Chief Scientific Officer in Stratford-upon-Avon

Locations: Stratford (2 Redman Place)

Time type: Full time

Posted on: Posted Today

Time left to apply: End Date: February 28, 2026 (23 days left to apply)

Job requisition id: R032881

Reports to: Director of Centre for Drug Development

Directorate: Research & Innovation

Contract / Hours: Permanent, Full time 35 hours per week

Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office on average)

Closing date: Friday 27th February 2026

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is the world’s largest independent funder of cancer research — partnering globally to prevent, diagnose, treat and ultimately cure cancer. CRUK drives the translation of research into clinical impact through an integrated national network of research centres. This network includes the Centre for Drug Development (CDD); a key piece of CRUK’s translational infrastructure, focused on progressing cutting-edge innovations to create effective treatments and diagnostics for cancer. The CDD is crucial to the charity’s ability to make these discoveries and focuses efforts on first-in-class therapies, first-in-human trials and trials in rare cancers, including paediatric cancers.

After an incredibly successful time in post, Dr Robert Williams the Chief Drug Development Scientist at CDD, is looking to retire. On the back of this, a new role of Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) has been created which will lead activities to translate preclinical candidates towards first-in-human studies. They will provide high quality leadership and guidance to the team responsible for the design and delivery of pre-clinical data packages to support regulatory applications for CDD-sponsored early phase clinical trials. Reporting to Dr Lars Erwig, Director CDD, the CSO will play a key role in shaping and delivering the future strategy and pipeline for the Unit and will be a key member of the CDD Leadership Team.

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned line manager and project leader with extensive experience of leading multidisciplinary teams that have achieved regulatory approval for clinical trial application. This experience will ideally have been gained in the pharma / biotech sector and will include significant exposure to the oncology therapy area. Prior experience of working with different modalities, including small molecules and biologics would be highly desirable. At a personal level, the CSO will be a collaborative and inspirational leader; someone with gravitas and credibility with external stakeholders and the ability to articulate the mission and vision of CRUK and the CDD to a wide range of audiences.

If you have the experience outlined and would be interested in exploring this opportunity further, please contact Coulter Partners who are working with CRUK on this key hire, ideally including your CV, at CRUK@Coulterpartners.com. Closing date for applications is Friday 27th February 2026.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.