PopVax is an Indian full-stack biotech building first-in-class and best-in-class vaccines and cancer immunotherapies using machine learning-driven protein design and relentless empiricism. We design, develop, and manufacture our own RNA medicines end-to-end because we believe great pharmaceutical science can only flourish in tight feedback loops that iterate rapidly. PopVax’s experimental work and clinical dose production is based at the RNA Foundry, our integrated R&D and GMP-capable clinical dose production facility in Hyderabad. PopVax's north star is our goal of developing novel vaccines and therapeutics over the next decade with the cumulative ability to save 1 million lives each year – the Million Lives Mission. To that end, we are developing first-in-class vaccines against Hepatitis C, Strep A, and adult pulmonary TB; broadly-protective best-in-class vaccines against COVID-19, influenza, malaria, and HPV; and precision immunotherapies against hard-to-treat solid tumours such as liver cancer and pancreatic cancer. Beyond existing diseases, we are leveraging our high-speed platform to build rapid-response biosecurity capabilities against engineered de novo pathogens. Our mission is funded by Vitalik Buterin’s Balvi Fund, the Gates Foundation, the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Renaissance Philanthropy, and Good Ventures, with individual investments from Enveda founder Viswa Colluru and Tesla self-driving AI pioneer Dhaval Shroff. Our first program, an open-source broadly-protective COVID-19 vaccine, will begin a Phase I clinical trial in Australia in mid-2026. This is just the start – we intend to advance 6+ novel vaccine and immunotherapy programs into human clinical trials over the next three years, decisively demonstrating that world-class biotech R&D is possible in India. No matter the job title, each person’s role at PopVax is ultimately about helping bring safe, effective new medicines that represent a step-change over the current standard-of-care to the people who need them, as quickly as possible. If you are looking for a place where the ambition is high, the learning curve is steep, and the work matters to billions, you’ll feel at home here. If you’re excited by the idea of advancing scientific, clinical, and regulatory frontiers of vaccines and immunotherapies, spending each day developing medicines with the potential to save millions of lives, and building a generational global pharmaceutical company in India along the way – join us!
Role Overview
At PopVax, we move fast. We design, build, and characterize RNA-based vaccines and therapeutics at a pace that demands deep analytical expertise to keep up. Mass spectrometry sits at the center of how we understand our molecules — the identity, integrity, modifications, and impurity profiles of our mRNA, pDNA, and LNP products are only as well-defined as the LC-MS methods behind them.
We're looking for a Senior Scientist with deep LC-MS expertise to take that work seriously as a craft and work within our analytical group. This is a hands-on, technical role where you will be the one who runs the instruments, develops the methods, interprets the spectra and turns the data into decisions.
The Work
There's plenty of it, and it spans the pipeline.
The work involves method development across modalities, hands-on instrument operation and troubleshooting, deep data interpretation, fast-turnaround support for process and manufacturing, the maturation of exploratory assays into GMP-ready methods, and mentorship of junior scientists as the capability grows.
Specifically, you will:
Develop and qualify LC-MS methods for characterization of mRNA, pDNA, LNPs, and their components — including intact mass analysis, oligonucleotide mapping, lipid identification and quantitation, PEG analysis, and impurity profiling.
Run the instruments yourself. This is a bench role. You will operate, maintain, and troubleshoot LC-MS systems day-to-day, and you will be the person colleagues come to when a method isn't working.
Interpret data deeply. Go beyond software-generated outputs — manually inspect spectra, identify modifications and degradants, and explain what the data actually means for the molecule and the process.
Support process and formulation decisions. Partner with process development, formulation, and manufacturing to answer specific questions: What's in this sample? Why did this peak shift? What changed between these two batches?
Move methods toward GMP readiness. Work with the broader analytical and quality teams to evolve early-stage LC-MS methods into qualified, transferable, regulatory-ready assays.
Improve the toolkit. Identify gaps in our mass spec capabilities — new methods, new applications, new instrumentation — and build the case for closing them.
Mentor junior scientists on LC-MS fundamentals, method development, and data interpretation as the team grows around you.
Who You Are
You are a hands-on LC-MS scientist who genuinely enjoys being at the instrument. You think of mass spectrometry not as a service to provide, but as a way of seeing molecules — and you want to apply that lens to a pipeline of medicines that could matter to millions of people.
You are deeply curious. When a peak doesn't make sense, you dig until it does. You don't accept "the software said so" as an answer.
You are pragmatic. You know when a directional measurement is enough to unblock a decision, and when something needs to be characterized to the last decimal place.
You are comfortable working across modalities — oligonucleotides, lipids, intact particles — and you adapt your methods to the question at hand.
You communicate clearly with non-experts. You can explain to a process scientist or a program lead what your data means and what they should do about it.
Qualifications
PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Mass Spectrometry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field OR a Master's with significantly more applied experience.
3+ years of hands-on LC-MS method development experience in an industry or applied research setting.
Deep working knowledge of LC-MS instrumentation (Orbitrap, Q-TOF, or equivalent), including method development, troubleshooting, and routine maintenance.
Strong skills in data interpretation — manual spectrum review, deconvolution, identification of modifications and impurities.
Comfort with associated chromatographic techniques (RP, IEX, HILIC, SEC) as front ends to MS.
Reporting Structure
You will report into the analytical sciences leadership and work closely with scientists across process development, formulation, manufacturing, and quality.