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Director, Immunotherapy/ Immuno-Oncology, In Vitro Pharmacology

Boston, Massachusetts
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  • Job Level: Senior
  • Travel: Minimal (if any)

At Takeda, we strive to provide transformational opportunities for every member of our team, and we empower our people to take charge of their futures. In an environment that fosters lifelong learning and a growth mindset, you’ll have the support you need to thrive — at work and beyond.

Job ID R0125894 Date posted 07/11/2024 Location Boston, Massachusetts

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Job Description

About the role:

At Takeda, we are a forward-looking, world-class R&D organization that unlocks innovation and delivers transformative therapies to patients. By focusing R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas and other targeted investments, we push the boundaries of what is possible in order to bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide.

Join Takeda as a Director where you will evaluate the biological activity of the potential therapeutics candidates generated in global biologics and select the best candidates for further preclinical and clinical development. You will also lead a team responsible for designing and implementing vitro pharmacological assays, utilizing state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies, leading the discovery of novel biologics, and contributing to the strategic direction of our Immunotherapy and Immuno-oncology research programs. As part of the In Vitro Pharmacology team, you will report to the Head of the team and work with the Global Biologics organization.

How you will contribute:

  • Strategic Leadership: Provide strategic direction and leadership for the Immunotherapy and Immuno-oncology in vitro pharmacology team, ensuring alignment with company goals and objectives. Develop and implement innovative strategies to support the discovery and development of novel therapies.
  • Functional Leadership: Lead the design, development, optimization and execution of high-quality in vitro pharmacology assays to evaluate the activity, mechanism of action, and efficacy of Immunotherapy and Immuno-oncology therapeutics. Utilize cutting-edge technologies and methodologies to assess immune cell function, immune checkpoint pathways, and tumor-immune interactions. Develop and implement strategies to enhance the in vitro pharmacology capabilities and throughput. Stay abreast of the latest scientific advancements and industry trends.
  • Program Leadership: Lead the Immunotherapy and Immuno-oncology biologics discovery programs with cross-functional teams, driving the programs from lead ID to preclinical development.
  • Candidates Screening and Profiling: Oversee the screening and profiling of biologic drug candidates in relevant in vitro models including immune cell-based assays, co-culture systems, and 3D organoid models. Evaluate candidate efficacy, potency and selectivity, to support lead optimization and candidate selection.
  • Mechanism of Action Studies: Investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the activity of therapeutic candidates using in vitro pharmacology approaches. Characterize interactions with immune targets, signaling pathways, and immune cell subsets to elucidate therapeutic mechanisms and inform drug development strategies.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with interdisciplinary discovery teams in a matrix format, including biologics engineering, biologics production, analytics, translational scientists, and preclinical development teams to advance discovery programs. Communicate results effectively and contribute to project team meetings, scientific discussions, and project planning activities.
  • Mentoring: Mentor and develop junior scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

  • PhD degree in immunology, cancer biology, or a related scientific discipline with 10+ years experience , or MS with 16+ years experience, or BS with 18+ years experience.
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in Immunotherapy/immuno-oncology research, with a focus on immune cell biology, immune checkpoints, and tumor-immune interactions.
  • Minimum of 7 years of management experience.
  • Expertise in drug discovery and development processes, including hit identification, lead optimization, candidate selection, and preclinical development.
  • Proven track record of leading successful in vitro pharmacology efforts in the field of immunotherapy/immuno-oncology , including assay development and validation, candidates screening, and mechanism of action studies.
  • Strong technical proficiency in a wide range of in vitro pharmacology techniques and assay formats.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead a team and projects and collaborate effectively across disciplines, demonstrate enterprise leadership with an ability to influence without authority.
  • Knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidelines for drug discovery and development

More about us:

At Takeda, we are transforming patient care through the development of novel specialty pharmaceuticals and best in class patient support programs. Takeda is a patient-focused company that will inspire and empower you to grow through life-changing work.

Certified as a Global Top Employer, Takeda offers stimulating careers, encourages innovation, and strives for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

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Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices.

For Location:

Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range:

$169,400.00 - $266,200.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

U.S. based employees may be eligible for short-term and/or long-termincentives. U.S.based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others. U.S.based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

Locations

Boston, MA

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time
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Where you fit in

Our team at Takeda is tackling some of the most challenging problems in drug discovery and development. As the newest member of our Research team, you’ll conduct purposeful, meaningful work on groundbreaking modalities that may lead to breakthrough drugs.

With our deep investment in next-generation technologies, you’ll have the resources and support to do your best work. As a part of our team, you’ll connect with brilliant minds inside and outside of Takeda. We are committed to collaborating with academia and emerging biotech companies to expand our reach and impact in cell therapy, gene therapy and data sciences.

Our team’s wide-ranging expertise includes medicinal chemistry, genomics datasets, immunofluorescence, high content imaging, flow cytometry, transcriptional profiling, multi-step synthesis, multimodal genetics, pharmacokinetics and much more. Whatever area inspires you, your work will support the progression of an innovative, industry-leading discovery pipeline and make an impact that matters to patients and society.

A career in Research at Takeda will give you everything you need to succeed professionally — and make a difference to patients, people and the planet.

  • Design and carry out experiments

  • Manage multiple projects

  • Document data

  • Mentor other scientists

Along with incredibly passionate colleagues, there’s a clear commitment to invest in the best facilities and the right equipment needed to successfully perform world-class science.

Christina Alves - Head of Biotherapeutics Process Development

I feel especially lucky to be able to work with colleagues across the industry to meet a unified goal.Takeda is paving the way for how research will be conducted in the future.

Daniel Scheibe - Senior Manager Operations, Systems Engineering, Drug Discovery Sciences

Our pipeline

Our internal research capabilities and external partnerships contribute to an R&D engine that has produced exciting new molecular entities (NMEs) across our core Therapeutic Areas. Check out our pipeline and see how we’ll continue delivering a steady stream of next-generation therapies.

Learn more

What we believe in

Our values of Takeda-ism are Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance, with Integrity as the core. These are brought to life through actions based on Patient, Trust, Reputation and Business, in that order.

Our belief in putting people first extends beyond our patients — it includes their families and communities, as well as our Takeda colleagues and their families.

We are committed to embracing our differences, valuing different perspectives, and fostering a culture of respect, inclusiveness and empowerment.

Our embedded Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy enables us to attract and retain exceptional talent, drives innovation, and helps address systemic inequalities in our communities.

  • Integrity

  • Fairness

  • Honesty

  • Perseverance

Working at Takeda

  • Inclusion

    Here, you will feel welcomed, respected, and valued as a vital contributor to our global team.
  • Collaboration

    A strong, borderless team, we strive together towards our priorities and inspiring mission.
  • Innovation

    Bold initiatives, continuous improvement, and creativity are at the heart of how we bring scientific breakthroughs from the lab to patients.
  • Top Workplace

    Recognized for our culture and way of working, we’re one of only 17 companies to receive Top Global Employer® status for 2024.
  • Work-Life

    Our people-first mission extends beyond patients to include their families, communities, and our own Takeda family.
  • Empowerment

    Through trust and respect, you will have genuine support from leaders, managers, and colleagues to do your best work.

We're Steadfast In Our Commitment to Four Key Imperatives

Patient


Responsibly translate science into highly innovative medicines and accelerate access to improve lives worldwide.

People


Create an exceptional people experience.

Planet


Protect our planet.

Data & Digital


Transform Takeda into the most trusted, data-driven, outcomes-based biopharmaceutical company.

Exterior of Takeda Building

About our location

Boston, Massachusetts


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