{"id":2905053,"url":"https://alion.io/job/kaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility","title":"Staff Scientist Viral Vector Facility","company":{"id":36398,"name":"KAUST Discovery","domain":"kaust.edu.sa","url":"https://alion.io/company/kaust-discovery","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SuccessFactors","truth_index":null},"role":"Science & Research","role_family":"Science & Research","seniority":"staff","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Saudi Arabia"],"countries":["SA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":30000,"max_usd":82000,"period":"year","method":"global_role_cell_scaled_by_country","sample_n":230},"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-06T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-06","last_verified_at":"2026-10-28T22:55:14Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":23,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":23},"description":"Position Summary\nThe Staff Scientist in the Viral Vector Facility (VVF) plays a central role in supporting the strategic goals of\nthe Bio-Medical platform at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The Scientist in\nthe VVF will design, produce, and deliver high-quality viral vectors (e.g., AAVs and Lentivirus) to support\ncutting-edge research at KAUST and in the region. The scientist will optimize and scale production\nworkflows, improve vector performance and cost-efficiency, and ensure strict quality and biosafety\nstandards. We are seeking a highly skilled molecular biologist with expertise in viral vector engineering and\nproduction, who can translate complex experimental needs into tailored genetic tools and drive innovation\nin vector design and delivery. The scientist will collaborate closely with researchers, supervise technical staff,\nand provide advanced training in molecular genetics and viral vector technologies, helping position KAUST\nas a regional hub for state-of-the-art viral vector solutions.\nMajor Responsibilities\nScientific Collaboration: Collaborate with researchers to identify appropriate viral vector systems\nthat address key scientific questions, supporting high-impact research and publications.\nViral Vector Production: Produce high-quality, safe, and effective viral vectors tailored to\nexperimental needs and cell-based research applications.\nStaff & Operations Management: Supervise and mentor a laboratory technician; manage daily\ntasks to ensure timely and high-quality work deliverables.\nProject management: Coordinate multiple research projects and timelines to ensure milestones\nand deliverables are met on schedule.\nSOP Development & Maintenance: Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating\nprocedures (SOPs) to ensure efficiency, reproducibility, and compliance in viral vector production.\nLaboratory Safety & Compliance: Ensure Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and maintain a safe\nworking environment in accordance with biosafety regulations and Institutional Biosafety and\nEthics Committee (IBEC) guidelines.\nData Integration & Collaboration: Integrate laboratory data into the Bio-Medical Platform and\ncollaborate with IT and bioinformatics teams for effective data management, analysis, and\nreporting.\nProcess Innovation: Design and implement new or improved techniques and workflows to\naddress scientific challenges, enhance viral vector performance and throughput, and reduce\nproduction costs.\nTraining & Knowledge Development: Provide advanced training in viral vector production and\ncontribute to building technical expertise among staff.\nGeneral Laboratory Duties: Conduct routine laboratory responsibilities, including procurement,\ndocumentation, equipment maintenance, and participation in task forces and institutional\ncommittees.\nPersonal Requirements\nCompetencies\nIn-depth knowledge and strong expertise in cell and molecular genetics.\nProven experience in the production of viral vectors (such as AAVs, Lentiviruses, Rabies Virus\netc) and gene manipulation technologies.\nExperience in primary human cell immortalization\nDemonstrated ability to collaborate with researchers in the biological sciences, understand their\nexperimental needs, and translate these into effective genetic tools.\nExcellent organization skills with a proven ability to manage and execute multiple research\nprojects simultaneously.\nStrong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage with stakeholders and\nfoster a collaborative work environment.\nA proactive, results-driven team player with a commitment to achieving shared goals.\nQualifications/Experience\nA PhD degree in relevant field\n5-7 + years of hands-on experience in molecular genetics, cloning, gene editing, viral vector\nproduction, cell culture.\nStrong scientific track records, including successful management of research projects, and/or\ndemonstrated operational excellence, and/or publication in high-impact peer-reviewed\njournals.","description_format":"text","description_chars":3981,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Cell & Gene Therapy","Higher Education"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-20T07:36:49Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":57,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.757,"p_room":0.75,"age_days":22,"expected_fill_days":31,"reasons":["conf:4","win:late"],"computed_at":"2026-10-28T05:59:10Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/kaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/kaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-29T03:24:37Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":5210,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-30T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":36398},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=36398"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fkaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fkaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fkaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/kaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fkaust-discovery-staff-scientist-viral-vector-facility"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":2905053}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"kaust.edu.sa","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":2905053},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}