About the job

Stealth Gene Therapy Startup is Now Hiring an Assoc. Director/Director of In Vivo Pharmacology

Who we are:

An early-stage stealth biotechnology startup in the gene therapy and immuno-oncology space spinning out of a lab at UCSF and looking to immediately hire a Director of In Vivo Pharmacology to further develop, test and expand our platforms for new and innovative therapies with novel disease targets.

We at Siren Biotechnology offer a unique working environment within the heart of Mission Bay in San Francisco. Our incubator is situated within a beautiful urban campus immediately next to UCSF Mission Bay. We have easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities including Spark Social, Parklab Gardens, Thrive City and the waterfront!

Role Summary:

Siren Biotechnology is recruiting an experienced scientific leader to drive the transition of the organization’s internal drug discovery portfolio into early-stage development programs with the goal to design and oversee preclinical in vivo studies that will allow the robust evaluation of development candidates. You will provide strategic insight and technical leadership to the teams supporting drug discovery projects from discovery through IND-enabling studies.

This role requires excellent communication skills, in-depth knowledge of preclinical in vivo pharmacology (tissue targeting, PKPD relationships, efficacy models, drug clearance, etc.), and the ability to design translational studies to support future clinical activities. You will work with an interdisciplinary team of molecular biologists, gene therapists, and CROs to define, build, and optimize our diverse portfolio of preclinical programs.

We are seeking an energetic and team-oriented Director of In Vivo Pharmacology who has the drive, initiative, and passion to be a foundational member of our research group which will work as a unified team to bring first-in-class therapeutic approaches from the research bench to the clinic. We accelerate the technical quality and rigor of our science by prioritizing investment in the personal, interpersonal, educational and career development of our team.

We are inviting applications from highly motivated researchers with backgrounds in Cancer Biology, Gene Therapy, Immunology, Molecular Biology or related disciplines. The ideal candidate will have broad interests in gene therapy and/or cancer and/or rare disease and a passion for working on translational medicines. We believe great scientists and science emerge from non-competitive, motivational and inspiring environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify, select, develop, and coordinate the execution of in vivo studies to evaluate drug candidates in mouse models of oncology to support Siren’s preclinical discovery programs.
• Be the primary point of contact with initiating, managing and analyzing data for in vivo studies conducted primarily at external CROs and in some cases through internal vivarium use.
• Contribute to the discovery, preclinical pharmacology, and translational development plans, including defining key milestones and decision points and timelines, identifying risks and mitigation strategies, study planning and execution, selection of therapeutic indications, and future IND filings.
• Develop robust data packages, author accompanying reports to support regulatory filings.
• Communicate progress to internal stakeholders, KOLs, and present to external partners.
• Author publications, patents, and investigational new drug applications as needed.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Cancer Biology or related field with 3+ years of post-graduate experience OR a M.S. in Immunology, Cancer Biology or related field with 5+ years of post-graduate experience. In both cases, post-graduate experience should have been at a high-growth biotechnology or pharmaceutical company.
• Experience with murine (mouse and/or rat) models of oncology or brain/eye disorders.
• Experience in the management of CROs, including evaluation/selection, setting up processes, and quality control.
• Expertise with in vivo experimental design and execution, including tissue harvesting.
• Familiar with preclinical drug development processes.
• Adept in ambiguous situations, flexible and comfortable making decisions using minimal available data.
• A proven ability to work cross-functionally and adapt to changing priorities while managing multiple commitments with accuracy and efficiency to meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, technologically savvy with modern software tools, ability to prioritize and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and multi-cultural environment.
• Proficiency in Graphpad Prism, Excel, PowerPoint, statistical data analysis required; bonus if experience with Benchling, Notion or Python/R programming.
• Demonstrated track record of clear communication, working with a multidisciplinary team, mentoring, and developing talent
• Must be a self-starter and team player who can thrive in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Excellent communication and troubleshooting skills, attention to detail, and ability to work productively in a fast-paced environment
• Self-motivated and passionate about cutting edge science and technologies
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Familiarity with gene therapy a plus.

Desired Personal Traits:

• You want to make an impact on humankind
• You prioritize “We” over “I”
• You enjoy getting things done - with super high quality
• You collaborate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures
• You have superior skills and experience, and constantly strive to be world-class in what you do
• You constantly challenge your own assumptions, pushing for continuous improvement
• You have a growth mindset
• You are candid, authentic, and transparent
• You aren’t afraid of new technologies and relish the opportunity to ‘always be learning’

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience
• Stock compensation plan – you’ll be a Siren co-owner
• Platinum health, dental, and vision benefits
• Commuter benefits
• Flexible work schedule
• High performance culture
• Great colleagues

If you are concerned that you do not meet the exact qualifications, please do not hesitate to contact us! Our team is collaborative and mentorship-based and we are happy to discuss any particular areas you may need to get up to speed if you feel you have the enthusiasm, drive and potential to add to our team.

COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for all positions at Siren. New hires are expected to be fully vaccinated before beginning work.

Are you ready to apply? Please send a CV/Resume and a brief introduction stating why you are interested and would be a great fit for our team to “hiring@sirenbiotechnology.com”.