The role

DNA Script is looking for a talented Analytical Team leader to lead its Analytics platform which is an important part of the Development team. Today, DNA Script’s analytical platform has two main missions:

• A mission of service by analyzing all the synthesized oligonucleotides and proprietary reagents of the R&D teams, mainly by UHPLC-MS (HR-MS Q-ToF (Agilent), LC-MS Simple Quadrupole (Waters)) and capillary electrophoresis.
• A mission of development and continuous improvement of analytical techniques responding to the daily and specific need of all the R&D team members, such as analyzing very small quantities or very long oligonucleotides.

The candidate will lead the analytical team, a team of four talented persons. The team leader will manage day to day operation, ensuring optimum use of instrumentation, managing priorities, and limiting down time.

He/she will ensure day to day high analytical quality of results, provide suggestions and improvements to existing methods, propose new complementary analytical solutions to increase analytical capacity and to address future analytical needs.

As the analytics platform is central to R&D teams, the candidate will have to interact with many different teams, understand their needs and develop appropriate analytical solutions. He/she will, in collaboration with his team, propose, develop, and validate new analytical methods, in LC-MS and capillary electrophoresis. The analytical team leader will consolidate data from several analytical methods to provide a complete analytical picture of our oligos.

We are looking for a person who is rigorous, methodical, well organized, detail-oriented, problem-solver and capable of playing a cross-functional role within a multidisciplinary team with excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of four with a wide range of expertise.
• Manage the analytical equipment parc with the help of the team, (repair and maintenance contracts, new equipment benchmarking and buying process, data analysis pipeline and improvements ….)
• Develop analytical methods for R&D projects (sample preparation, methods of analysis, quantification method, etc.), consolidate the data from several analytical method, provide with team the big picture providing comprehensive reports to non-specialists.
• Be accountable of the analytical results quality, provide KPI and metrics to assess result quality and method limitations.
• Work in close relationship with the synthesis platform in developing new high throughput analytical methods for oligonucleotides and contaminants characterization.
• Communicate results by performing presentations, writing reports and SOPs.
• Perform regular state of the art studies on new innovative analytical methods, stay informed on new commercial products and upgrade.

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• Management experience of 5 years of an analytical team
• PhD in Analytical Chemistry (Mass Spectrometry/Capillary Electrophoresis) or Senior Engineer with 10+ years of relevant experience
• Strong organizational and interpersonal communication skills
• Demonstrated aptitude in biomolecule analysis, preferably oligonucleotides
• Good knowledge of UPLC-MS and MS/MS techniques and/or electrophoresis and associated software.
• Ability to design, execute, interpret, and troubleshoot experiments
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Highly motivated, passionate about developing tools and methods
• Ability to work independently and within a large multidisciplinary team
• Excellent level of English and good level of French

Desirable

• Experience in MS analysis or electrophoresis of oligonucleotides
• Experience with LIMS
• Experience in an ISO 13485 accredited laboratory
• Experience in Capillary Electrophoresis or other analytical methods

Miscellaneous

• Job located in Kremlin-Bicêtre (Paris area, 5 minutes from Porte d’Italie)
• Start date: ASAP

Phone interview with manager
Day Interview at the office with manager, cofounders, HR and the team
References check
Timing: around 2-3 weeks