Senior Director, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology, Tumor Microenvironment Research

At Bristol Myers Squibb, we are inspired by a single vision – transforming patients’ lives through science. In oncology, hematology, immunology and cardiovascular disease – and one of the most diverse and promising pipelines in the industry – each of our passionate colleagues contribute to innovations that drive meaningful change. We bring a human touch to every treatment we pioneer. Join us and make a difference.

The Tumor Microenvironment Thematic Research Center (TME TRC) is focused on developing therapeutic targets at the intersection of stromal, tumor and immune biology that enhance responsiveness to checkpoint blockade and other targeted therapies and transform response and durability rates for cancer patients. We are looking for a Head of In Vivo Pharmacology to join our team that comprises of scientists across multiple disciplines who are responsible for the biology and translational science necessary to support drug development from target identification through to first in human studies.

The Senior Director, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology will provide scientific and strategic leadership for the In Vivo Pharmacology (IVP) Group within the TME TRC. The IVP team is dedicated to developing the IVP strategy and designing and executing on the IVP studies required to progress all the TME TRC preclinical drug development programs (both small and large molecule) from validation through to candidate selection and beyond.

You will lead a team consisting of ~15-20 scientists that effectively collaborates with TME TRC discovery and translational research colleagues as well as colleagues in supportive line functions (including informatics and predictive sciences, biotherapeutics, and small molecule drug development).

You must have a proven track record of managing in vivo pharmacology-focused scientific groups, a strong scientific background in immuno-oncology/cancer biology and a relevant understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to enable appropriate development and/or selection of preclinical rodent models to support drug development.

Position Summary:

The Senior Director, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology will lead the In Vivo Pharmacology group and will be responsible for driving and delivering on the IVP components for all programs within the TME portfolio. Your team will provide the relevant IVP input to discovery projects as part of interdisciplinary teams comprising discovery biology, translational research, and bioinformatics, to increase the probability of technical success of TME pipeline programs. Working closely with colleagues both within and external to the TME TRC, you will also provide IVP subject matter expertise and model support for programs in early clinical development.

Leadership & Managerial Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the scientific leadership and overall effectiveness of the IVP group (~15-20 researchers) including providing strategic direction and managing resources within the group, and with external CROs, to meet the department goals.

• Responsible for driving in vivo pharmacology efforts in preclinical space to identify, develop/select, execute and interpret data from preclinical models that support candidate optimization, mechanism of action, pharmacodynamic marker identification and efficacy of TME programs.

• Responsible for direct and indirect management of group of approximately 15-20 people, with responsibility for leading, mentoring and supporting career development.

• Responsible for oversight of centralized cell culture required to support IVP models

• Responsible for ensuring compliance with all IACUC guidelines, in close collaboration with the veterinary sciences group

• Responsible for demonstrating leadership consistent with the BMSs people strategy and talent philosophy, including attracting and retaining top key talent critical to business success, developing team members

• As a group head within the TRC, it is also expected that the incumbent will take a leadership role within the TRC and will be responsible for participating in setting of TME TRC goals, and contributing to, communicating and supporting, all site-wide initiatives to respective department.

Collaborations/Team Support:

• Responsible for effectively collaborating with other discovery and translational colleagues as well as colleagues in supportive line functions (including veterinary sciences, integrative and predictive sciences, biotherapeutics, small molecule drug discovery) to advance preclinical development of therapeutic candidates to early clinical development

• Responsible for fostering a collaborative workplace environment across different groups of stakeholders, on site and across BMS, to meet the TME TRC objectives.

• Responsible for representing IVP group in discussions with external collaborators /companies

Qualifications:

• A PhD (or equivalent) in relevant area of biology with a strong background in immunology, preferably experience in oncology/immune-oncology, and or cancer biology

• 12+ years of experience with a focus on in vivo pharmacology research in an industry/biotech setting, including management of a team

• Proven track record in developing and implementing on preclinical in vivo models to support large and small molecule programs from inception through to clinic, including significant experience in working with oncology tumor models (e.g. syngeneic, xenograft and/or GEMM models)

• Strong people management skills and ability to build, influence and lead a team with proven track record in managing teams of researchers, including the ability to lead others through change by navigating ambiguity, and engaging individuals

• Self-motivating and creative, able to work within a team and collaborate proficiently with colleagues to achieve program goals

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills across all levels both within an organization and with external collaborators/companies with the ability to recognize, articulate, and accept calculated risks to make informed decisions.

• Experience with providing oversight into preparation of IVP-related technical reports and nonclinical sections of documents to support IND filings and other regulatory documents associated with moving candidates from nonclinical to clinical environment

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where speed is paramount

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Around the world, we are passionate about making an impact on the lives of patients with serious diseases. Empowered to apply our individual talents and diverse perspectives in an inclusive culture, our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.

Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives.

Physical presence at the BMS worksite or physical presence in the field is an essential job function of this role which the Company deems critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, employee well-being and engagement, and enhances the Company culture.

To protect the safety of our workforce, customers, patients and communities, the policy of the Company requires all employees and workers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they have received an exception based on an approved request for a medical or religious reasonable accommodation. Therefore, all BMS applicants seeking a role located in the U.S. and Puerto Rico must confirm that they have already received or are willing to receive the full COVID-19 vaccination by their start date as a qualification of the role and condition of employment. This requirement is subject to state and local law restrictions and may not be applicable to employees working in certain jurisdictions such as Montana. This requirement is also subject to discussions with collective bargaining representatives in the U.S.

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