Top Research & Development Executive jobs in West Haven, CT

Who We Are:

EvolveImmune Therapeutics is a next-generation immunotherapy company pioneering a new class of precision cancer medicines to transform patient outcomes, compared to current solid tumor therapies. Our first-in-category biotherapeutic EVOLVE platform utilizes integrated T-cell costimulation to directly target tumor cells to deliver durable, tissue-localized anti-tumor adaptive immune responses. Our newly-expanded, state-of-the-art 16,000 square foot laboratory and office space located in the New Haven, CT biotechnology corridor and our laboratory footprint in Farmington, CT support in-house biologics, immunobiology, and translational activities, enabling our rapid pipeline progress. This includes EV-104, our lead solid tumor program rapidly advancing toward IND filing.   

The Role:

The company is seeking an entrepreneurial, industry-experienced leader as Executive Director of Research to help set and execute preclinical and early translational research strategies for current and future portfolio programs.  This includes the implementation of advanced, functional in vitro human assay systems and the development and execution of in vivo pharmacology strategies to drive successful candidate selection for first-in-class portfolio projects and to identify precision therapeutic strategies.  A strong emphasis on tumor killing, cytokine production, and T cell exhaustion assays, as well as on multiparameter flow cytometry assays, is expected. The candidate will also interface closely with the biotherapeutics discovery and translational development teams to achieve strategic and organizational objectives. Collaboration with our network of academic partners is a key aspect of this role, including managing the immunobiology activities of selected external research partnerships. Strong verbal and written communication skills are required, with evidence of a track record of scientific and project achievements in biopharma.

We are seeking a candidate who enjoys working in a team and can leverage the growth opportunities a matrixed environment provides.  This is an exceptional opportunity for an agile, problem-solving-oriented scientific leader eager to advance immuno-oncology drug discovery to address the unmet medical needs of patients living with Cancer. 

For more information about EvolveImmune Therapeutics, please visit https://www.evolveimmune.com/. 

Major Responsibilities

• Leading our immunobiology team and working with the team to 1) establish and refine functional ex vivo and in vivo studies to evaluate T cell engager therapeutics and establish a data-driven decision for drug lead and candidate selection, 3) oversee immune co-culture assays including mixed lymphocyte reaction, T cell-tumor cell cytotoxicity assays and other phenotypic assessments of genetically modified immune cells to identify phenotypes associated with a knockout or genetic modification of genes of interest, and 2) develop and execute expression and functional studies with patient samples to delineate differentiation opportunities for emerging and selected candidate molecules.
• Leading our in vivo pharmacology team and working with the project team, biotherapeutic, and translation team leaders to design studies to evaluate drug candidate in vivo characteristics such as drug distribution properties, pharmacokinetic profile, early safety readouts, and disease state modifications in murine and humanized cancer models.
• Working closely with our protein design and engineering colleagues to influence next-generation designs that extend the opportunities of integrated costimulation to address emerging areas of clinical opportunities. 
• Provide valuable mentorship for young scientists and support individual career development for direct team members.
• Contribute as an executive leadership team member to help shape our organization’s future strategies, pipeline, and organizational culture. 
• Contribute to our company’s communication strategy to drive the visibility and recognition of our scientific strategy and company milestones in presentations to our Board of Directors, investors, and collaboration partners, and through presentations at external scientific conferences.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Immunology or related field with postdoctoral experience
• 10 years of industry experience and experience in the research and development of T cell engager immunotherapies.
• Extensive experience in cellular immunology in a translational biology setting, including experience in immunotherapy, target discovery, and technical experience in assaying immune cells ex vivo and in vivo.
• Proven ability to mentor young scientists in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry setting with demonstrated examples of supporting individual career development.
• Proven ability to manage drug discovery and development teams demonstrated by a strong publication, patent, and/or drug development record.

EvolveImmune provides a competitive compensation and benefits package.

EvolveImmune Therapeutics, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.