Senior Director, Translational Biology

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Translational Biology will lead the development and execution of translational biology research strategies across the drug discovery and development pipeline. This individual will serve as a key scientific leader responsible for translating biological insights into clinical hypotheses, biomarker strategies, patient selection approaches, and proof-of-mechanism frameworks that support successful advancement of therapeutic programs. Working closely with Discovery Research, Clinical Development, Bioinformatics, Biomarker Sciences, Quantitative Sciences, and Regulatory teams, the successful candidate will integrate preclinical and clinical data to drive data-informed decisions and enable precision medicine strategies and development of disease biomarkers enabling early go no go decisions. As an industry-leading expert and trusted advisor to senior leadership, this leader directs complex, cross-functional initiatives with enterprise impact, and helps define the operating model and culture of discovery groups as well as OPDC.

Key Responsibilities

Translational Research Strategy

• Develop and implement translational biology strategies from target validation through clinical development in collaboration with discovery groups
• Establish mechanistic understanding of disease biology and therapeutic interventions to support program progression and development of disease biomarkers across portfolio of assets.
• Support discovery groups as well as early development organization with translational endpoints, biomarkers, and pharmacodynamic measures that inform decision-making.
• Integrate multi-omics, biomarker, and clinical data to generate actionable insights in collaboration with biomarkers and discovery groups.
• Lead development of patient stratification and precision medicine approaches.

Biomarker and Clinical Translation

• Design and oversee disease biomarker discovery, validation, and implementation in discovery and development organizations.
• Partner with Clinical Development teams to support first-in-human and proof-of-concept studies.
• Support definition of pharmacodynamic, predictive, prognostic, and response biomarkers.
• Support clinical data interpretation and translational analyses.

Scientific Leadership

• Serve as translational biology lead for one or more therapeutic programs.
• Provide scientific guidance to cross-functional project teams and senior leadership.
• Identify emerging technologies and scientific opportunities that enhance translational capabilities.
• Represent the company at scientific conferences, investigator meetings, and external collaborations.
• Build and maintain relationships with academic investigators, CROs, and strategic partners.

Team Leadership and Management

• Recruit, mentor, and develop high-performing translational scientists.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative scientific culture.
• Manage departmental resources, budgets, and external partnerships.
• Establish operational processes and best practices for translational research activities.

Qualifications

Required

• MD, PhD, or MD/PhD with subspecialty training Translational Biology, Physiology and Translational Medicine strongly preferred.
• 10–15+ years of Translational Biology, single-cell technologies, spatial biology, and AI-enabled translational research approaches.
• Recognized thought leader with scientific contributions (publications, presentations); expert understanding of industry best practices and adjacent functional areas.
• Proven success leading complex, cross-functional teams in a matrixed, global environment; exceptional strategic thinking and decision-making under uncertainty.
• Outstanding communication skills with the ability to synthesize complex data and influence executive stakeholders.

Preferred

• Deep expertise in CNS, neurology, neuroimmunology, psychiatry, neurodegenerative disease, and neuroinflammation.
• Experience implementing clinical study plans to drive decision-making.
• Experience with external collaborations, including collaborative animal model experiments, key opinion leader interactions and advisory boards.
• Prior experience building or scaling early development operating models and ways of working.