VP, Global In Vitro - Scientific Operations

The Global VP of In Vitro Scientific Operations will lead Crown Bioscience’s global in vitro operations across the US, APAC, and Europe, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, decision-enabling data for oncology and immunology drug discovery programs.

Responsibilities

• Global Operational & Scientific Leadership
  • Lead all global in vitro scientific operations across Crown’s sites.
  • Ensure consistent and high-quality execution of in vitro studies, maintaining strong scientific rigor, reproducibility, and translational relevance.
  • Drive operational efficiencies through standardized workflows, SOP harmonization, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Operational Excellence & Delivery
  • Oversee end-to-end operational workflows, including study design support, resource planning, execution, QC, reporting, and on-time delivery.
  • Drive improvements in productivity, reproducibility, cycle time, and cross-site alignment.
  • Establish and track operational KPIs (quality, timeliness, resource utilization, client satisfaction).
• Platform Expansion & Scientific Capability Development
  • Identify opportunities to expand and modernize in vitro capabilities.
  • Lead implementation of new technologies, automation, and translational assays supporting MoA, PK/PD linkage, and IND-enabling studies.
  • Partner with biomarker, in vivo, and translational science leaders to ensure integration across platforms.
• Client Engagement & BD Support
  • Act as a senior scientific representative for key client meetings, supporting proposal development, study design, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
  • Support BD strategy with strong scientific storytelling, customer retention insights, and expansion of strategic partnerships.
  • Guide teams in translating client program objectives into actionable in vitro study plans.
• Cross-Functional Scientific Collaboration
  • Ensure alignment between scientific operations, project management, quality, and commercial teams.
  • Support cross-site initiatives, including platform harmonization and global capability mapping.
• Global Leadership, Talent Development & Culture
  • Build a high-performance culture emphasizing scientific rigor, innovation, accountability, and client-centricity.
  • Provide strategic mentorship, succession planning, and competency development across assay platforms.
• Financial & Resource Management
  • Oversee global in vitro budgets, headcount planning, capital equipment strategy, and site capacity allocations.
  • Support revenue planning, operational forecasting, and margin optimization.
  • Partner with finance and senior leadership to drive operational efficiency and scalability.

Requirements

• Minimum Requirements
  • Ph.D. in cancer biology, immunology, pharmacology, molecular/cell biology, or related discipline.
  • 10+ years of experience in oncology/immunology preclinical research with deep expertise in in vitro assay platforms.
  • 7+ years of leadership experience managing scientific teams, ideally across multiple global sites.
  • Demonstrated track record in CRO scientific operations, with strong understanding of client expectations and data delivery requirements.
  • Extensive experience designing, executing, and interpreting mechanistic in vitro assays, immune effector studies, co-culture systems, and imaging-based platforms.
  • Proven ability to manage operational workflows, introduce new capabilities, and ensure high-quality scientific output.
  • Excellent communication skills, with experience in client-facing scientific roles.
• Preferred Requirements
  • Experience leading multi-site or global scientific operations within a CRO or service-based company.
  • Expertise with advanced or emerging in vitro technologies.
  • Deep understanding of oncology, immuno-oncology, and translational biology.
  • Strong program or portfolio management exposure within scientific operations.
  • Strong commercial partnership history with BD teams and biotech/pharma clients.
  • Cross-cultural leadership experience and ability to manage teams across time zones.