Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging. We focus on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to broadly improve tissue function by targeting mechanisms of aging with the ultimate aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan.

We’re building a mission-driven team of accomplished and kind individuals who embrace our startup culture of rapid iteration, transparency, and versatility.

We are seeking a new member of the Quality and Analytical team to support Retro’s clinical-stage autophagy program through Analytical Development (AD) and Quality Control (QC) as it advances from Phase I toward Phase II development.

As the primary AD/QC scientist for our small molecule program, you will lead the analytical strategy for drug substance and drug product, working closely with the Program Lead, CMC Lead, QA, and external CDMOs and CROs. You will help ensure product quality, support manufacturing and regulatory activities, and strengthen the analytical foundation needed for continued clinical development.

Your responsibilities will include analytical method development, qualification, validation, transfer, specification setting, stability studies, impurity characterization and control, formulation support, regulatory documentation, and oversight of outsourced analytical and QC activities. You will also perform targeted hands-on laboratory work to support development, characterization, troubleshooting, and comparability assessments. Experience with LC-MS and other mass spectrometry-based techniques will be valuable.

This role reports to the Head of Quality & Analytical and partners closely with the CMC Lead to execute the analytical and quality strategy for Retro’s small molecule program.

You are a rigorous, curious, small-molecule analytical development professional who seeks to understand the underlying science and regulatory framework, not just execute against it. You stay current by engaging directly with guidelines, literature, and data, and pair scientific depth with practical judgment. You are confident yet humble in evolving areas and enjoy sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas openly. You are comfortable in a lean environment, balancing hands-on work with oversight of external partners. You communicate clearly across internal and external partners, and are excited to thoughtfully incorporate new tools, including AI, into analytical and CMC workflows.

We take pride in cultivating an environment that fosters collaboration, open communication, and authenticity. We believe that great results are best delivered by a highly creative team working in concert. We are an equal opportunity employer; we do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are diverse in background and singular in mission.