Principal Scientist, Biology

Role Summary

The Research Department at Alnylam seeks a highly motivated and creative scientific leader to join our Next Wave, Target Discovery and Validation team. Our mission is to discover novel genetically informed targets and experimentally validate them to build a strong foundation for future RNAi therapeutics. By working closely with the Alnylam Human Genetics team, we integrate large-scale human genetic insights with deep biological expertise to generate high-confidence therapeutic targets. This role offers a unique opportunity to help shape the strategic direction of the next generation of RNAi medicines. This onsite role is located in Cambridge, MA.

Responsibilities

• Identify areas of unmet medical need and initiate target identification workflows in collaboration with statistical geneticists and translational science teams
• Design and execute in vitro and in vivo studies to validate candidate targets and elucidate underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms of action
• Analyze, interpret, and present scientific data at internal meetings and contribute to strategic planning discussions
• Lead collaborations with external partners, CROs, and academic institutions, including project strategy, experimental design, planning, data interpretation, and decision-making
• Communicate effectively and collaborate with key stakeholders across the organization
• Manage and mentor junior scientists and associate scientists

Qualifications

• PhD in biology or a related biomedical field with >10 years of postdoctoral experience and a strong record of high-quality publications
• >5 years of biotech/pharma industry experience with a solid understanding of the drug development process
• Strong scientific curiosity, flexible mindset, and passion for learning and applying knowledge across diverse therapeutic areas, biological pathways, tissues/cell types, and therapeutic modalities
• Proven expertise in developing and characterizing in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models, with a deep understanding of disease biology, pathogenesis, and mechanisms of action
• Experience in interpreting human genetics analyses (e.g., GWAS, PheWAS, Mendelian randomization, eQTL/pQTL/sQTL) to inform therapeutic target discovery is required
• Experience designing and executing experiments to validate genetic variants and their biological consequences is a strong plus
• Candidates with a neuroscience background are encouraged to apply
• Thrives in a fast-paced team environment with excellent written and verbal communication skills