Medical Director or Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development

Job Description

Job Description

The Director or Senior Director, Clinical Development will serve as a key clinical contributor embedded in Lyell's small, high-impact development team. This individual contributor role is responsible for providing medical and scientific leadership across one or more clinical trials, supporting protocol development, regulatory interactions, and data interpretation as Lyell advances toward its first approval and commercial launch.

Clinical Trial Leadership & Execution

• Provide clinical leadership in the design, implementation, and oversight of cell therapy trials in oncology.
• Contribute meaningfully to clinical development plans (CDPs) and clinical trial protocols.
• Analyze and interpret clinical trial data; provide medical input for clinical study reports and regulatory documents.
• Ensure scientific integrity of clinical studies and compliance with GCP standards and regulatory requirements.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs to support preparation and review of regulatory submissions (IND, BLA, etc.).
• Serve as a medical representative in agency meetings (e.g., FDA, EMA) as appropriate.
• Oversee monitoring and reporting of adverse events and safety signals; contribute to risk management strategies.
• Ensure ethical conduct of clinical trials and adherence to all applicable regulatory guidelines.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Clinical Operations, Biostatistics, Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory Affairs, and Medical Affairs.
• Contribute medical expertise to support cross-functional project teams and strategic planning.
• Support development and review of scientific content for regulatory documents and scientific communications.

External Engagement

• Represent Lyell at scientific conferences, industry meetings, and in interactions with KOLs.
• Build and maintain scientific relationships with clinical investigators and academic centers.

• MD required; MD/PhD or additional advanced training a plus.
• Board certification (current or prior) in oncology, hematology, or a related field preferred.

• Director - Minimum 5 years of clinical research experience in oncology, with a focus on cell therapy or immuno-oncology.
• Senior Director - Minimum 8+ years of pharmaceutical/biotech industry experience; 5+ years of clinical research experience in oncology.
• Demonstrated experience in the design, execution, and oversight of clinical trials.
• Experience with regulatory submissions and agency interactions (IND, BLA, FDA meetings) highly desirable.
• Prior industry experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech setting required.

• Deep scientific expertise in oncology; ability to analyze and communicate complex clinical data to diverse audiences.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements, GCP standards, and clinical development best practices.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills; ability to work effectively across disciplines without direct authority.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable engaging with external experts and internal senior leaders.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment.
• Demonstrated adaptability: thrives in a pre-commercial biotech setting with evolving priorities and a leaner organizational infrastructure.
• Openness to adopting new technologies, including AI-assisted tools for clinical data synthesis and regulatory workflows; demonstrated willingness to learn and adapt as new capabilities are introduced into the development environment.

The salary range for this position is $240,000 to $300,000, annually, with the opportunity to earn an annual bonus. The salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on Lyell's compensation practices and an applicant's qualifications and experience. Employees are also eligible to participate in Lyell's Equity Incentive Plan. 

At Lyell, we believe that highest performing teams include people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences who respectfully challenge each other. We are committed to building an open, diverse and inclusive culture for all employees. Lyell is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.