Head of Translational Immunology

Role Summary

As the Head of Translational Immunology, you will lead innovation in translational and clinical biomarker strategies to support the Immunology portfolio. You will guide design, execution, and integration of biomarker programs from early research through early clinical development. You will integrate diverse human datasets—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, cellular models, and clinical data—to inform novel therapeutic targets, generate actionable hypotheses, and provide evidence across programs. You are a proven leader with deep expertise in translational immunology, biomarker science, and data integration, and you excel at translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of research and clinical stage biomarkers scientists
• Formulate and implement a strategic vision for Translational Immunology to drive the development of innovative clinical biomarkers across the Immunology portfolio, supporting future research targets, indication expansion, and MOA insights
• Matrix-manage biomarker and systems biology scientists across various sub-functions to collaboratively develop and implement integrated biomarker strategies, while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence within the Biomarkers and Systems Biology function and across the Research organization
• Provide strategic, technical, and scientific leadership in designing, validating, implementing, and interpreting data from an integrated clinical biomarker plan to support first-in-human studies, decision-making, and proof-of-biology studies for clinical programs
• Emphasize human-focused approaches, leading efforts to prioritize the use of human model systems, including human pathology samples and human clinical trial data, to ensure translational relevance and directly inform therapeutic development
• Partner with the computational biology team to harness the integration of human omics datasets as tools to identify novel translational insights
• Maintain scientific excellence in immunology-relevant biomarkers, assay development and validation, patient characterization, and relevant diagnostics
• Identify and establish partnerships with academic institutions, specialty startups, CROs, and industry consortia to enhance internal capabilities and expedite biomarker objectives
• Leverage external expertise and resources to complement internal research efforts
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to integrate a comprehensive Immunology Biomarker approach
• Promote seamless collaboration between team members and biomarker analytical scientists to drive data-driven decision-making
• Lead cross-functional initiatives aimed at developing and applying novel Immunology approaches to enable clinical decisions

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in immunology, with a focus on biomarker/translational approaches, multiomics data integration, computational modeling, and hypothesis generation within pharma and biotech
• PhD in immunology or molecular biology with a focus on immunology
• Immunology knowledge: Deep understanding of immunology, immune mechanisms, pathways, and disease biology
• Clinical biomarker development: Expertise in identifying, developing, and validating biomarkers to inform patient stratification, therapeutic response, and disease progression
• Cross-functional collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary teams to develop and execute biomarker/translational plans

Skills

• Leadership and people management
• Translational immunology and biomarker science
• Multiomics data integration and computational modeling
• Strategic planning and cross-functional collaboration
• Data-driven decision making and scientific communication

Education

• PhD in immunology or molecular biology with a focus on immunology