PharmEnable Ltd - Head of Biology

We have an exciting opportunity to join the PharmEnable team and be involved in an important role delivering our drug discovery programmes. Our mission is to make a difference to patients by developing the next generation of small molecule cancer drugs.

Who we are: PharmEnable is a drug discovery company using advanced medicinal chemistry and AI approaches to develop highly complex, specific and novel small molecule drugs to treat conditions of high unmet medical need. We are a growing biotech business working on expanding and progressing our drug discovery portfolio.

What your role will be: As our Head of Biology, you will be responsible for leading and developing the biology aspects of the company’s drug discovery efforts, as well as inputting into the company’s wider strategy. You will have a key role in shaping PharmEnable’s oncology drug discovery portfolio, and will also lead internal programmes working closely with CROs and members of the PharmEnable team to devise and execute programme delivery. You will:

• Lead and shape PharmEnable’s biology activities in the context of expanding and advancing our oncology drug discovery portfolio of small molecule drugs
• Help define our future growth strategy and implement necessary changes to enable the company to achieve its goals
• Lead one or more programmes to successfully deliver innovative medicines into pre-clinical studies
• Work closely with members of the senior leadership and project team to define programme strategies and execute them in line with budget and resource allocations
• Design and coordinate experiments with external CROs; critically analyse and interpret data from a range of techniques, such as biochemical, biophysical, cell-based assays and in vivo models; propose and formulate follow-on studies as required
• Effectively communicate scientific project goals, progress, and outcomes to both project partners and across the organisation
• Contribute to the identification of potential new targets to enter the PharmEnable discovery pipeline, to devise therapeutic hypotheses and to support target validation studies
• Quality check reports and experimental methods and input data into PharmEnable’s Data Management Systems
• Contribute to external proposals and collaborations, as well as scientific publications and external presentations as required
• Maintain awareness of current trends and advances in relevant fields of biology and feed recommendations into the broader company strategy
• Work collaboratively as part of the wider PharmEnable team and contribute to the PharmEnable learning culture and uphold our company values

We are interested in: A talented individual with a PhD in a field of biology or a related discipline, with a strong background and research experience in cancer biology. The role requires experience and good working knowledge of the drug discovery process from hit identification through to preclinical work in an industry setting, preferably with experience working on small molecule programmes. The skills required are:

• Expert in interpreting data from a diverse set of sources and formats
• Prior experience in managing external resources is essential
• Demonstrated ability to work across multiple line functions and in multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience with managing people and project management
• Track record of scientific excellence, external presentations and establishment of international collaborations
• A curious and innovative mindset with experience implementing new techniques or technologies to expedite the drug discovery process
• Able to work in a remote and interdisciplinary environment with multiple inputs across different scientific and business areas such as chemistry, computation, business development and comms.
In addition, the following are desirable, but not essential:
• Experience with target validation techniques, such as siRNA, CRISPR and AAV gene delivery methods
• Experience with the use of electronic record keeping and data management systems, as well as proficiency with Microsoft Teams environment
• Familiarity with bioinformatics, experience in generating and interpreting genetic data
• Ability to interpret a wide range of ADMET data
• Familiarity with the application of data science and machine learning techniques to further drug discovery programmes

We are looking for: Someone who is passionate about making a difference to patients’ lives through helping us deliver our company mission. We are a collaborative team, who put great effort into team-work, continuous learning and above all creating a working environment where we embrace each other’s strengths and enable each person to achieve their potential. Your commitment to that way of working will be key.

What we offer: A permanent full-time position and the opportunity to work with a highly motivated team of world-class scientists and business leaders, a flexible approach to working life with the ability to work from home. Originally founded in Cambridge (UK), we are a remote-first company with our team based across a number of different countries (we work UK business hours). We offer a competitive package and the opportunity for an impactful role within a growing business.

For more information about PharmEnable, check out our website at www.pharmenable.com