Senior Scientist, mRNA Design & Platform Innovation

Prime Medicine was founded to bring the promise of gene editing to patients. We use Prime Editing, a next-generation “search-and-replace” technology that finds the precise place in the genome to edit and swaps in a corrected copy of DNA — designed to make only the right edit, in the right position, while minimizing unwanted changes elsewhere in the genome. A single Prime Editor can be tuned to correct the individual mutation found in a given patient, giving Prime Editing the potential to address the vast majority of known disease-causing genetic mutations, across many different tissues, organs, and cell types.

Position Overview

We are seeking an exceptionally driven, discovery-minded Senior Scientist to join our Platform Technology & Innovation team. This team sits at the very heart of Prime Medicine's innovation engine, reflecting our commitment to accelerating the next frontier of Prime Editing science. Its mission is to invent, establish, and rapidly implement the platform technologies that will define what new capabilities Prime Editing can achieve, and ultimately, what cures become possible for patients.

Reporting to the VP of Platform Technology & Innovation, the successful candidate will focus primarily on the design and engineering of RNA components for Prime Editing systems, while also applying molecular biology and Prime Editing expertise to other platform-level research challenges. Unlike most industry roles, this position offers a rare combination of deep, inventive science and direct translational impact with purposeful innovation where discoveries made here move rapidly and deliberately into programs working toward patient benefit. As the portfolio grows, this role is expected to take on additional scope.

This is a hands-on experimental role with a strong cross-functional dimension. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in RNA biology and mRNA engineering, a rigorous and creative scientific mindset, and an unwavering commitment to translating breakthrough science into real-world impact. The team is currently focused on extrahepatic delivery to the lung, laying the foundation for expansion into additional tissues and organs.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, construct, and systematically optimize novel mRNA architectures for Prime Editing applications, including UTR sequences, open reading frame design, codon usage, cap structures, poly(A) tail configurations, and RNA secondary structure, individually and in combination, to maximize expression, stability, translational efficiency, and in vivo performance
• Design and execute well-controlled experiments to probe structure-function relationships in Prime Editing system components; generate clean, interpretable data that drives platform design decisions
• Lead discovery efforts for novel therapeutic approaches and platform-level applications enabled by Prime Editing, beyond core mRNA design, partnering with program and platform teams to advance the most promising directions
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Computational Biology, Technical Development, and program teams) as well as external collaborators and CROs to translate platform advances into program-specific solutions, including supporting Development Candidate nominations
• Maintain active engagement with the scientific literature and emerging technologies in mRNA engineering, RNA biology, and gene editing to anticipate the next wave of innovation and identify external advances or collaborations worth pursuing
• Communicate research findings clearly to internal scientific audiences; contribute to publications, patent filings, and conference presentations that advance Prime Medicine's scientific profile
• Adhere to all laboratory safety requirements and procedures; author, review, and maintain accurate laboratory notebooks
• Mentor and provide day-to-day scientific direction to research associates and interns/co-op students, with potential dotted-line oversight of additional staff as the team scales; contribute to a culture of scientific excellence, intellectual curiosity, and collaborative problem-solving

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, RNA Biology, Chemical Biology, or a closely related field, plus 5+ years of relevant postdoctoral and/or drug discovery research experience
• Deep hands-on expertise in mRNA biology and engineering, including practical experience with in vitro transcription (IVT), UTR design and optimization, codon usage, RNA secondary structure, and the relationship between mRNA sequence design and protein expression outcomes
• Experience working in a collaborative, cross-functional research environment with the ability to contribute meaningfully to team science while driving individual workstreams autonomously
• Experience with next-generation or engineered RNA formats (e.g., circular RNA, modified nucleosides, or related modalities) is a plus
• Familiarity with CRISPR-based or other precision gene editing technologies
• Experience applying computational tools or AI/ML approaches to mRNA sequence design or optimization is a plus
• Experience translating RNA-based therapeutic technologies from in vitro systems into in vivo animal models, using non-viral (e.g., LNP) or viral (e.g., AAV) delivery systems
• Working knowledge of human biology and animal models of disease as they relate to therapeutic development
• Excellent scientific communication skills, with the ability to present complex findings clearly to diverse audiences and contribute to written scientific outputs; strong publication and presentation record, with engagement in the broader scientific community (e.g., conferences, scientific societies)
• Experience providing day-to-day scientific direction to research associates, interns, or co-op students, and comfort collaborating with and directing the work of external CROs; success operating within a lean, matrixed team, including dotted-line working relationships, is a plus

This position in the Platform Technology & Innovation team is a rare opportunity to join a small, world-class team doing foundational science with direct and rapid translation to impact patients — for a scientist who brings both rigor and imagination to the hardest problems in RNA engineering.