Senior Director, Drug Discovery and Translational Research

What if... We could harness the power of Flagship’s scientific platforms and create novel treatment options that benefit more patients, sooner?

Pioneering Medicines is dedicated to conceiving and developing a broad portfolio of life-changing treatments by leveraging and expanding the use of Flagship’s multiple bioplatforms and Flagship’s proprietary innovation process. By harnessing the power of Flagship’s first-in-category platforms, Pioneering Medicines creates and advances novel medicines, partnering with Flagship companies to accelerate the extension of their portfolios into new areas and show that the platform can be applied more broadly, thereby delivering benefits to more patients, sooner.

With a highly experienced drug development team and access to the wide ecosystem of Flagship companies, Pioneering Medicines is well positioned to conceive new medicine ideas both internally and in collaboration with strategic partners and advance these assets through to significant value inflection. Pioneering Medicines currently has 11 programs ongoing with plans to have more than 15 programs in 2024. Pioneering Medicines works with external strategic partners including Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and continues to engage in discussions on potential partnerships.

Pioneering Medicines is seeking a highly motivated and experienced leader with deep subject matter expertise & scientific acumen in Immunology and/or Oncology drug discovery to lead a research team and projects focused on developing novel therapies. The successful candidate will work cross-functionally to support all aspects of drug discovery, from early mechanism of action studies to early clinical development. We are seeking individuals who are analytical, goal-oriented, and timeline-sensitive, while maintaining the highest of scientific and ethical standards. Strong communication skills and comfort working in a dynamic and cross-functional team environment are highly desirable

This position is on-site in Cambridge, MA 3 days per week minimum on-site.

Responsibilities

• Represent the translational sciences function on drug discovery project teams for a portfolio of programs. Accountable to support asset progression from early discovery through to the clinic
• Serve as a research program lead on one or more drug discovery projects. Responsible for matrixed leadership of cross-functional research team deliverables
• Contribute to building the immunology portfolio, through identification and championing of new targets and approaches
• Manage, mentor and grow a team of direct reports
• Participate in external partnerships with Flagship Platform companies and large pharma partners
• Develop platforms, identify CROs and external collaborators to grow the translational sciences capabilities
• Support research operational strategy and implementation, contributing to the overall management and infrastructure of a growing research team

Qualifications

• Ph.D., with demonstrated evidence of success e.g. through impactful publication/s
• 6 years of industry experience in drug discovery and/or translational research.
• Deep understanding of translational research including biomarker discovery, PK/PD/efficacy relationships, dose predictions, and supporting assets into early clinical development
• Experience generating proof-of-concept for novel clinical biomarker assays, supporting their implementation on clinical trials
• Experience delivering data and documentation supporting IND/CTA regulatory filing
• Scientific expertise in immunology will be beneficial for this position.
• Ability and interest to work across multiple therapeutic areas and modalities
• Prior experience managing a team of PhD and Non-PhD scientists

Preferred Skills

• Postdoctoral experience
• Demonstrated expertise in identifying and validating new targets in immunology
• Experience working in multiple drug discovery functions in early and late stage programs
• Ability to leverage cross-functional approaches to derive translational insights. A strong understanding of translational bioinformatics is highly desirable
• Experience leading or participating in discussions with KOLs, due diligence assessments and cross-industry collaborations

What We'll Offer You

• Comprehensive, competitive healthcare and dental coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield, vision coverage through VSP, family leave, paid flexible time off, 401k retirement plan, disability and life insurance, mental health program via Calm, backup care for children/senior and fully covered parking/commuter benefits.
• A dynamic work environment with entrepreneurial spirit and highly interdisciplinary, talented, and collaborative team. Opportunities to work with Flagship scientific platforms/portfolios and create novel treatment options that benefit more patients sooner.
• Professional growth opportunities through mentoring, training, immersion in cross-functional projects, and opportunities to learn and try new things.

About Flagship Pioneering:

Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps. Those big leaps in human health and sustainability exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from cancer detection and treatment to nature-positive agriculture. What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet. Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.

Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.

Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

At Flagship, we recognize there is no perfect candidate. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. Experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your unique background.

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.

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