Abstract: The present disclosure provides expression constructs designed to provide for stable and/or inducible, tightly controlled production of genetically encoded payloads from engineered cells. These cassettes allow cells to be engineered to express genetically encoded payloads despite epigenetic silencing. As such, provided herein are expression systems for use in methods to engineer cells using CRISPR dCas9-activator systems such that expression of genetically encoded payloads (e.g., therapeutic proteins) can be optimized to overcome epigenetic silencing. In addition, provided herein are engineered cells comprising the expression systems.