Head of Molecular Design

We have partnered with a large biotechnology company in the South San Francisco, CA area to provide them with a Head of Molecular Design.

Please review the below description and if you are interested please contact:

• Vahidin Topcagic at vtopcagic@relevante.biz, 314-853-6670

The heart of our client strategy is the combination of novel, cutting-edge methods in machine learning, high-throughput biology, and disease modeling that address key bottlenecks in the drug development pipeline. To accomplish that, we are putting together an incredible team of highly talented leaders in translational science who want to make a difference in this important problem. In this role, you will play a key part in building our Translational Genetics effort as a member of our client's Translational Science department. As the Translational Genetics lead, you will be responsible for the integration of human genetics data with multidimensional phenotypic and OMICS data to identify and validate drug targets in our core therapeutic areas on cross-functional teams. 

You will oversee and guide the use of cutting-edge statistical approaches and workflows to analyze large-scale human cohorts with genetic and multi-dimensional, multi-modality phenotypic data. These data sets will be obtained from public sources, as well as private datasets generated in-house and obtained through our collaborations. You will use genetic association and other statistical genetics techniques that involve the integration of genetic, genomic, and clinical data to (i) guide in vitro disease model development, (ii) select candidate drug targets; and (ii) support drug development programs. 

Responsibilities of the Head of Molecular Design:

• Contribute to formulating our client long-term therapeutic strategy in neurosciences and fibrosis indications; 
• Guide and oversee the use of cutting edge machine learning models and statistical genetics analyses in large-scale genetic human cohorts with rich and multi-modal phenotypic data in order to advance our Therapeutic Programs and guide in vitro disease model development; 
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team consisting of human genetics scientists, statistical geneticists and other team members to design, execute and interpret genetics studies in neuroscience and fibrosis indications;
• Generate, summarize, contribute to the writing of scientific reports and present results in internal and external meetings to a variety of audiences;
• Contribute to our partnered diseases programs, collaborating with relevant counterparts at our collaborator company to ensure timely delivery of the program goals; 
• Lead efforts to relentlessly follow up on novel candidate targets with the goal of producing viable therapeutic interventions and identification of genetically-defined patient populations that might benefit from them.

Requirements of the Head of Molecular Design:

• MD and/or Ph.D. in a technical field (Statistical Genetics, Data Sciences, Biomedicine, etc.) or equivalent practical experience
• 8+ years of experience in a role involving translational science or drug development with relevant industry experience
• A track record of using unbiased, data-driven approaches for scientific research 
• A strong scientific track record in translational genetics or a related field
• Enthusiasm for using clinical data and genetics to inform the development of cell-based systems as disease models
• A record of innovation, exemplified by generating ideas, launching and advancing projects
• Demonstrated ability to integrate human genetics with diverse and multi-dimensional datasets
• Demonstrated ability to execute human genetics studies delivering novel genetic findings and medically relevant gene discoveries in a team-based environment
• Familiarity and experience with the applications of statistical genetics to gain medically-actionable insights, including conditional analyses, fine-mapping, QTL analyses, and Mendelian randomization
• Ability to analyze complex loci, using gene-specific and genome-wide polygenic scores, or perform genetic studies that simulate randomized controlled trials
• Interest in understanding the genetic basis and causes of neurological and fibrotic diseases and translating this knowledge into therapeutic insights (an outstanding candidate will have previous experience in these therapeutic areas)
• Track record of building and leading teams, including goal setting
• Ability to operate within a fast-moving, startup environment
• Highly collaborative, team-oriented, and an effective communicator
• Passion for making a difference in the world

Benefits of the Head of Molecular Design:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance

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