Director, Biologics Discovery

Company Description

Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB; HKEX: 9688) is an innovative, research-based, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company based in China and the United States focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative products that address medical conditions with significant unmet needs in the areas of oncology, immunology, neuroscience , and infectious disease. Our goal is to leverage our competencies and resources to positively impact human health in China and worldwide.

Zai Lab has its U.S. headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. and R&D functions in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego, where its U.S.-based clinical development and clinical operations teams reside. Founded in 2014, our experienced team has secured partnerships with leading global biopharmaceutical companies, generating a broad late-stage pipeline of innovative drug candidates. Our unique business model builds on our in-licensed assets and innovative partnerships to expand our internal discovery and development capabilities and has created a portfolio of potential best-in-class and/or first-in-class therapies. Zai currently has seven approved products in China

Zai Lab was successfully listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market in September 2017 and completed secondary listing on Hong Kong Stock Exchange in September 2020. In 2022, Zai Lab became dual-primary listed on both the Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchanges. 

Job Description

This Director of Biologics Discovery will lead biologics discovery project(s) from antibody discovery to IND filing. This role will have a unique opportunity to work with our global biologics discovery team members and also CROs around the globe to develop biologics drugs including naked antibodies/ADC/fusion proteins for cancer. He or she will provide scientific and technical expertise in efforts to understand mechanism of action (MOA) and biology rationale to guide advancing our first-in-class & best-in-class cancer therapeutics to the clinic and will support the BD team in evaluating in-license and partnership opportunities. This role reports to the SVP, Biologics Discovery and will be based in our office in San Diego, California.

• Serve as a scientific leader on biologics programs, collaborating with cross-functional teams to advance biologics candidates toward human clinical trials.
• Review, edit, and approve technical reports, contribute to IND package preparation, draft publications, and present scientific findings at internal and external meetings.
• Lead scientific efforts for target identification and validation in biologics discovery.
• Oversee internal and external teams in designing and executing experiments to evaluate the mode of action and therapeutic potential of biologics drug candidates.
• Identify and incorporate cutting-edge technologies to enhance the assessment of biologics' mechanisms of action.
• Ensure the timely delivery of comprehensive data sets to support critical decision-making processes.
• Maintain high-quality research standards externally at CROs, providing flexible guidance to ensure productivity.
• Support the identification and prioritization of impactful research activities.
• Collaborate with the business development team to identify high-value in-licensing and collaboration opportunities within the oncology domain.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• PhD in Immunology, Biology, Biochemistry, Cellular Biology, or related field with postdoctoral training and 8 years of relevant pharma or biotech industry experience managing programs in the field of oncology and/or immunology; or equivalent combination of higher education, training and experience. 

PREFERRED:

• Previous experience with IND filings.
• Up-to-date knowledge of cancer research, including drug discovery and development, with a focus on biologics discovery, ADC, immuno-oncology, and the use of in vitro and in vivo models to assess the drug potency.
• Demonstrated success in leading oncology programs from discovery to clinical trials.
• Strong leadership capabilities with a proven ability to manage and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for effective interaction with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional leadership, teamwork, and cross-functional collaboration abilities; comfortable in a hands-on leadership role.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple time zones.
• Demonstrates the highest personal values and ethical standards.
• Proficiency in Mandarin a plus.

Additional Information

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $206k and $240k /year. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including location, job-related knowledge, skills, educa