Executive Director, Multimodal & Minimally Invasive Biomarkers

AstraZeneca•Waltham, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

As Executive Director, Multimodal & Minimally Invasive Biomarkers you will define enterprise strategy for minimally invasive and multimodal biomarkers, with emphasis on ctDNA across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed approaches. You will build decision frameworks that guide when these approaches should and should not be used, ensuring consistent application and demonstrable ROI across programs. You will also develop approaches that enable comparability, reuse, and learning across studies and define and track metrics that demonstrate value: impact on decision-making, timelines, and development efficiency. This role partners with Translational Medicine to align biomarker strategies with development plans and influence key decisions: go/no-go, dose selection, and patient selection. You will guide the development of ctDNA monitoring strategies that assess target engagement, depth and durability of response, and emergence of resistance, contributing to molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints. You will articulate and defend biomarker strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership. Additionally, you will drive collaboration across BST functions (Translational Pathology, Radiology and Theranostics, Translational Proteomics, and Biosamples) to integrate blood-based, tissue, and imaging biomarkers and build a unified view of patient biology. You will advance approaches that move from exploratory multimodal datasets toward focused, scalable, deployable solutions. You will lead and develop a team of scientists and strategists across career levels, from early-career scientists to senior directors. You will set strategic priorities, ensure alignment with portfolio needs and enterprise strategy, and build capability in both scientific depth and systems-level thinking. You will foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and scientific rigor with a focus on measurable outcomes. You will evaluate emerging technologies based on their ability to inform development decisions and scale across the portfolio. You will lead engagement with external partners and vendors: selection, performance management, and negotiation of multi-year agreements. You will ensure technology investments support a coherent platform approach rather than fragmented adoption. You will establish a standardized, scalable approach to minimally invasive biomarkers while allowing appropriate program flexibility, and build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement. You will collaborate with Precision Diagnostic Development to translate research biomarkers into regulated companion diagnostics, incorporating regulatory requirements and diagnostic feasibility from inception. You will lead strategic discussions with regulatory authorities on novel biomarker approaches and qualification pathways. This role is suited for a leader who wants to move beyond individual biomarker strategies and build a more consistent and scalable approach that improves how decisions are made across the oncology portfolio.

Requirements

PhD, MD, or MD/PhD in molecular biology, cancer biology, genomics, or related scientific discipline
15+ years of progressive experience in oncology biomarker development with demonstrated advancement into senior leadership roles
Deep experience with ctDNA and other minimally invasive biomarker approaches, including understanding of different technologies, their appropriate use, and their application across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed strategies
Proven ability to develop decision frameworks and establish when biomarker approaches should and should not be used, with track record of demonstrable ROI
Demonstrated success connecting biomarker strategy to clinical development and influencing major development decisions at the portfolio level (go/no-go, dose selection, patient selection)
Experience working in complex, matrixed environments and influencing across functions and senior leadership levels without direct authority
Track record of building and leading high-performing teams across multiple career levels, with focus on developing both scientific depth and systems-level thinking
Experience developing approaches that enable reuse and learning across multiple programs rather than one-off implementations
Proven ability to articulate and defend complex scientific strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership
Executive-level communication skills with ability to engage audiences from bench scientists to C-suite leadership and regulatory authorities
Experience managing strategic vendor relationships, negotiating multi-year agreements, and ensuring technology investments support coherent platform approaches
Demonstrated ability to build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement

Nice To Haves

Experience translating biomarkers into regulated diagnostics such as companion diagnostics, with understanding of regulatory requirements from inception through approval
Familiarity with diagnostic development and regulatory frameworks (FDA, EMA, PMDA) and experience leading strategic discussions with regulatory authorities
Experience with multimodal data integration across tissue, blood, and imaging modalities to build unified views of patient biology
Experience with AI/ML applications and computational approaches in biomarker development
Broad experience across tumor types (lung, breast, GI, bladder, etc.) and therapeutic modalities (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, ADCs)
Experience developing molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints
External scientific visibility through high-impact publications or presentations at major conferences
Experience contributing to organizational or strategic transformation initiatives
Track record of establishing standardized, scalable approaches while maintaining appropriate program flexibility
Experience positioning organizations as preferred partners with leading diagnostic providers

Responsibilities

Define Enterprise Strategy and Drive Portfolio Impact
Establish enterprise strategy for minimally invasive and multimodal biomarkers, with emphasis on ctDNA across tumor-naïve and tumor-informed approaches
Build decision frameworks that guide when these approaches should and should not be used, ensuring consistent application and demonstrable ROI across programs
Develop approaches that enable comparability, reuse, and learning across studies
Define and track metrics that demonstrate value: impact on decision-making, timelines, and development efficiency
Enable Critical Development Decisions
Partner with Translational Medicine to align biomarker strategies with development plans and influence key decisions: go/no-go, dose selection, and patient selection
Guide development of ctDNA monitoring strategies that assess target engagement, depth and durability of response, and emergence of resistance, contributing to molecular response endpoints that complement or extend traditional radiographic endpoints
Articulate and defend biomarker strategies in governance discussions with senior leadership
Lead Multimodal Integration and Cross-Functional Collaboration
Drive collaboration across BST functions (Translational Pathology, Radiology and Theranostics, Translational Proteomics, and Biosamples) to integrate blood-based, tissue, and imaging biomarkers and build a unified view of patient biology
Advance approaches that move from exploratory multimodal datasets toward focused, scalable, deployable solutions
Build and Develop High-Performing Teams
Lead and develop team of scientists and strategists across career levels, from early-career scientists to senior directors
Set strategic priorities, ensure alignment with portfolio needs and enterprise strategy, and build capability in both scientific depth and systems-level thinking
Foster culture of accountability, collaboration, and scientific rigor with focus on measurable outcomes
Drive Technology Strategy and Strategic Partnerships
Evaluate emerging technologies based on ability to inform development decisions and scale across the portfolio
Lead engagement with external partners and vendors: selection, performance management, and negotiation of multi-year agreements
Ensure technology investments support a coherent platform approach rather than fragmented adoption
Establish Operational Excellence and Regulatory Strategy
Establish standardized, scalable approach to minimally invasive biomarkers while allowing appropriate program flexibility, and build systems that enable portfolio-level learning and continuous improvement
Collaborate with Precision Diagnostic Development to translate research biomarkers into regulated companion diagnostics, incorporating regulatory requirements and diagnostic feasibility from inception
Lead strategic discussions with regulatory authorities on novel biomarker approaches and qualification pathways

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