Director of Computational Biology

November 19, 2024

Position:   
Director, Computational Biology 

Company Overview:   
At Kernal Bio, we engineer human cells inside the body using selective mRNA-LNP technology to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our AI-designed mRNAs, delivered via antibody-decorated lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), ensure precise targeting and minimize off-target effects. Our KR-402 program focuses on hematological malignancies and autoimmune disorders, achieving >90% in vivo delivery efficiency with T-cell-targeted LNPs. The KR-335 program, targeting solid tumors resistant to standard immunotherapies, shows a 100x therapeutic index with strong efficacy and tolerability in preclinical models, including mice and non-human primates.

With roots at MIT, Harvard, Merck, and BMS, our management team has spearheaded the development of three FDA-approved therapies and holds over 120 patents. Based in Cambridge, MA, and backed by Hummingbird Ventures, Amgen Ventures, and NASA, Kernal Bio is revolutionizing mRNA therapeutics by leveraging AI to deliver precision treatments within the body.

Job Summary 
Kernal is seeking a highly motivated director for computational biology team. The successful candidate will lead bioinformaticians and data scientists to identify actionable mRNA sequence features for next-generation therapeutics. The successful candidate must be able to work in a fast paced and highly dynamic Biotech environment. Ideal candidate will be a leader and a great team player with excellent communication skills and effective, inspiring management style. 

Responsibilities: 

• Lead a team of highly skilled computational biologists and data scientists 
• Apply advanced statistical methods to cross-validate and evaluate the significance of hypotheses 
• Work collaboratively with internal and external cross-functional teams, collaborators, and SAB members to align,
• plan and execute the overall research and development plans 
• Work independently and think out of the box to extract meaningful insights from public datasets 
• Present scientific findings internally and externally at key scientific conferences  
• Support IP filings and manuscript preparations 
• Creatively use network biology tools to identify novel targets for wet lab scientists 
  
  

Requirements: 

• PhD in Computational Biology/Bioinformatics with 7+ years of Biopharma experience 
• Experience in managing a computational biology team
• AI/Machine learning experience (proficiency with LLMs)
• Preferred experience with NGS, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, SHAPE-seq data analyses, RNA folding 
• Fluency in commonly used programming languages in common computational biology tools, such as Python, R, Perl or C/C++ 
• Familiarity with the heuristic search and multi-objective optimization algorithms such as gradient descent, A-star, genetic algorithms, Bayesian optimization, etc. 
• Eagerness to learn new methods 
• Excellent communication and time management skills 
• Ability to manage multiple projects 
• Attention to detail 
  
  Preferred skills: Theoretical understanding of molecular biology and network biology, hands on expertise on single-cell transcriptomics, proteomics analyses, massively parallel reporter assays, workflow management, AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, RNA folding, pathway analysis, and/or data visualization experience on biological datasets 

Benefits: 

• Highly competitive healthcare coverage (health, vision, and dental)
• Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account
• Paid parental leave, family caregiver leaves, medical leave
• Competitive 401k
• Paid life insurance coverage
• Generous vacation and sick days
• On-site subsidized cafeteria
• Free monthly subway passes or a subsidized commuter rail pass
• Free MIT Athletic Membership
• Free Bluebikes Membership

Kernal Bio is dedicated to providing a diverse work environment and is committed to equal employment opportunity for all its employees and qualified applicants. We do not discriminate in employment practices for reasons of race, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, religion, disability, or any other legally protected status. Kernal Bio will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.