Director, GI/Liver Biomarkers & Translational Research

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Gilead Sciences is seeking a scientific leader to own end-to-end biomarker and translational strategy across a portfolio of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and liver programs. This player-coach role calls for recognized scientific expertise, sustained productivity, and the ability to translate human biology and biomarker evidence into clinical development, regulatory, and portfolio decisions. The Director will establish the GI/liver biomarker roadmap, lead strategically important programs, and integrate tissue, clinical, and multi-omic evidence across assets. The role supports several early- and late-stage programs, with assignments that may evolve as portfolio priorities change. This is a site-based position at Gilead’s global headquarters in Foster City, California. The Director will lead biomarker programs from early development through Phase II/III, guide scientific interpretation and decision-making, oversee study execution, and collaborate with senior cross-functional leaders. The role also includes developing direct reports and matrix teams, establishing external collaborations, contributing to portfolio and capability planning, and representing the organization in scientific and governance forums.

Requirements

PhD, MD, MD/PhD, PharmD, or equivalent advanced degree in immunology, gastroenterology, hepatology, inflammation biology, translational medicine, pharmacology, or a related discipline.
Typically 12+ years of relevant biotechnology, pharmaceutical, clinical development, or human translational research experience, including substantial leadership of clinical-stage biomarker programs.
Demonstrated ownership of biomarker and translational strategy across multiple complex programs, with examples of influencing dose, proof-of-concept, patient population, go/no-go, regulatory, or portfolio decisions.
Recognized expertise in human immunology and immune-mediated inflammatory disease, with strong GI/IBD expertise and meaningful knowledge of liver inflammation, injury, and/or fibrosis.
Sustained scientific productivity and innovation demonstrated through impactful peer-reviewed publications, patents, influential translational or clinical datasets, invited presentations, external recognition, major development milestones, or comparable achievements.
Extensive experience with biomarker-rich clinical trials, regulated development, assay externalization, clinical sample operations, complex data integration, and regulatory documentation or interactions.
Ability to lead and influence senior stakeholders, independently structure multiple large-scale assignments, manage resources, and communicate cohesive strategy to governance and executive audiences.
Track record of mentoring and developing scientists and elevating standards across cross-functional or matrix teams.

Nice To Haves

Direct leadership of biomarker strategies in Crohn’s disease and/or ulcerative colitis, including endoscopic, histologic, intestinal tissue, blood, and stool assessments.
Experience in liver inflammation, fibrosis, noninvasive biomarkers, imaging, and/or liver histopathology.
Experience spanning first-in-human through registrational development and direct participation in FDA, EMA, or other health authority interactions.
Expertise integrating single-cell, spatial, transcriptomic, proteomic, cellular, genetic, pathology, imaging, and clinical data into portfolio decisions.
Knowledge of companion diagnostic strategy and evidence requirements.
Established relationships with investigators, KOLs, consortia, or technology innovators in GI/IBD, liver disease, or human translational immunology.

Responsibilities

Own and evolve integrated GI/IBD and liver biomarker and translational strategy across multiple clinical-stage assets, aligning evidence generation with disease-area, asset, regulatory, and portfolio objectives.
Lead complex programs from early clinical development through Phase II/III, defining decision criteria for target engagement, dose, proof of concept, patient selection, response, safety, differentiation, and lifecycle opportunities.
Provide hands-on scientific leadership in the analysis and interpretation of blood, stool, intestinal and liver tissue, endoscopic, histologic, imaging, pathology, and multi-omic datasets.
Create cross-asset frameworks for forward and reverse translation, including integrated biopsy strategies and analyses of response, resistance, relapse, patient heterogeneity, and mechanisms of action.
Lead biomarker and translational contributions to protocols, analysis plans, investigator brochures, clinical study reports, briefing documents, regulatory submissions, and health authority interactions.
Partner with senior leaders across Clinical Development, Research, Clinical Pharmacology, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Diagnostics, Clinical Operations, and Regulatory, and communicate scientific opportunities, uncertainties, trade-offs, and recommendations.
Oversee biomarker execution, assay and vendor strategy, budgets, timelines, resources, and delivery across concurrent studies; anticipate risks and develop mitigation plans.
Establish collaborations with investigators, KOLs, pathologists, consortia, and technology partners; represent GI/liver biomarker science at advisory boards, scientific meetings, and external forums.
Lead publication and evidence-dissemination strategy and maintain an external scientific presence that strengthens the portfolio’s credibility and differentiation.
Develop direct reports and matrix team members, elevate scientific and operational standards, and build reusable capabilities, analytics, and best practices across the biomarker organization.
Contribute to portfolio prioritization, resource planning, and long-range capability strategy; present scientific and business cases to governance and executive audiences.