Principal Scientist, Nonclinical Drug Safety Program Discovery

About the role

The Discovery Program Leader (DPL) represents Nonclinical Drug Safety (NDS) on discovery research teams and in scientific and strategic review meetings focused primarily on immunology and oncology. This role requires exceptional leadership, collaboration, and independence, and a passion to work collaboratively across functions and sites to discover novel medicines that improve the lives of patients.

Responsibilities

• Define and oversee the NDS strategy for programs in all modalities (including small molecules, peptides, biologics and ADC programs) from Target Identification through to the approval of First-In-Human enabling GLP toxicity studies.
• Provide risk assessments for targets, de-risking strategies for discovery programs, and collaborate with NDS staff at other sites to execute on the appropriate studies to support selection of therapeutic targets, and the identification and development of new drug candidates.
• Serve on development teams to define the GLP toxicology study strategy and execution, and inform on preclinical studies to support product development.

Requirements

• PhD in Toxicology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or related STEM field, DVM, MD degree or equivalent.
• Minimum 8+ years of demonstrated pharmaceutical industry experience as a non-clinical safety scientist (e.g. Toxicology, Pathology etc.) and/or as non-clinical safety assessment representative to a cross-functional development and/or discovery teams.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully navigate cross-functional lines and drive team decision making in a matrix organizational structure.
• Highly dedicated, motivated, resilient, and flexible; capable of creative problem solving and delivering on goals and objectives in a timely fashion.
• Excellent team player who can work collaboratively with discovery team members from various functions, other DPLs and scientists responsible for study conduct and portfolio management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to establish good working relationships within networks of employees of all levels.
• Excellent communicator who knows when and how to speak up, and appropriately raise issues to stakeholders and to management.

Skills and Experience

• Background in immunology is preferred.
• Experience with biopharmaceutical and small molecule pharmaceutical development and/or discovery.
• Experience with regulatory submissions and responses.
• Member of pharmaceutical consortia and/or external scientific or professional organizations.