General Interest Application - Obsidian Talent Community at Obsidian Therapeutics (Cambridge, MA)

Obsidian Therapeutics· Cambridge, MA·4d ago

Job description

About Us…

Obsidian Therapeutics is pioneering engineered cell and gene therapies to deliver transformative outcomes for patients. Obsidian’s programs apply our cytoDRiVE® technology in Cell and Gene therapy products to control expression of proteins for enhanced therapeutic efficacy and safety. Obsidian’s lead program is currently in clinical development for the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.

We’re proud of our diverse talented team and committed to cultivating an environment of inclusion where each person feels a strong sense of belonging and is supported to continuously learn and contribute their best work. Our Research team is based in the heart of Cambridge, MA, and Technical Operations team is based in our purpose built facility in Bedford, MA. Obsidianites enjoy a highly collaborative culture, competitive salary and benefits, and potential for ownership through stock options.

Join the Obsidian Therapeutics Talent Community

Are you interested in becoming part of our dynamic, innovative, passionate, collaborative, and dedicated team focused on engineering precision cell and gene therapies, but not seeing a specific opportunity that matches your interests or experience? We'd still love to hear from you! Please share your resume, tell us why you're interested in Obsidian, and the type of role you're looking for next. We'll add you to our talent community and be able to consider your experience and interest when new opportunities arise.

We look forward to hearing from you and staying in touch regarding upcoming opportunities!

Obsidian is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, cultivating a welcoming and diverse environment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Why work at Obsidian Therapeutics

Culture: The company describes itself as collaborative, curious, and authentic, with a strong sense of urgency to deliver therapies to patients. Emphasis on “no silos or hierarchies” and mutual respect.
Work model: Hybrid (Cambridge, MA and Bedford, MA). Some roles may offer remote flexibility; most job postings specify hybrid.
Notable benefits:
- Employee stock options, 401(k) with HSA options.
- Flexible time off (unlimited PTO policy).
- 6 weeks fully paid bonding leave for new parents, plus fully paid medical maternity leave.
- Generous health/dental coverage with low out‑of‑pocket costs and an annual HSA contribution.
- Perks: gym, massage therapy, and meditation reimbursements; company‑sponsored lunches and social events.
- Professional development: mentorship, training programs, tuition reimbursement, and career matrices for planning growth.
Engineering / science culture: Strong cross‑functional collaboration between research, process development, quality, and clinical teams. The company values diversity and inclusion and reports gender pay equity.

About Obsidian Therapeutics

Company Overview

One-liner: Obsidian Therapeutics is a biotechnology company pioneering engineered tumor‑infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies for solid tumors using its proprietary cytoDRiVE® platform to regulate protein expression with an FDA‑approved small molecule.
Entity Type: Private (later‑stage; most recent Series C closed April 2024; entered a merger agreement with Galera Therapeutics and a concurrent $350M private placement announced in 2025)
Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (with a laboratory facility in Bedford, MA)
Founded: 2015
Founders: Not publicly disclosed on the company website; the leadership team includes a CEO, CTO, CMO, CFO, and Chief People Officer.

Core Business

Primary industry: Biotechnology (cell and gene therapy, oncology)
Target customers: B2B / healthcare – primarily developing therapies for patients with solid tumors; partners with academic centers, clinical sites, and biopharma companies.
Mission / purpose statement: “Pioneering engineered cell and gene therapies to deliver transformative outcomes for patients.” The company emphasizes urgency for patients and a commitment to safer, more effective TIL therapies.

Products & Services

cytoDRiVE® Platform: A proprietary technology that uses drug‑responsive domains (DRDs) to control the function of therapeutic proteins inside cells using an FDA‑approved small‑molecule ligand. The platform can be applied to membrane‑bound, intracellular, or secreted proteins.
OBX‑115 (cytoTIL15): Lead clinical‑stage engineered TIL cell therapy that expresses membrane‑bound IL‑15 (mbIL15) to enhance TIL persistence and activity without the need for co‑administered IL‑2. Currently in Phase 1 trials for metastatic melanoma and non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT05470283, NCT06060613)
Pipeline: Early‑stage research exploring OBX‑115 in combination with PD‑1 inhibitors, as well as additional undisclosed cytoTIL programs for other solid tumor indications.

Market Standing

Valuation / Market Cap: Not disclosed (privately held).
Key Metric – Total Funding: $325 M in known equity rounds (Series A: $49.5 M led by Google Ventures, 2017; Series B: $115 M led by The Column Group, 2021; Series C: $160.5 M led by Wellington Management, 2024). Additionally, a $350 M private placement was announced in connection with a merger agreement with Galera Therapeutics (the transaction is ongoing).
Notable Investors / Partners: The Column Group, Wellington Management, Google Ventures (GV), and 14 other investors across rounds.
Growth Signals: Lead program OBX‑115 has completed enrollment in a single‑center melanoma study and is now enrolling in a multi‑center Phase 1 study (Agni‑01) for melanoma and NSCLC. The company acquired Galera Therapeutics and secured significant additional capital via a concurrent private placement, indicating strong investor confidence. Headcount as of mid‑2025 is ~92 employees, with a recent slight decline (-11.7% YoY) typical of a focused R‑stage biotech. Active job postings increased 100% month‑over‑month, suggesting renewed hiring.

Competitive Advantages

cytoDRiVE® Platform: Provides tunable, on‑demand control of therapeutic proteins using an approved small molecule – a unique differentiator that can improve safety and efficacy in cell therapy.
Focus on TIL therapy: Targets the challenging solid tumor space where conventional TIL therapy is limited by IL‑2 toxicity. OBX‑115 removes the need for high‑dose IL‑2, potentially broadening patient access.
Proprietary DRD library: A growing, internally discovered set of drug‑responsive domains that enable rapid optimization for different cell types and protein classes.
Well‑funded and experienced team: Backed by top‑tier investors and led by executives with deep cell therapy and oncology expertise.

Strategic Focus

Clinical execution: Advancing OBX‑115 through Phase 1 trials in melanoma and NSCLC, with plans to expand indications and combinations.
Platform expansion: Applying cytoDRiVE® to other cell and gene therapy modalities (e.g., CAR‑T, TCR, gene editing) through partnerships and internal programs.
Manufacturing and scaling: Building internal capabilities in process development, quality control, and supply chain to support commercial‑scale production.
Talent growth: Active hiring across R&D, quality, manufacturing, and IT (8 open positions at time of data pull), with a focus on hybrid roles in Cambridge and Bedford, MA.

Sources

obsidiantx.com – Company overview, platform, pipeline, and career page
obsidiantx.com/about-us – About Us, management team, vision
obsidiantx.com/join-our-team – Culture, benefits, open positions
linkedin.com/company/obsidian-therapeutics – Employee count, funding, headcount trends, recent departures
clinicaltrials.gov – OBX-115 melanoma study
clinicaltrials.gov – OBX-115 Agni-01 study

Job description

About Us…

Why work at Obsidian Therapeutics

Application questions