Job Description

About Averna

Averna Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing genomic medicines for a broad range of diseases. Our technology leverages naturally occurring genetic elements found in safe harbor loci in nature to deliver new genes via mRNA and lipid nanoparticles that achieve precise, safe, and durable insertion of entire therapeutic genes. Backed by an expert team and experienced investors, we are poised to transform the landscape of genomic medicine, offering treatments that can be re-dosed and titrated with curative intent to bring hope to patients suffering from genetic diseases, cancer, and autoimmune conditions.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Averna Therapeutics is looking for an experienced Liver Pipeline Team Lead will serve as a subject matter expert and provide scientific and strategic leadership for liver-directed programs. The person in this role will be responsible for driving program strategy through the management and guidance of multiple projects, coordinating and collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring a timely and high-quality execution to advance Averna’s pipeline.

Scientific Leadership

• Lead experimental and scientific aspects of the liver therapeutic pipeline from target selection through development candidate nomination.
• Provide scientific expertise in liver disease biology
• Provide experimental plan to guide indication selection and prioritization 

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• In conjunction with the Project Manager, serve as the primary scientific lead coordinating efforts across platform, preclinical, and production teams 
• Work closely with in vivo, in vitro and genomic teams to design and interpret experiments.
• Interface with external partners, CROs, and academic collaborators as needed.

Preclinical Development

• Develop assays necessary to support program advancement

• Oversee the development and validation of liver-relevant animal models (rodent and non-rodent)
• Provide guidance to in vivo study design for integration, expression, durability, and safety assessment
• Ensure robust phenotypic and molecular characterization supporting translational relevance

People Leadership

• Lead & mentor the team as a subject matter expert

Qualifications:

• PhD or Masters in life sciences or a relevant discipline
• 3-6+years of experience in biotech or pharma, preference to candidates with experience in liver-directed therapeutics and/or gene therapy (commensurate with level of Education)
• Experience in leading teams in a matrixed environment
• Strong background in in vivo preclinical development, working with CROs, in vivo study planning, and animal model development
• Hands-on experience in working with primary cultures
• Hands-on experience in assay development

• Experience in working with LNPs or other delivery solutions
• Experience with RNA-based technologies
• Experience with culturing and isolation of primary hepatocytes

Key Competencies:

• Excellent communication skills – both English and Hebrew
• Able to balance technical depth with strategic awareness, and to provide guidance to peers in teamwork and accountability
• Strong intellectual and scientific curiosity, regularly integrating new findings into project design
• Critical thinking, comfortable challenging self and peers in a positive manner
• Results driven, able to prioritize, manage resources and demonstrate solution-oriented thinking
• Able to function in a highly collaborative, fast-paced and multi-timezone environment

Work Structure: 

• The position is a full time on-site position in Averna offices in Israel.
• General ability to flex work time/days to account for meetings across time zones.