Head of Translational Biology

Head Of Translational Biology Earli tackles the number one problem in the $100B cancer drug market: systemic toxicity. On-target/off-tumor effects force suboptimal dosing, reduced efficacy and sidelining some of the most potent drug classes such as cytokines. Earli's BioAI approach flips this paradigm: Drugs are produced only where needed—in the tumor, by the tumor, against the tumor. Cancer cells become their own drug factories, enabling localized immune activation, even in cold tumors. This was enabled by three core innovations: Extrahepatic lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that reach tumors such as lung cancer AI-designed genetic switches that activate only in malignant cells by sensing transcription factor dysregulation Local production of immune therapies (TCEs, cytokines, multispecifics) at the tumor site — "produce locally, consume locally" Together, these technologies create a new biological control layer, allowing tumors to self-identify and trigger their own targeted immune attack—achieving specificity beyond current targeted or IO therapies. Earli plans to enter the clinic by mid-2027 with a Phase 1/2 lung cancer trial. The company is backed by a16z, Khosla, Perceptive, Alex Gorsky, Marc Benioff, Breyer, Emerson Collective, Sands Capital and others. The SAB includes Jim Allison (Nobel Laureate, MD Anderson), Bob Langer (Co-founder Moderna, MIT), Phil Greenberg (Co-founder Juno), Amy Abernethy (frm. Principal Deputy FDA Commissioner), Bill Hait (former J&J EVP Oncology R&D), and Alan Ashworth (President UCSF Cancer Center). The leadership team brings deep gene therapy, LNP, CMC and tech experience; CEO Cyriac Roeding previously led a $250M (11x return) exit. Earli is currently seeking a Head of Translational Biology to oversee and lead the translational/in vivo biology group. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of successfully initiating and managing pharmacology and translational science projects across oncology indications from Discovery through IND enabling studies. She/he will be responsible for working with the existing scientific leadership for the design and planning of in vivo preclinical studies to characterize the efficacy, PK/PD and safety properties of Earli's proprietary compounds. This position will report to the Chief Scientific Officer. Primary Responsibilities Oversee and manage the Translational Biology group at Earli to support the growth and expansion of the team Proactively foster the growth of team members and identify opportunities for staff to develop into top-tier, independent pharmacology team members Help lead strategic planning and oversight of internal and external efforts to assess efficacy and safety testing of Earli's compounds for therapeutic applications across multiple pre-clinical in vivo models. Be the key external stakeholder to select and oversee CROs to conduct GLP safety and toxicology studies Ensure the production of high-quality technical reports including statistical analyses and data integrity review to support regulatory submissions Present key findings at internal and external meetings Education Requirements Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toxicology or related discipline DABT preferred, but not required. Candidates with a Pharm.D. or M.S. and 8 or more years leading nonclinical safety programs will be considered, especially with a background in the development of nucleic acid-based drugs. Required Experience, Knowledge and Skills Proven track record leading nonclinical safety and PK strategies to support development of nucleic acid therapeutics through IND filing. A deep understanding in the design of safety and efficacy studies of mRNA-LNPs (and ideally DNA-LNPs) using a multi-dose regimen. Translatability of those results into human clinical use is highly desired. Strong and documented first hand experience in leveraging standard oncology models such as syngeneic, orthotopic, metastatic and GEMM/transgenic cancer models for the use in therapeutics development Proven ability to oversee the development of new model systems. Experience working with atypical and larger preclinical cancer models is a plus. Successful demonstration of ability to rigorously analyze and interpret diverse, multidisciplinary data sets. Significant experience working with CROs to design and execute external studies. Significant experience in writing regulatory documentation to support IND filings. Previous experience in managing small to medium sized groups is required Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills are required As a key member that directly influences strategy, you must be able to think independently, effectively communicate and fully integrate into a high achieving team The base salary for this position is $215k-$235k per year. Earli