CK Group: Lead Scientist, Translational Biology Neuroscience

CK Group are working in partnership with Nxera Pharma, to recruit a Lead Scientist, Translational Biology Neuroscience, to join their Translational Biology Neuroscience group. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record of project leadership, CRO management and expertise in planning and executing preclinical target validation, and translational studies to support neuroscience project deliverables.

Location: Granta Park, Cambridge.

About the company: Nxera Pharma (formerly Sosei Heptares), is a technology powered biopharma company, in pursuit of new speciality medicines to improve the lives of patients with unmet needs globally. Their pipeline is focused on addressing major unmet needs in some of the fastest-growing areas of medicine across CNS, GI and immunology, metabolic disorders and rare diseases, and leverages the power of their unique and industry leading GPCR-targeted structure-based drug discovery "NxWave" platform to provide a sustainable source of best- or first-in-class candidates. In Cambridge UK, Nxera have built outstanding capabilities across their platform, discovery and translational medicine teams, to advance multiple programs from pre-clinical through to early clinical development.

About the role: This is an exciting opportunity to work across diverse functional groups within Nxera Pharma, and with external industrial and academic collaborators. The Translational Biology Team is a multidisciplinary team, focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying human disease biology. The ideal candidate will be passionate about advancing novel therapies and biomarker strategies, for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases.

Responsibilities will include:

• Leading, executing and driving new Target Identification and Validation initiatives.
• Ensuring a robust translational framework is embedded early in the project lifetime to drive clear decision making in the clinic.

Skills and Experience:

• PhD and/or MD, demonstrable discovery or development experience in a neuroscience-related therapeutic area.
• Project leadership experience within a biotech or pharma setting.
• A strong background in translational research and proven ability to plan and execute translational strategies to support decision making in clinical studies.
• Extensive experience in the planning, analysis, and interpretation of in vitro and in vivo target validation and translational studies for neuroscience targets.
• Proven ability in data analysis and problem-solving.
• Hands-on experience in managing outsourced studies with CROs or academic partners.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast paced, multidisciplinary matrix team environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to thrive in team setting.
• Experience of carrying out both independent and collaborative research.
• Excellent organisational and data management skills.

Areas of expertise may include at least one of the following approaches:

• In vivo, ex vivo and human cellular models for characterisation of disease modifying and/or symptomatic therapies for neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases.
• Detailed characterisation of CNS targets that modulate synaptic health, through mechanisms such as protein homeostasis/clearance and neuroinflammation.
• Application of human iPSC and/or organoid models and phenotypic screening approaches for identification and validation of CNS drug targets.
• Experience in the use of large multiomics and human genetic datasets to support confidence in target selection.

What’s in it for you?

• State-of-the-art R&D centre located in the heart of the Cambridge science cluster.
• Competitive compensation package including discretionary cash bonuses.
• Eligible for grants of Restricted Stock Units.
• 26 days annual leave in addition to public holidays plus the option to purchase an additional 5 days each year.
• Employer contribution to pension.
• Private Medical Insurance for employees and family and a cash plan for dental and optical reimbursement.
• Health and wellbeing benefits including a subsidised individual gym membership.
• Income protection to cover long term absences due to ill health.
• Group Death in Service equal to 4x basic annual salary.

Apply: Please quote job reference 123 471 in all correspondence.