Principal / Senior Translational Pharmacologist – Ophthalmology in Hatfield

Are you looking for day-to-day work that directly impacts human health and brings life-changing therapies to people who currently have no other options? Are you looking for a role where you can shape scientific strategy rather than simply execute studies? Pharmidex is a translational CRO supporting global biotech and pharmaceutical clients since 2002. We operate a lean, high-impact R&D model with integrated in vitro, in vivo, bioanalytical, GLP toxicology, GLP/GCP bioanalysis, and biomarker capabilities under one roof across our AAALAC-accredited and MHRA-compliant facilities.

With a strong track record across translational research programmes, we combine experienced internal scientific teams with deep academic, industry, and CRO expertise. This unique setup allows our team to move fast and focus entirely on what matters scientifically to deliver the highest value for our clients and patients. We are seeking a dynamic, dedicated, and driven Principal / Senior Translational Pharmacologist to join our growing Translational Research group. In this role, you will take scientific ownership of ophthalmology programs, shaping indication strategies, selecting disease models, and driving translational decision‑making from discovery through to IND-enabling studies.

If you are a senior-level preclinical scientist looking for pace, high visibility, and real translational impact in ophthalmology, we want to hear from you.

The Principal / Senior Translational Pharmacologist will be a core part of the Translational Ophthalmology team, focusing on the characterisation and evaluation of novel therapeutics, including gene therapy candidates. You will be responsible for directing both internal and external research activities to grow the company services and client portfolio. As a senior individual contributor and scientific lead, you will own multiple ophthalmology programs, designing and interpreting in vivo and in vitro studies that directly link mechanism to disease biology.

• Program Ownership & Strategy: Own and drive pharmacology strategies for assigned ophthalmic programs. Provide scientific insights related to nonclinical disease models, new target identification, and indication expansion/repositioning exercises.
• Study Design & Execution: Architect, oversee, and interpret robust in vitro and in vivo pharmacology studies, to establish proof‑of‑mechanism and generate highly predictive translational data.
• External Collaboration & Client Management: Oversee the assessment, selection, and collaboration with our industry clients, academic partners, and medical institutes, ensuring fast, flexible project execution.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Synchronise internal preclinical pharmacology activities with other matrix functions, representing translational/preclinical research within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Regulatory & Documentation: Assist with the preparation of high‑quality internal documents, study protocols, comprehensive study reports, and regulatory/patent filings.
• Scientific Due Diligence: Keep up to date with scientific literature and lead scientific assessments for due diligence and portfolio expansion activities as required.
• Team Guidance: Provide leadership, technical troubleshooting, and mentorship within the team to ensure project milestones are achieved effectively and efficiently.

• Education: Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Pharmacology, Biology, Ophthalmology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Experience: Extensive senior-level experience in preclinical drug discovery and early development within a biopharmaceutical, CRO, or advanced academic setting.
• Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge of drug discovery, study design considerations for non‑clinical studies, and independent data analysis. Background in ocular biology and ophthalmology disease models. The role combines scientific leadership with selective hands‑on experimental involvement.
• Communication & Influence: Exceptional oral, written, and presentation skills with the ability to act as a senior scientific voice within a global matrix team.
• Attributes: Highly organised, independent, and possessing a distinguished record of achieving research objectives through troubleshooting and scientific rigor.

• Ocular Disease Models Expertise: Strong hands‑on expertise across both in vivo and in vitro ophthalmology models, with broad exposure to ocular disease biology.
• Modality Experience: Experience in retinal/ocular cell biology and/or gene therapy research.
• Computational & Innovation Mindset: Familiarity with, or an interest in, leveraging AI tools, predictive algorithms, or in silico models to optimise preclinical study design and target evaluation.
• Translational Track Record: A proven track record of successfully developing therapies from preclinical concepts to the clinic.
• Licensing (UK Specific): Current or previous holder of a UK Home Office project and/or Personal Licence, with experience in rodent handling for research.
• Regulatory Track Record: A proven track record or familiarity with MHRA and OECD guidelines on Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).

• Competitive base salary tailored to your experience level.
• Performance‑related annual bonus.
• A high‑visibility role with a real chance of progressing cutting‑edge projects into IND packages.
• The opportunity to help accelerate the development of medicines for patients with unmet medical needs.
• An exciting opportunity to contribute directly to the future strategic direction of R&D at Pharmidex.
• Opportunities to present at national and international scientific meetings to showcase your team's capabilities.
• The ability to interact directly with clients and make a measurable impact on their project success.

Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Position Type: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: Competitive, based on experience + Potential Annual Bonus + Comprehensive Benefits Package