Postdoc - AAV vectors for drug discovery research

Postdoc - AAV vectors for drug discovery research

The Position

Shape the future of therapeutic innovation with next‑generation vector technologies!
Join a cutting-edge research team advancing drug target validation through next-generation vector technologies. As a Postdoctoral Scientist, you will engineer and characterize Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to facilitate tissue-specific or pan-tissue gene modulation approaches for the exploration of novel therapeutic concepts in early research. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with multidisciplinary experts and contribute to transformative approaches in drug discovery within a dynamic pharma research environment.
Ready to push the boundaries of science? Apply now and become part of our innovation-driven team!

This Position is limited for 2 years. Note: To make it easier to find our job advertisements, we use the usual designation "postdoc". Of course, this advertisement is not only addressed to applicants directly after completing their doctorate, but to all qualified candidates.

Tasks & responsibilities

• In your new role one of your key tasks will lie in the conception of strategies for the identification of pan-tissue transducing AAV vectors, which might include in silico design, directed evolution or combinatorial approaches.
• You will produce, purify and analyze AAV preparations, and conduct in vivo studies to select and characterize promising vector candidates in mice.
• In this context, you will apply DNA-, RNA-, and protein-based readouts, such as qPCR, in situ hybridization, sequencing and immunohistochemistry.
• Suitable vectors will be applied to modulate genes (overexpression, knockdown, CRISPR-knockouts) to explore and validate drug targets in the context of early NCE/NBE drug discovery research.
• Moreover, you will be part of Boehringer’s global postdoctoral program and will present your work at the Boehringer Postdoc days.

Requirements

• PhD degree in molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry or related discipline
• Profound knowledge of molecular and cell biological techniques. Experience in animal and/or tissue handling is a plus
• In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with AAV vectors or other viral vector systems is a must. Demonstrated expertise in capsid engineering is a strong advantage
• Confidence in handling complex and large data sets
• Track record of publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and international team of scientists with excellent written and oral communication skills
• Fluency in English spoken and written; German is a plus

Ready to contact us?

If you have any questions about the job posting or process - please contact our HR Direct Team, Tel: +49 (0) or via mail:

Recruitment process:

1. Online application - The job posting is presumably online until February 16th, 2026. We reserve the right to take the posting offline beforehand. Applications up to February 6th, 2026 are guaranteed to be considered.
2. Virtual meeting in the period from mid till end of February
3. On-site interviews mid of March