Oncology Translational Medicine Lead Director

Oncology Translational Medicine Lead Director

Location: Boston, MA

Introduction to role: Are you ready to turn cutting-edge biomarker science into decisions that accelerate new antibody-drug conjugate therapies for people living with cancer? As Oncology Translational Medicine Lead Director, you will set the biomarker vision for an innovation-rich ADC portfolio and convert it into clinical impact—informing indication selection, dose and schedule, rational combinations, and patient selection that change outcomes.

You will partner closely with discovery scientists, early and late clinical teams, diagnostics experts, and quantitative specialists to bring the right tests to the right studies at the right time. Your leadership will ensure robust, reproducible biomarkers are designed, validated, and executed to establish mechanism of action, predict and monitor response, and understand resistance so our trials move faster and smarter. How would you design a strategy that turns complex tumor biology into clear, actionable decisions from Phase 1 through Phase 3?

This is a hands-on, outcome-focused role where your scientific judgment and ability to collaborate at pace will shape the trajectory of multiple assets. You will influence standards across the portfolio while mentoring and inspiring teams to do their best translational work with a direct line of sight to patients.

Accountabilities:

• Translational Strategy Ownership: Define and deliver end-to-end biomarker strategies for ADC assets from Phase 1 to Phase 3, aligning assays and analyses to decision points to de-risk development and enable swift progression.
• Disease Linkage and Indication Selection: Generate and synthesize disease linkage data to prioritize indications and patient segments with the highest probability of benefit.
• Target Engagement and Pharmacodynamics: Design, validate, and implement assays to quantify target engagement and pharmacodynamic biomarkers, providing evidence to guide dose and schedule selection.
• Tumor Biology and Combinations: Interpret pathway interactions, feedback loops, and tumor microenvironment features in clinical samples to propose and support rational combination strategies.
• Resistance Mechanisms: Lead analyses of relapse biopsies and longitudinal samples to define mechanisms of resistance and inform next-line strategies and new biomarker hypotheses.
• Clinical Biomarker Execution: Partner with clinical operations and study teams to specify biospecimen plans, lab manuals, and protocols; ensure high-quality centralized analytics and timely readouts.
• Data Interpretation and Communication: Drive data reviews; author and review clinical study reports; present to governance; contribute to publications that shape internal decisions and external reputation.
• Portfolio Influence and Standards: Shape translational approaches across programs, contributing to platforms, policies, and best practices that raise the bar portfolio-wide.
• Collaboration and External Leadership: Initiate and manage internal and external collaborations in clinical technologies and translational research, bringing cutting-edge methods into our studies.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• PhD and/or MD with experience in oncology drug development.
• A minimum of 5 years' of relevant experience.
• In-depth knowledge of oncology disease area biology (solid tumors) and translational science.
• Ability to drive, manage, execute and deliver results for complex multi-functional projects.
• Highly developed problem solving and risk management skills, and attention to detail.
• Highly developed collaborative working skills.
• Ability to act as an external ambassador and to influence external organisations to enhance the image and reputation of AstraZeneca.
• Proven ability to motivate and develop others.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Expertise in antibody drug conjugates.

Why AstraZeneca: Here, pioneering science meets practical impact. You will work at the leading edge of oncology with one of the most dynamic pipelines, bringing together discovery biologists, clinicians, data scientists, and diagnostic partners to solve the toughest problems in cancer. We pair bold ideas with rigorous execution—using novel biomarkers, AI, innovative endpoints, and advanced trial designs—to move from early signals to life-changing medicines. You will learn alongside diverse experts from academia and industry, contribute to collective wisdom built through true collaboration, and see your decisions guide programs at pace. We value kindness alongside ambition, empower courageous thinking, and provide the support you need to turn deep scientific insight into real outcomes for patients.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges between $183,768.80 - $275,653.20 USD Annual. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.