Chief Scientific Officer

Rocket Mortgage•Detroit, MI

13d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an exceptional CSO with outstanding scientific credentials and a proven record of leading and delivering high-impact research in world-class institutions. The ideal candidate will be a leading expert in cerebroids, organoids, assembloids, or other stem cell derived “organ-in-a-dish” systems, with direct experience in automated screening and/or drug discovery applications strongly preferred. This individual will bring a distinguished track record of scientific achievement and success in driving ambitious, complex research programs to completion. As CSO, you will define the scientific vision for NGNRI, design and lead its research strategy, and ensure execution of programs aimed at breakthrough discoveries in Neurofibromatosis type I and other neurological disorders. You will lead and mentor research teams, fostering a high-performance, collaborative environment, and serve as the primary scientific liaison for external partners. The CSO will also provide regular scientific reporting to the CEO, Executive Director of the Gilbert Family Foundation, and the Board. Experience in drug discovery through preclinical development is a significant asset. We are looking for a rigorous, curiosity-driven scientific leader who combines bold vision with disciplined execution, and who upholds the highest standards of scientific integrity and ethics while advancing programs with the greatest potential for impact.

Requirements

Outstanding integrity both personally and with regard to research conduct
Visionary, motivated, able to inspire
Excellent communicator whether in writing, speech or oral presentations
Deferential to diversity, equality and inclusion and able to lead diverse multicultural teams
Someone who will embrace a bold vision and remain loyal to its purpose
Able to unite individuals and build a common agenda
Able to serve as an ambassador of NGNRI and with proven diplomatic skills
An individual with the highest integrity and ethical standards.
Experience leading a research team.
Ideally, experience as a CSO, or research group leader or independent research appointment at least at the assistant professor level.
Outstanding postdoctoral fellows will also be considered.
Ability to provide research vision and motivate a team
Substantive corroborated experience leading challenging goal-driven research programs
Experience solving problems and overcoming obstacles, flexibility to consider and adopt alternative strategies when needed
Meticulous record keeper and able to nurture all appropriate safeguards by staff for valuable research results
Outstanding interpersonal skills, communication and team-building
Profound understanding and experience translating research vision into experimental programs
Proactive, go-getter with a can-do attitude together with the integrity, care, stringency and stamina to attend to details along the way
Ability to attract and recruit talent

Nice To Haves

Direct experience in automated screening and/or drug discovery applications strongly preferred.
Experience in drug discovery through preclinical development is a significant asset.
Experience navigating regulatory and compliance requirements in a professional environment is a plus
Experience assuming accountability for projects or research driven initiatives

Responsibilities

Establish the scientific vision and set the research agenda for curing NF1 at NGNRI
Recruit the necessary talent to achieve the research goals
Design workflows and laboratory infrastructure arrangements to best support the NGNRI research program
Establish an organizational structure of research teams and research team leadership for optimizing progress towards achieving NGNRI research goals
Provide a structure of group meetings, presentations, brainstorming, review of data, modelling using theory and the required structure at the cross-program level to ensure best chances of supporting continual progress by optimal exploitation of results
Be the scientific ambassador of NGNRI reaching out to scientific peers throughout the world and nurturing interest to participate in NGNRI’s guest program
Design the complementation between NGNRI staff research teams (mainly technology focused such as screening, organoid culture, FACS etc) and guest programs (application, mechanistic or translational research)
Establish consultative forums (such as scientific advisory panels) of leading scientific peers to provide input and help guide NGNRI’s research
Together with the NGNRI CEO, promote the attractiveness of NGNRI guest programs to the scientists in leading research organizations and establish partnering programs with their institutions
Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and guidelines as well operations at the highest ethical standards