4,000 professionals, 0 days wasted, 1 incredible purpose. Together, we are beating cancer. 

Group Leader – Cell Pharmacology

Salary: From £67,200 - £76,000 per annum depending on experience

Reports to: Associate Director Mechanistic Pharmacology

Department: Research and Innovation

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week (flexible working requests considered if they meet business needs)

Location: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge

Closing date: Thursday 29th August 2024 at 23.55

This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. Please let us know if there is anything about the recruitment process that you would like to discuss, in particular if there are any changes or adjustments that would make it easier for you to apply. Please contact [email protected] or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone determined, someone like you.

We currently have an exciting opportunity within our Drug Discovery team for an experienced individual to lead the Cell Pharmacology team within Mechanistic Pharmacology, based at our Babraham Research Campus facilities in Cambridge.

We are seeking an accomplished scientific and people leader who can articulate a vision for our mission and set direction and inspire commitment for pre-clinical Discovery. This is an exciting opportunity to work with cross-functional teams both internally and externally to develop drugs to improve lives of cancer patients.

About CRUK Drug Discovery

As the world’s biggest medical research charity, we’ve helped bring eleven new cancer drugs to market. However, there is still an urgent need to bring more effective treatments to patients faster.

We have recently developed a new approach to driving therapeutic innovation through the creation of Cancer Research Horizons (CRH). We have brought together Cancer Research UK’s established drug discovery teams under one organisation and leadership team, combining our unique pipeline of world class biology, cutting edge technology platforms and clinical expertise to 1) bring new treatments to patients faster and 2) tackle the biggest challenges in discovering cancer drugs by seeking out more radical ideas and embracing risk in our bid to achieve success.  

What will I be doing?

Our new strategy sets out to bring deeper mechanistic understanding at the molecular and cellular level to all stages of projects, from Idea to pre-clinical candidate.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Mechanistic Pharmacology, you will set and lead the Cell Pharmacology vision to help identify the right drugs with the right mechanisms for the right patients, faster. You will also play a leadership role in the wider Molecular Sciences department, contributing to the strategic direction within CRH.

As the Group Leader, Cell Pharmacology, you will lead and drive a high-performing team (~9 colleagues) to provide all aspects of cellular assay development, SAR and SKR profiling and impactful mechanistic insight to projects at the cellular level using quantitative cellular pharmacology.

You will be a recognised and passionate leader, able to represent the department across a broad range of therapeutic projects and cross-site initiatives, as well as externally (including in novel modalities aligned to our strategic direction), incorporating external collaboration and partnership along with internal science builds.

What skills will I need?

The Group Leader should have the following skills and experience:

• Ability to lead internal expertise, capacity and resources to drive governance and decision-making regarding scientific portfolio support and technology development for Cell Pharmacology.

• Future-orientated and strategic in thinking style.

• Ability to generate exceptional results by influencing, driving performance, and collaborating across projects and sites.

• Ensure equality and diversity is celebrated and considered as part of all decisions taken.

Essential Requirements

Education:

• PhD in Biological Science, or equivalent experience

Experience:

• Proven track record of recruiting, inspiring and developing a high-functioning team, and optimising team performance in a highly matrixed discovery project environment

• Proven expertise in quantitative cellular pharmacology in pre-clinical drug discovery, including detailed characterisation of targets and their modulation by small molecules and drug mechanism-of-action, applied to hit finding approaches, SAR and SKR profiling and mechanism of action studies

• Significant experience of establishing and leading external academic and industrial collaborations, and technology change projects

• Track record of delivering results across a diverse project portfolio by driving strategic and scientific initiatives

• External reputation in cellular pharmacology and drug discovery, gained through professional recognition, external presentation and publication in peer-reviewed journals

What will I gain?

Every one of our employees contributes to our progress and is supporting our work to beat cancer. We think that’s impressive.

In return, we make sure you are supported by a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools, policies, and processes to enable you to do your job well.

Our benefits package includes a substantial retirement plan, a generous and flexible leave allowance, discounts on anything from travel to technology, gym membership, and much more.

We don’t forget people have lives outside of work too and so we actively encourage a flexible working culture.

Our work – from funding cutting-edge research to developing public policy – will change the world. It’s exciting to be part of our team.

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Please note: Cancer Research UK can consider visa sponsorship for this vacancy. If this applies to you, please ensure that this is clearly marked on your application.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact [email protected] or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.