Director of Translational Science, Hepatology

Role Summary

Director of Translational Science, Hepatology. Responsible for innovative disease area translational initiatives to inform therapy area and project biomarker strategies, enabling earlier and higher confidence project-related decisions and PoM/PoC assessments in Hepatology diseases. Will lead biomarker development and validation, collaborate across internal and external partners, and apply cutting-edge technologies to deepen disease knowledge and inform target pathways and candidate molecule rationales.

Responsibilities

• Disease Biomarker Strategy Development and Delivery:
  • Partner with Clinical Teams, Research Technologies and Development to identify, establish biomarkers for decision making across clinical development phases; prioritize and validate disease-relevant biomarkers, mechanistic/surrogate biomarkers, and patient stratification; deploy into clinical studies and interpret results.
• Translational Leadership:
  • Provide strategic leadership to develop and execute translational research disease strategies; support discovery and development of novel therapeutics; evaluate and diligence of business development opportunities.
• Translational Innovation:
  • Evaluate novel techniques and technologies (e.g., spatial transcriptomics) to inform translational initiatives and biomarker development; validate human assays to enhance translation and predictive value using resources such as the Human Cell Atlas and multi-omics data.
• Cross-functional Collaboration:
  • Collaborate with Translational, Disease Teams, Human Genetics & Genomics, biology groups, biomarker platforms, Medicine Development Teams, data-sciences, regulatory affairs, BD and commercial teams to integrate biomarker strategies across the drug development lifecycle.
• External Partnerships:
  • Establish and maintain collaborations with academic institutions, CROs, and external partners for access to technologies, reagents, biomarker expertise, and biosamples; build a network of experts to stay at the forefront of translational science and biomarker advancements.
• Matrix Leadership:
  • Provide mentorship and development opportunities to the team; manage resources, budgets, and timelines; represent RITU at portfolio governance reviews for pipeline and investment input.

Qualifications

• Required:
  • Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Cell/Molecular Biology, Genetics, Pharmacology, Physical Chemistry or related field).
  • Experience in translational science and biomarker development within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
  • Recognised translational/biomarker expert with publications and contributions to the field.
  • Understanding of translation and biomarkers implementation in Hepatology.
  • Experience in a clinical trial setting, including authoring/oversight of clinical and regulatory documents.
  • Knowledge of regulatory requirements, standards, and compliance in Translational Research and biomarker development.
  • Broad knowledge of technologies/methods used in translational research.
  • Proven track record of program decision making through biomarker strategies and delivering translational insights to support clinical transitions.
  • Experience leading external collaborations and evaluating BD opportunities.
  • Strong management and prioritization skills; ability to manage multiple objectives and timelines with high attention to detail.
  • Inclusive matrix leadership with ability to inspire and motivate a team.
  • Adaptability to a fast-paced, evolving research environment with strong problem-solving skills.
• Preferred:
  • Awareness of bioinformatic/computational methods supporting integrated analysis of translational and biomarker data sets.
  • Knowledge in Fibrosis and ECM Biology; Steatotic Liver Disease (SLD).
  • Experience applying clinical imaging in SLD.

Education

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline (as listed above).

Additional Requirements

• Work Location: United Kingdom or United States with hybrid on-site/remote model.