Description

Director, Molecular Safety

Accountable for leading and managing a UK based team focused on the application of cellular and molecular approaches to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity, understanding species differences, identifying novel translational safety biomarkers, and informing project decisions. The specialist capabilities of the team, with emphasis on cellular, molecular (multiomics), and Next generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques, are applied from discovery through post-registration. Delivery of investigative toxicology assessments at various stages of drug discovery and development is a critical requirement for project team decision-making, patient safety and meeting regulatory expectations.

Annual Report 2021

Key Responsibilities

• Provide accountable leadership and management of a team of scientists to ensure effective application of molecular and Omics capabilities (i.e., transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc.) to address mechanisms of toxicity and support project teams in GSK R&D Worldwide. The work includes advising, planning, designing, and interpreting findings from investigate molecular safety studies including advanced sequencing (e.g., massively parallel sequencing, single cell RNAseq, spatial transcriptomics), multi-omics, cellular assays, and biomarkers of toxicity.
• Establish and oversee data generation workflows (e.g., sample preparation to enable sequencing or multi-omics data generation, data analysis and reporting) to ensure data and reports are of high quality and build confidence in GSK's integrity and scientific credibility with internal partners, external reviewers, and Regulatory Authorities.
• Establish a strategic vision for the use of molecular safety technologies to shape the future of non-clinical safety assessment and inform regulatory decision-making supported by the development of strong partnerships with aligned technology and computational/data/bioinformatics science colleagues in R&D and externally.
• Facilitate application of advanced technologies, analysis, and integration of complex high content datasets for investigative safety purposes and elucidate mechanism of action (MoA) and support human and/or in vitro-in vivo translation.
• Attract, develop, and retain diverse talented scientists to establish and maintain a highly motivated, productive, and innovative science platforms that build on best practices to continuously improve strategies and tactics, and be cognisant of external regulatory guidance/expectations/strategies.
• Define molecular / multi-omics / NGS scientific strategy month planning horizon with responsibility for execution of strategy in own area. To include scientific relationships that encourage collaborations (with internal and external partners) to guide the development and deployment of new molecular / multi-omics / NGS approaches to improve the efficiency, prediction, mechanistic understanding, and translation of drug safety risks and leveraging internal/external data resources e.g.TG-Gates, EMBI-EBI, NIH preclinical species gene expression databases, etc.
• Ensure compliance with SOPs and Policies, GLP, data integrity, safety, and animal welfare guidelines.

Closing Date for Applications – [15th December 2023] (COB)

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.
When applying for this role, please use the 'cover letter' of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

During the course of your application, you will be requested to complete voluntary information which will be used in monitoring the effectiveness of our equality and diversity policies. Your information will be treated as confidential and will not be used in any part of the selection process. If you require a reasonable adjustment to the application / selection process to enable you to demonstrate your ability to perform the job requirements, please contact This will help us to understand any modifications we may need to make to support you throughout our selection process.

Why you?

Qualifications & Skills:

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in Molecular biology, Cellular biology, Toxicology and/or other related biological science, ideally with experience of a drug discovery and development environment or Research Institute Organisation.
• BSc in Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences
• Experience leading, developing, motivating, and performance managing a team responsible for delivering molecular biology, cellular biology and/or advanced investigative safety science to Pharmaceutical R&D projects, including delivery of studies internally and with CRO partners.
• Proven ability of integrating and contextualising target, pathway, molecule, disposition, and safety data to design and deliver experiments and strategies focused on predictive and mechanistic human-relevant safety.
• Ability to work routinely across boundaries and establish cross functional matrix collaborations and teams.
• Ability to coach/mentor, develop and performance manage staff.
• Advanced communications skills and ideally with a relevant publication record
• Familiar with Platform, Data and Bioinformatics software and working with data analysts/bioinformaticians to leverage and integrate multi-omics approaches to support toxicological MOA and risk assessment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive knowledge of molecular and Omics technology platforms.
• Extensive knowledge of NGS platforms and data analysis methods.
• Experience advising on investigative safety and/or advanced Omics technology applications and designing associated studies.
• Use of Omics data to support Adverse Outcome Pathways.
• Ideally with ability to code in R or Python to deliver bespoke data solutions as required.

Why Us?

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organization where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of 2030.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it's also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and thrive as set out in our Equal and Inclusive Treatment of Employees policy. We're committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

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