Director, Oncology Translational Medicine, Clinical Biomarkers

GSK • Upper Providence, PA

1d • $189,750 - $316,250 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Oncology Translational Medicine, Clinical Biomarkers develops and implements biomarker and translational medicine strategies in support of late-stage oncology asset clinical development. As a member of Clinical Matrix Teams (CMTs), the Director collaborates with the Clinical Biomarker Executive Director to establish decision-making criteria, define patient segmentation strategies, and integrate these approaches into clinical development plans. The role applies emerging technologies and methodologies to discover and clinically validate biomarkers, aligning biomarker strategies with clinical plans to strengthen drug-development decisions and identify appropriate patient populations.

For candidates located at the Stevenage site, the position will temporarily be based in Stevenage, UK, before moving to Cambridge, UK. The company currently proposes that this relocation take effect by early 2029. The role works across internal and external scientific, clinical, operational, regulatory, and commercial stakeholders and contributes to scientific publications and presentations.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or equivalent with at least 7 years, or M.Sc. with at least 10 years, of pharmaceutical-industry drug-development experience.
• Solid background in oncology clinical biomarkers, expertise in late-phase oncology studies, and translational research within clinical development.
• Strong expertise in cancer biology and clinical development, including the therapeutic landscape, approved and investigational agents, and diagnostic approaches in solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and designing and executing strategic biomarker plans, including development of regulated biomarker assays.
• Experience conducting clinical trials and working as part of clinical study teams.
• Experience designing and executing translational biomarker plans for clinical trials, and exploring and onboarding innovative technologies for translational research and biomarker development.
• Experience collaborating with Data Sciences to analyze high-dimensional preclinical and clinical data to guide clinical decisions and inform asset strategy.
• Hands-on experience with a broad range of biomarker platforms, such as flow cytometry; molecular diagnostics including NGS, FISH, and PCR; IHC/IF; liquid biopsy/ctDNA approaches; and multi-omic biomarker analyses.
• Experience influencing teams and key leaders, with a track record of success.

Nice To Haves

• M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Experience with high-dimensional dataset analysis.
• Prior experience with diagnostic development and regulatory interactions.
• Experience with digital pathology, AI/ML-enabled biomarker analyses, external scientific partnerships, and mentoring or developing scientific colleagues.
• Strong sense of urgency and excellent prioritization, planning, and timely execution in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to thrive in a matrixed environment; dependable and trustworthy, with a willingness to take ownership and responsibility.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, matrix project-management, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Clinical Biomarker Executive Director to design, align, and execute clinical biomarker and translational medicine strategies focused on predictive biomarkers.
• Validate and implement target engagement, pharmacodynamic, and proof-of-mechanism biomarker strategies for clinical-phase programs to support patient stratification, dose selection, and clinical go/no-go decisions.
• Participate in tumor-specific Biomarker Matrix teams and execute clinical biomarker strategies for late-stage oncology programs in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders and disease area strategy teams.
• Represent Translational Medicine on Clinical Development Matrix Teams, establishing biomarker-driven decision criteria and integrating them into clinical study designs in alignment with study objectives.
• Support disease area strategies and translational objectives by defining biomarker priorities and generating decision-enabling evidence packages using real-world datasets, internal and external data, and partnerships such as research collaborations and KEE consultations.
• Identify scientific and technological advances for biomarker strategies that guide indication selection, patient enrichment, and combination strategies.
• Oversee and/or develop sample testing plans and deliver high-quality biomarker data packages to inform clinical development and regulatory strategies.
• Manage relationships with clinical and scientific operations, diagnostics, medical science, medical affairs, regulatory, portfolio management, and commercial functions.
• Support expanded understanding of mechanisms and disease to generate insights for indication expansion and scientific exchange.
• Define and study mechanisms of resistance to enable reverse translation, inform next-line strategies, support patient enrichment, and influence asset life-cycle management.
• Contribute to the company's scientific credibility through publications and presentations.
• Translate preclinical research into human clinical trials, using learnings from genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses of preclinical models and patient samples.

Benefits

• Annual bonus.
• Eligibility to participate in the share-based long-term incentive program, dependent on role level.
• Health care and other insurance benefits for employees and family.
• Retirement benefits.
• Paid holidays.
• Vacation.
• Paid caregiver, parental, and medical leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree