approaches that support the advancement of Arbor’s therapeutic pipeline.
• Partner with cross functional leadership to align protein engineering priorities with platform and therapeutic program needs, including advancing compact RT editors and extended RT write capabilities.
• Establish frameworks for evaluating and prioritizing engineered variants across campaigns, guiding the selection of candidates for downstream validation and translational development.
• Lead cross-functional efforts to advance optimized variants into translational contexts.
• Build and scale Arbor’s protein engineering capabilities by mentoring and developing scientists while establishing best practices for mutagenesis, screening, and variant characterization
• Contribute to the long-term evolution of Arbor’s gene editing platform, identifying new engineering approaches and technologies that expand editing performance and therapeutic applicability.

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Chemical Biology, Chemical Engineering or related discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience in protein engineering
• 4+ years of experience engineering nucleic acid binding proteins (CRISPR nucleases, polymerases, recombinases, transcription factors, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience building and leading high-performing scientific teams, including direct management and mentorship of scientists engaged in protein engineering and screening.
• Demonstrated ability to characterize protein properties (expression, stability, etc.) and use to forward engineering campaigns
• Familiarity with a broad array of gene editing technologies and the CRISPR landscape
• Familiarity with NGS sequencing (Illumina, Nanopore, Pac Bio)
• Experience with tissue culture and transfection; experience with LNP delivery or AAV packaging is a plus

• Highly organized and comfortable with large datasets
• Strategic thinker that can forward plan to maximize resources
• Clear and friendly communication of complex topics
• Team-first attitude that makes everyone strive for success
• Decisive decision making in the face of biological uncertainty

Our values govern the work…