Director, Respiratory Discovery Disease Team (DDT) Lead, Immunology Discovery Research

AbbVie•Cambridge, MA

6d•$160,500 - $305,000•Onsite

About The Position

As the scientific thought leader for AbbVie's Respiratory Discovery Research team, the Director, Respiratory Discovery Disease Team (DDT) Lead is tasked with building a vision and team to develop translational immunology insights to drive an exemplary pipeline for the Respiratory disease area. The Director is responsible for defining and implementing a cross-functional strategy aimed at breaking efficacy ceilings for Asthma and COPD. This work involves close collaboration with functions such as Business Development, Precision Medicine, Clinical Development, and Commercial. Under the Director's scientific vision and leadership, the Respiratory Discovery team is expected to generate compelling, data-driven rationales, including developing disease-relevant human complex in vitro models, that support the central role of target pathways. The team aims to build data packages that support the portfolio advancement of innovative molecules into First-In-Human (FIH) studies in respiratory diseases. Beyond leading the Respiratory Discovery team and driving the development of a Respiratory pipeline and strategy, the Director is broadly responsible for Immunology Discovery Research. The Respiratory Discovery team is responsible for delivering key data to projects across all phases of drug discovery and utilizing different modalities, such as small molecules, biologic molecules, peptides, and genetic medicine therapies. This leadership position requires a deep understanding of immunology, with a focus on lung biology, in vivo and complex in vitro model systems, and pharmacology.

Requirements

MD/PhD, PhD or MS in related field
~12+ years of experience in Immunology Drug Discovery with specific research interests focused on chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in the Respiratory area.
Demonstrated passion and drive to translate molecular genotyping and phenotyping into pathway and target identification and validation using various pharmacological approaches
Prior pharmaceutical/biotech industry experience including the advancement of innovative new approaches to early development is required
Track record of impacting disease understanding and portfolio through implementation of innovative disease model approaches
An extensive network of connections with leading investigators in the global science field actively supporting open exchange of expert opinions and visions of technology.
Track record of attracting, retaining and developing talent with previous extensive people leadership experience
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Experience in interacting with executive-level management
The ability to achieve results in accordance with a research plan and timelines without formal authority in a cross-disciplinary academic/industrial environment

Responsibilities

Acts as both a program and people leader, focusing on supporting key portfolio program milestones, driving the identification of novel targets through partnerships with multiple functional teams and external collaborators, promoting technical excellence in Respiratory Discovery Research, and contributing to the strategic direction of the Respiratory DDT.
Leads and implements drug discovery pipeline programs and evaluates and integrates external programs and academic collaborations into the pipeline, aligning with strategic core respiratory disease areas, with a potential extension into IPF.
Attracts and leads a multidisciplinary team of approximately 15+ world-class scientists based at the Cambridge, MA research site.
Leverages a global network within the research community to establish and direct multiple research collaborations with leading academic and biotech laboratories.
Joins the Immunology DDT Leadership Team, sharing accountability for the success of the Immunology Pipeline at AbbVie.
Provides scientific insights that advance compelling opportunities through the pipeline, including accessing appropriate cellular and animal models, selecting optimal translational strategies, and introducing new technologies.
Advises on and shares accountability for transitions across major drug discovery and development milestones, evaluates the scientific merits of potential biotechnology alliances, extracts value from AbbVie's participation in public-private consortia, considers and evaluates both internal pipeline and external licensing opportunities, and guides AbbVie's research alliances and collaboration efforts across defined areas of diseases.