Principal Scientist, Inflammation Research

Principal Scientist, Inflammation Research

Gilead

Oxford, United Kingdom

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced immunologist to lead a talented team of scientists supporting the development of novel biologic therapies in autoimmune disease. The successful candidate will conduct and oversee in vitro and in vivo pharmacology studies supporting both lead and early discovery programs in immunology, and will require rigour in delivering data packages for progression to development. They will collaborate across functions to pursue creative science, in the service of discovering novel medicines that impact patients’ lives.

Additional Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Mentor a lab-based scientific team, advancing their projects and careers.
• Serve as a scientific and technical thought leader throughout the Research organization.
• Collaborate across functions to guide interdisciplinary projects, with experts in immunology, protein engineering, chemistry, translational medicine, biomarkers and clinical development. Identify project risks and mitigate effectively, while communicating with project teams and other leaders.

Innovation and Scientific Acumen

• Proactively ideate to accelerate early-stage discovery activities, enhance understanding of disease mechanisms, and develop new technologies and novel targeting modalities.
• Design and implement rigorous in vitro assays, based on thorough literature review, to support the development of therapeutic antibodies in autoimmune disease.
• Work with internal teams and contract research organisations to plan and co-ordinate in vivo models for DMPK and efficacy.
• Develop endpoint analysis, including ex vivo profiling, to better understand drug mechanism of action.
• Develop expertise in relevant scientific fields and the external landscape, including the scientific literature, conference proceedings, and competitive programs. As an in-house expert, propose creative and rigorous research to discover, validate and understand targets.
• Think critically and creatively, emphasizing nimble decision making that balances risk-taking with thoughtful experimentation within the strategic/competitive context to fuel a differentiated pre-clinical pipeline.
• Contribute expertise to multi-disciplinary due diligence teams to evaluate and recommend partnerships and acquisitions.
• Contribute to research reports, INDs, and patent filings.
• Establish an external presence through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and external collaborations.

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• PhD and 5+ years of experience (immunology, drug discovery, target identification and technology development), with industry experience highly preferred.
• Strong track record of impact in scientific field, including first- or senior-author publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.
• Strong knowledge base in basic immunology and pathogenesis of autoimmune disease.
• Broad technical skillset of cutting-edge methods and models of immunology, in vitro and in vivo.
• Demonstrated success in leading research teams to productive, creative, data-driven decisions.
• Team-centric mindset, with proven managerial excellence and ability to motivate skilled team members from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.