Director, Translational Medicine Lead, Hematology

AstraZeneca•Gaithersburg, MD

1d•$175,498 - $263,248

About The Position

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. We are more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. AstraZeneca has a multifaceted environment that cultivates collaboration and innovation. We attract top minds, and we nurture and build talent. Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week. Our head is purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects. Our dedication to sustainability is also central to our culture and part of what makes AstraZeneca a great place to work. We know the health of people, the planet and our business are interconnected which is why we’re taking ambitious action to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to access to healthcare and disease prevention. Introduction to Role: Within Hematology R&D, we are committed to advancing science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients most in need. With a combination-focused pipeline that exploits the power of six scientific platforms (Immuno-Oncology, Tumor Drivers and Resistance, DNA Damage Response, Antibody-drug Conjugates, Cell Therapy and Epigenetics) to help address unmet clinical needs in a host of hematological cancers, we are motivated by a dedication to the scientific discovery and collaboration that will one day help eliminate cancer as a cause of death. This unit has responsibility for the value chain from discovery through to late-stage development, enabling rapid acceleration of promising early-stage assets and life-cycle management programs. The Hematology Research and Development (R&D) team is accountable for all drug development activities in hematology research from first-in-man studies, all the way to late-stage trials leading to drug approval by regulatory agencies (Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials). The team strives to deliver compelling preclinical, clinical, and translational data packages providing confidence in the dosing strategy, tolerability profile, and therapeutic efficacy of our candidate drugs to support investment in late-stage clinical development, leading to drug approval. We are seeking a Director, Translational Medicine Lead in Haematology R&D to join a world class Haematology R&D unit. In this role you will be accountable for delivery of robust, scientifically-driven biomarkers in drug discovery and development programs for hematology programs. You will have the opportunity to impact an industry-leading portfolio of hematology programs from inception through to life cycle management for marketed drugs.

Requirements

PhD and /or MD with experience in oncology drug development required.
Oncology training is required, preferably board certified or board eligible in Oncology and/or Hematology
5+ years of experience in drug development in pharmaceutical or biotech industries
In-depth knowledge of Haematology disease area biology and translational science, ideally with expertise in myeloma, leukemia and lymphoma.
Proven communication, presentation and influencing skills.
Highly developed problem solving and risk management skills.
Ability to drive, manage, execute and deliver results for complex multi-functional projects.
Highly developed collaborative working skills.
Ability to act as an external ambassador and to influence external organizations to enhance the image and reputation of AstraZeneca.
Proven ability to motivate and develop others.

Nice To Haves

Experience with T cell engagers, antibody-drug conjugates, or cell therapy modalities is preferred

Responsibilities

In partnership with the Translational Medicine team, lead the implementation of strategic vision that enables target identification, indication selection, early indication of biological activity and patient stratification/selection in Haematology.
Deliver biomarkers for clinical studies based on the best available science and technologies.
Generate biomarker data to guide indication selection and identification of targeted patient populations.
Measure target engagement reliably and quantifiably to inform clinical decisions for selecting therapeutically relevant doses and schedules.
Understand key cancer pathway interactions and feedback mechanisms in clinical samples to guide rational drug combinations.
Define novel mechanisms of resistance targeted therapies by studying tumors at relapse.
Collaborate with broader Oncology Research and product development teams to facilitate appropriate incorporation of Translational Medicine strategies for molecules in early phases of development in Oncology.
Collaborate with clinical development and operations teams to implement translational strategy, sample collections, and analyses in clinical studies related to Haematology.
Collaborating with the clinical development team to design and execute appropriate phase 1/2a study(s) to generate FIH safety, PK, PD, PK/PD, biomarker or efficacy/PoC data to support continued clinical development or no-go for program
Manage internal and external research collaborations in areas of clinical technologies and oncology translational research.
Ensure complex clinical assays developed and validated internally or externally are fit for purpose.
Contribute to and ensure the quality of Translational Medicine clinical study reports, data reviews and interpretations, presentations, scientific publications and recommendations to development teams and management.