Associate Director, Cell Therapy

Kyowa Kirin is a fast growing global specialty pharmaceutical company that applies state-of-the-art biotechnologies to discover and deliver novel medicines in four areas of unmet need: oncology, nephrology, immunology and CNS/movement disorders. The North America organization includes three offices (in New Jersey and California) that focus on drug discovery, product development, and commercialization. Together, we work as a close-knit team to understand clinical needs and advance innovations that can have a profound impact on patient lives.

Summary:

The Associate Director, Cell Therapy will support Kyowa Kirin’s cell therapy pipeline programs in a highly collaborative environment. This position will have a vital role in developing next-generation cell therapy programs from drug discovery to IND.

Essential Functions:

•    Lead discovery efforts of next-generation cell therapies. 
•    Design, plan, execute, and manage proof of concept studies spanning multiple programs to assess cell therapy products’ function and potential efficacy.
•    Implement up to date on advanced technologies for Cell Therapy and actively apply new concepts as appropriate to 
to improve functional capabilities.
•    Prepares necessary documentation for project reviews (proposals, monthly, quarterly, annual, or study reports), patent applications, publications, and/or animal, biosafety, or human subject protocols. 
•    Manage, train and oversee the work of scientists and research associates.
•    Collaborate and leverage CROs and academic partners to effectively drive programs forward.

Requirements:

Education
Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Immunology, Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell or Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or closely related discipline

Experience
•    Minimum seven (7) years’ biotech/pharma or academia experience in the cell therapy field.
•    Hands-on experience in developing and characterizing cell therapy products.
•    Familiarity with cell therapy process and analytical development.

•    Experience in developing in vivo models and executing in vivo studies.
•    Familiarity with synthetic biology approaches
•    Experience with differentiation of human stem cells to various types of immune cells is highly desired.
•    Proven leadership and management experience.

Technical Skills
•    Strong knowledge of Immunology and/or Cancer Biology
•    Comfortable in a fast-paced environment and able to adjust workload based upon changing priorities.
•    Strong written, verbal, and listening communication skills:
o    articulate and effective communicator and presenter
o    ability to take complicated scientific concepts and effectively communicate them to a range of audiences.
•    Strong people management skills and ability to build, influence and lead a team.
•    Self-motivating and creative, able to work within a team and collaborate proficiently with colleagues to achieve program goals.
•    Familiarity with flow cytometry and other immunostaining assays.
•    Experience with gene modification and genome editing technologies.
•    Stem cell culturing and differentiation i immune cells.
•    Ability to manage a high-volume workload and adapt to workload based upon changing priorities.

KKNA and all of its employees have an obligation to act in accordance with the law and with integrity in all our operations and interactions

It is the policy of Kyowa Kirin North America, Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, religion, creed, color, pregnancy, sex, age, national origin, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or affection preference or citizenship status or any other category protected by law.

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