Senior Officer, Drug Discovery

Gates Foundation•Seattle, WA

About The Position

The Foundation is the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity globally. This role is within the Global Health (GH) program, which focuses on scientific and technological advancements to improve health in low and middle-income countries. The Accelerator team within GH funds the creation of novel technology capabilities to enable the foundation's mission by fostering the conception, design, and testing of new biotech platforms. The HIV Frontiers program is a high-priority initiative within the Accelerator, aiming to develop curative interventions for HIV disease and sickle cell disease. This program funds multiple organizations across the full development continuum, from basic science to clinical trials and access strategy.

Requirements

PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical engineering, immunology, chemistry, or a closely related field; MD/PhD or equivalent clinical-scientific training welcome
Minimum 12–15 years of experience in preclinical drug development in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or CDMO industry, with a demonstrated track record of advancing biological or advanced therapy products toward IND and first-in-human studies
Substantive hands-on or closely supervisory experience in CMC for biologics — including process development, analytical development, formulation, and regulatory CMC filing strategy — across one or more of the following modalities: gene therapy viral vectors, LNP-based nucleic acid delivery, mRNA therapeutics, recombinant proteins, or monoclonal antibodies
Direct experience with IND-enabling study design and execution: GLP toxicology, PK/PD, biodistribution, and integration of preclinical safety and pharmacology packages
Familiarity with FDA regulatory strategy for biologics and advanced therapy medicinal products, including IND, BLA, and pre-submission meeting experience
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex external partnerships simultaneously, exercising scientific judgment, strategic thinking, and clear written and oral communication
Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills; comfortable engaging with counterparts ranging from NewCo founders to VP-level development leaders at major pharmaceutical companies
Deep commitment to the Foundation's mission of equitable global health impact; genuine motivation for working in a philanthropic, mission-driven environment
Tolerance for ambiguity and ability to apply structure to simplify complex problems
An understanding of regulatory requirements necessary for various phases of vaccine and biologics development
Commitment to innovation and advancing new technologies in cell and gene therapy
Intellectual quickness, curiosity, discipline, resourcefulness and resilience
Demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and enthusiasm in a fast-paced and complex internal and external environment
Scientifically rigorous and intellectually honest — able to distinguish signal from noise, acknowledge uncertainty, and make sound recommendations under conditions of incomplete information
A fast and eager learner, comfortable building expertise in new disease areas and technologies as the field evolves
Disciplined and responsible — able to own complex workstreams independently while keeping program leadership informed and aligned
Collaborative and low-ego — the program succeeds through partnership; internal credit-taking is antithetical to the culture
Motivated by impact, not by institutional prestige — and energized rather than daunted by the scale and difficulty of the goal
Experience in working on teams with diverse culture and professional backgrounds
Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic, and operational situations, demonstrating culturally-sensitive behavior
Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills
Excellent relationship management skills to develop trusting and productive relationships with a wide range of colleagues, dignitaries, leaders, grantees, consultants and other partners
Commitment to transparency and real-time information sharing
Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, and diplomacy both individually and as part of a team effort
Demonstrated passion for the Foundation’s values and commitment to deliver results against the Foundation’s mission

Nice To Haves

Experience working with partners in low- and middle-income countries
Experience with business and technical due diligence assessments of potential corporate, product or technology investments; ability to synthesize technical and commercial information towards strategic decision making
Experience with in vivo gene therapy delivery platforms, including viral and non-viral vectors, in the context of targeting HSCs and other long-lived cells
Background in or substantial exposure to HIV biology, hematopoiesis, or immunology — or demonstrated ability and eagerness to develop fluency in these areas rapidly
Experience with LMIC-relevant manufacturing strategy, including cost-of-goods modeling, technology transfer to low-resource settings, or WHO prequalification processes
Experience working within or alongside philanthropic, product development partnership (PDP), or global health R&D organizations (e.g., IAVI, UNITAID, CARB-X, DNDi, NIAID)
Familiarity with venture philanthropy or equity investment structures in early-stage biotech
Strong judgment with a demonstrated ability to handle complex issues, multiple tasks, confidential information, and competing priorities with skill, discretion, a strong attention to detail, flexibility and diplomacy
Exceptional listening, verbal, and written communication skills, able to effectively calibrate input and synthesize information to connect with diverse audiences
Demonstrated experience in scientific writing and data analysis, written and oral communication skills, and experience advocating and communicating with a broad and diverse audience
Solid understanding of the realities and complexities of matrix-based organizations

Responsibilities

Partner closely with team leadership to develop, communicate, and implement the overall strategy for the HIV Frontiers program.
Manage and coordinate a portfolio of multiple active grantee companies and institutions.
Serve as the Foundation's primary technical interface to each grantee, providing substantive, actionable scientific and development guidance.
Lead and participate in portfolio reviews, grantee governance meetings, Joint Steering Committees, and site visits; assess program progress against milestones and make funding recommendations.
Evaluate letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and investment opportunities; provide rigorous written analyses and recommendations.
Represent the Foundation's interests in scope of work negotiations and contractual milestone setting.
Provide expert guidance to grantee companies on chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) for biologics and gene therapy candidates.
Oversee and advise on IND-enabling preclinical studies, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, biodistribution, and GLP toxicology.
Advise grantees in developing integrated product development plans spanning from lead candidate selection through pre-IND meeting strategy, IND filing, and first-in-human trial design.
Engage with regulatory strategy for novel advanced therapy medicinal products, including FDA, EMA, and relevant LMIC regulatory authorities.
Monitor and benchmark the manufacturing science landscape for in vivo gene therapy, including CDMO capabilities, platform technologies, and cost-of-goods considerations.
Engage substantively with the scientific content of grantee programs across the full development spectrum.
Contribute to the development and refinement of the program's scientific strategy, target product profiles, and go/no-go decision frameworks.
Stay at the forefront of the in vivo gene therapy field, monitoring advances and identifying emerging opportunities and risks.
Represent the Foundation at key scientific conferences and in external scientific networks.
Contribute to the Foundation's cross-program efforts in CMC, regulatory affairs, and global health access.
Ensure that manufacturing science and CMC development plans incorporate cost-of-goods and technology transfer considerations relevant to LMIC production and delivery.
Engage with partners on market shaping, pricing strategy, and production scale planning for HIV cure and SCD gene therapy products.
Contribute to the Foundation's work with LMIC regulators, ministries of health, and international health organizations to build regulatory readiness for advanced therapies.