Gilead Builds mRNA-LNP and ADC Capabilities to Advance Oncology and Virology Pipelines
核心洞察
Gilead Sciences is expanding its lipid nanoparticle (LNP) Center of Excellence to advance mRNA-LNP therapeutics across Virology, Oncology, and Inflammation therapeutic areas.
A new Senior Scientist role will drive ionizable lipid chemistry and tissue- and cell-selective mRNA delivery, with hands-on expertise in LNP formulation, purification, and characterization.
A Director of Medical Affairs Oncology position will co-develop US Medical Affairs strategy and evidence generation for Gilead's antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) portfolio across tumor types.
Gilead Sciences is deepening its investment in next-generation therapeutic platforms, with two newly posted roles that signal the company's strategic focus on mRNA-based drug delivery and its growing antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) oncology portfolio. The positions — a Senior Scientist in Discovery Sciences & Technologies and a Director of Medical Affairs Oncology focused on Strategic Evidence & Collaborations — reflect Gilead's efforts to advance transformational therapies across virology, oncology, and inflammation.
Advancing mRNA-LNP Therapeutics Through a Center of Excellence
Gilead is seeking a Senior Scientist to serve as an integral member of its LNP Center of Excellence, dedicated to mRNA-LNP discovery research for therapeutic applications. According to the job description, the company's pursuit of a healthier world has "yielded a cure for hepatitis C (搜索), revolutionary improvements in HIV (搜索) treatment and prevention as well as advancements in therapies for viral and inflammatory diseases and certain cancers."
The role will "enable and drive innovation in mRNA-LNP-based drug delivery across our Virology, Oncology, and Inflammation therapeutic areas." The successful candidate will serve as the in-house subject-matter expert on lipid chemistry and LNP formulation, "with particular emphasis on ionizable lipid chemistry and tissue- and cell-selective mRNA delivery."
Key responsibilities include driving the design, sourcing, synthesis, and evaluation of ionizable lipids and lipid libraries, as well as designing and optimizing mRNA-LNP formulations and targeted LNP architectures — "including ligand or conjugation strategies where appropriate." The role also involves building high-throughput LNP formulation and in vitro screening campaigns to evaluate transfection efficiency, cellular tropism, immune activation, and functional activity across relevant cell types.
The position requires hands-on expertise in LNP purification by tangential-flow filtration (TFF), as well as experience with microfluidic or scalable mixing platforms, DLS/PDI, zeta potential, encapsulation assays, and LC-based lipid or RNA analysis. Preferred qualifications include experience with targeted-LNP approaches using ligand or antibody conjugation, and formulation scale-up and technology transfer to CMC/CDMO partners.
Strengthening Oncology Medical Affairs and ADC Evidence Generation
In parallel, Gilead is hiring a Director of Medical Affairs Oncology, Strategic Evidence & Collaborations (SEC), a remote role reporting to the Senior Director and Head of Strategic Evidence & Collaborations within US Medical Affairs (USMA). The position will be responsible for "co-developing the US Medical Affairs strategy for US Medical Affairs congress plans" in collaboration with the Congress Center of Excellence and USMA Strategy and Field Based Medical Teams.
A central mandate of the role is to "establish and execute an overarching strategy for evidence generation across various tumor types in the US, including collaboration with cooperative groups, NCI/CTEP, and other key organizations." The director will also provide frequent input into the development of US and Global Medical Affairs Strategic Plans "for our ADC portfolio, particularly the Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP)."
The job description emphasizes that the role requires "deep subject matter expertise in our full ADC portfolio, the Gilead clinical trials and their clinical use, as well as competitive products." Responsibilities span collaboration with the Community Cancer (搜索) Collective Team (CCC), support for investigator-sponsored research (referred to internally as "Collaboration Research"), critical review of Phase 3b and Phase 4 study proposals, and review of abstracts and manuscripts resulting from US collaboration research.
Strategic Implications for Gilead's Pipeline
Together, the two postings highlight Gilead's dual-track strategy: building internal capabilities in mRNA-LNP delivery technology while simultaneously expanding the clinical and real-world evidence foundation for its ADC oncology franchise. The Senior Scientist role underscores a commitment to "advance transformational mRNA-LNP therapeutics into clinical development for patients," while the Medical Affairs director role reflects an emphasis on "scientific excellence through research and education" and compliant collaboration across functional areas.
The Senior Scientist position carries a salary range of $169,320.00 to $219,120.00, while the Director of Medical Affairs Oncology role lists a Bay Area range of $243,100.00 to $314,600.00 and $221,000.00 to $286,000.00 for other US locations. Both roles require advanced scientific degrees and substantial experience, with the Medical Affairs position requiring 8 or more years of experience for candidates holding a Ph.D., MD, or PharmD.