Research Leader / Senior Scientist (In vivo Pharmacology & Translational Sciences), Cambridge, MA

Your impact

Isomorphic labs are seeking exceptional individuals to join a highly impactful Translational Biology sub-team, within our Translational Sciences team, which specialises in small molecules. We’re hiring at the Research Leader and Senior Scientist levels, and you can apply for either position using the application form below. 

These roles are ideal for experienced translational biologists with a skill for designing fit-for-purpose screening cascades to provide robust experimental evidence that our ML-designed medicines will have the desired therapeutic product profiles (TPPs). You will be responsible for establishing and implementing translational strategies, advancing our oncology, immunology and partnership portfolios from early drug discovery through to candidate selection and ultimately to clinical phase work. These are exciting opportunities to work closely with world leading ML and drug discovery experts to develop imaginative new ways to test biological hypotheses, building a deep mechanistic understanding of drug target interactions in disease to drive our projects forward. By overseeing externalized CRO activities, you will close the loop between computational biological insights and real-world laboratory validation. You will have experience of working broadly across drug discovery projects, with the ability to think originally and critically, knowing when to apply innovative ideas, and think with a fresh approach. If you are a skilled In vivo Pharmacologist with a passion for applying cutting-edge technology to complex scientific challenges, this role offers an unparalleled opportunity for impact and growth.

As part of this hiring, some roles will have people management responsibilities for building teams of 2-3 In vivo Pharmacologists. In this case, you will be responsible for line managing and mentoring a talented and high-performing team, encouraging their scientific growth and career development. You’ll champion our cross-disciplinary approach, fostering a supportive team culture where continuous learning and the adoption of next-generation tools are the standard, not the exception.

What you will do

• Oversee the comprehensive planning, methodology development, fiscal management, and implementation of target-specific in vitro and in vivo pharmacology, PK/PD, and safety assessments throughout our project portfolios.
• Design robust translation strategies explicitly geared toward clinical translation, leveraging datasets and biomarkers to inform patient selection frameworks.
• Play a critical role in defining the most appropriate model paradigm (in vivo, ex vivo patient-derived tissue etc) for each project’s translational package, including developing a biomarker strategy to deliver early clinical proof of concept.
• Work with CROs to design decision-making experiments, and deliver the highest quality biological data to inform the path to the clinic.
• Provide scientific expertise to the ML and computational biology teams, to support the development of world-leading models of biological systems.
• Distill biological data into useful insights and recommendations for project leaders, project team members, and partners.
• Be closely integrated within or lead projects to provide strategic input to deliver project success.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to deliver high-quality reports that drive go/no-go decisions and support IND regulatory filings.
• Act as a vital bridge between computational prediction and experimental reality, collaborating closely with:
• ML and Data Science Teams: To translate in silico predictions into physical validation protocols and provide clean data loops to train future models, iteratively improving the predictive accuracy of our proprietary drug design platform.
• Discovery Biology and Lead Optimization: To seamlessly transition hits generated by our drug design engine into advanced preclinical characterization and guide SAR-driven design cycles with rapid, reliable preclinical efficacy data.
• DMPK and Toxicology: To align in vivo efficacy with ADME and exposure data, informing safety windows and dose selection.
• Clinical Development and Program Management: To translate preclinical PK/PD hypotheses into first-in-human trial designs, biomarker strategies, and patient inclusion criteria.

Skills and qualifications

Essential:

• Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• 8+ years / 5+ years of professional experience in a Translational Sciences role, operating within a biotech, pharma or CRO setting.
• Experience of project leadership / leading biology within small molecule drug discovery programs, ideally from inception to clinical candidate delivery.
• For a people management position, experience of leading a high-performing scientific team, mentoring and empowering them to thrive in their roles.
• Deep understanding of target, mechanism, and disease interdependencies, with expert knowledge of innovative translational models in oncology and/or immune disorders.
• Extensive pharma/biotech experience developing Target Product Profiles (TPPs) and converting them into biological screening cascades, to guide impactful drug development.
• Proven track record in constructing translational data packages and biomarker strategies to inform clinical trial design.
• Experience in designing PK/PD experiments for human dose prediction and phasing translational biology activities collaboratively with ADMET, formulation, and clinical specialists.
• Proven track record managing multi-vendor CRO networks, including contract negotiation, timeline accountability, and data quality oversight.
• Exceptional project management and leadership skills, with the ability to lead and influence matrixed teams without direct authority and manage multiple complex external studies simultaneously.
• Dynamism, agility, and effective communication across broad interdisciplinary teams and key stakeholders with diverse backgrounds.

Nice to have:

• Track record of driving strategic de-risking and SAR strategies, collaborating effectively across disciplines, including medicinal chemistry and DMPK. Good understanding of medicinal chemistry concepts.
• General knowledge of machine learning modelling applied to biological systems and drug discovery.