Director, Clinical Development (MD)

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

Job Description

The Medical Director will lead the execution of multiple clinical trials in hematologic malignancies, partnering closely with internal and external stakeholders to advance a novel CAR T-cell therapy for patients. This role requires strong leadership and exceptional cross‑functional collaboration, working hand‑in‑hand with study start‑up and operational teams to ensure efficient and high‑quality trial delivery. The Medical Director will also build and maintain productive relationships with external clinical sites to support successful study conduct. In addition, this role includes direct participation in regulatory interactions to facilitate and progress study activities.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide medical monitoring to multiple oncology clinical trials

• Lead project teams to design and implement clinical studies

• Write protocols, investigator brochures, clinical study reports and review clinical trial documents

• Conduct investigator meetings and lead site initiation visits with clinical trial investigators

• Execute and deploy drug development strategic plans, develop contingency plans, provide technical and strategic advice, and meet milestones and budgets

• Translate findings from research and nonclinical studies into clinical development opportunities

• Interact with clinical investigators and thought leaders

• Work with internal regulatory affairs team and other ethical guidelines relevant to the pharmaceutical industry, and ensure compliance with these external guidelines

• Work with internal pre-clinical scientists, translational scientists, business and commercial organizations in a cross functional manner

• Work in a team environment comprising clinical operations, biomarker specialists, CROs, and regulatory affairs

• Perform other duties as required

• Support, provide input into regulatory filing documents, conduct regulatory filings

Basic Qualifications:

• MD or equivalent with 4+ years of experience managing oncology trials

Preferred Qualifications:

• Board certification/specialization in Hematology or Oncology

• At least 2 years of relevant drug development experience, either within industry or as a clinical investigator/physician scientist in academia, or equivalent experience

• Proven clinical development strategist with experience designing, implementing and conducting clinical trials, with emphasis on proof-of-concept and first-in-human studies

• Knowledge of carrying out hematology/oncology clinical trials, including knowledge of hematology/oncology treatment options

• Strategic leadership and tactical skills, excellent initiative and judgment, and demonstrated ability to positively represent the goals of Kite

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain excellent working relationships with both internal colleagues and external contacts, including key thought leaders, and investigators

• Demonstrated ability to work well in teams in a cross functional manner

• Ability to communicate and work independently with scientific/technical personnel

• Ability to think critically, and demonstrated troubleshooting and problem solving skills

• Self-motivated and willing to accept temporary responsibilities outside of initial job description

• Comfortable in a fast-paced small company environment with minimal direction and able to adjust workload based upon changing priorities

• May travel up to 30%

The salary range for this position is:

Kite considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite, please visit Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at

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Kite Pharma is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact View email address on aiapply.co for assistance.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.

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YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

Kite Pharma will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Kite Pharma provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.

For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.