Director, Translational Sciences and Diagnostics

Bicycle Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a novel class of medicines, referred to as Bicycle molecules, for diseases that are underserved by existing therapeutics. Bicycle molecules are fully synthetic short peptides constrained with small molecule scaffolds to form two loops that stabilize their structural geometry. This constraint facilitates target binding with high affinity and selectivity, making Bicycle molecules attractive candidates for drug development. The company is evaluating zelenectide pevedotin (formerly BT8009), a Bicycle Toxin Conjugate (BTC) targeting Nectin-4, a well-validated tumor antigen; BT5528, a BTC molecule targeting EphA2, a historically undruggable target; and BT7480, a Bicycle Tumor-Targeted Immune Cell Agonist (Bicycle TICA) targeting Nectin-4 and agonizing CD137, in company-sponsored clinical trials. Additionally, the company is developing Bicycle Radio Conjugates (BRC) for radiopharmaceutical use and, through various partnerships, is exploring the use of Bicycle technology to develop therapies for diseases beyond oncology. Bicycle Therapeutics is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with many key functions and members of its leadership team located in Cambridge, MA USA.

The Translational Sciences and Diagnostics department is looking to hire a Director to support and oversee the development and execution of Translational strategies for our emerging pipeline of preclinical Bicycle Drug and Radio-conjugate programs. In collaboration with our Research and Innovation (R&I) colleagues, the successful candidate will be responsible for advising on target selection, developing predictive and pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarker strategies, including developing PK-PD-E modelling, and investing in clinical biomarker assay development to support pre-clinical assets from concept to Candidate Selection. Execution of the duties of this role will require co-ordination of activities supporting biomarker strategies internally within and across the Translational Sciences and R&I departments as well as managing scientific studies with a range of CROs, external collaborators, and clinical investigators. The aim of these studies will be to gain a deep understanding of portfolio asset MOA alongside development of patient stratification and/or PD biomarkers. This position will report to the SVP of Translational Sciences & Diagnostics.

• Contribute to early development of the Bicycle discovery pipeline as the Translational team representative for all preclinical programs as well as new target identification efforts.
• Own development and implementation of biomarker strategies for all preclinical Bicycle Drug and Radio-conjugate programs.
• Identify pharmacodynamic assays for utility in pre-clinical and future clinical testing to help define PK/PD/efficacy relationships.
• Lead primary analyses of pre-clinical translational biomarker studies, including evaluation of patient selection strategies.
• Author and review the translational sections of regulatory documents (IND, clinical protocols) as well as scientific/clinical publications and present pre-clinical translational findings at scientific congresses.
• Develop effective working relationships across the Translational Sciences and R&I departments to manage diverse scientific studies with internal teams, CROs, and external collaborators.
• Additional responsibilities as needed and directed.

Qualifications

• Essential: MS or PhD (preferred) in biochemistry, molecular cellular biology, pharmacology, medical science, or related field. 5+ years of drug development experience in industry in oncology, including direct contributions to early drug development programs. Experience in developing biomarker strategies in oncology drug development, including knowledge of GCP. Outstanding track record of scientific achievement. Excellent verbal and written communication and organizational skills with demonstrated success in leading pre-clinical projects and interacting with cross-functional teams. Ability to navigate, problem-solve, execute, and lead in a dynamic, fast-paced and evolving environment.
• Desirable: Experience in managing scientific teams and research in an externalized setting. Experience with authoring pre-clinical biomarker data packages as part of IND submissions. Knowledge and experience in developing preclinical packages for diagnostic imaging modalities. Familiarity with current biomarker regulatory frameworks in different regions.

Additional Information

• State-of-the-art campus environment with on-campus restaurant and Montessori nursery.
• Flexible working environment.
• Competitive reward including annual company bonus.
• Employee recognition schemes.
• 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays + option to buy up to 5 additional days annually.
• Employer contribution to pension (employee does not have to contribute).
• Life assurance cover 4x basic salary.
• Private Medical Insurance, including optical and dental cover.
• Enhanced parental leave policies.
• Group income protection.
• Employee assistance program.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Access to company subsidized gym membership.
• Eligibility for an option grant to subscribe to shares in Bicycle Therapeutics plc.
• Cycle to work scheme.

Bicycle Therapeutics is committed to building a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. We recognize that diverse and inclusive teams build a stronger and more innovative company. Therefore, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability status, marital status, or veteran status.