Director, Translational Science

About the Role

The Director, Translational Science will be a scientific and strategic thought partner instrumental in developing and building the pipeline at Tarsus. They will be responsible for bringing biology/pharmacology expertise and can readily bridge cutting-edge translational medicine environments to develop category-creating products. The role connects the discovery and clinical development organization and aims to support projects at the interface between discovery and early clinical development.

Let’s talk about some of the key responsibilities of the role:

• Subject Matter Expert in Pharmacology, Pathophysiology and drug target biology
• Establish and maintain strong external partnerships with key opinion leaders, academic institutions and other external partners
• Partner with key internal experts across the company including Clinical Development, Innovation Lab and Business Development (BD) to execute translational strategy from preclinical development through candidate selection and contribute to translational strategies in early clinical development through early Proof of Concept.
• Assist with stage-appropriate project translational strategy for a differentiated asset to address unmet patient need with key “Go/No Go” decision points.
• Execute experiments to support MOA-related translational questions as well as overall understanding of the disease treatment approaches.

Translational biology/pharmacology:

• Develop deep internal expertise in disease areas within focus areas including ophthalmology, which are prioritized by the company. Identify possible mechanisms, disease models, preclinical POC approaches.
• Generate clear, testable translational hypothesis to address unmet needs (mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics, patient selection).
• Assess relevant models, liaise with CROs and interact with academic experts to evaluate potential assets.

Internal and External Innovation:

• Partner with BD and bring scientific expertise to evaluate and triage external assets and opportunities, identify main risk and mitigation plan and build additional evidence to enable Go/No Go decisions.
• Partner with Innovation Lab team to prioritize various hypothesis, identify possible assets, generate evidence to enable advancement into clinical development.
• Build open relationships with peers and external partners to ensure best decision making.

Factors for Success:

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• PhD or MD/PhD degree in Biology, Pharmacology, Molecular or Cell biology or related life sciences field with greater than 5 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical or industry setting. Candidates with a B.S. or M.S, with the commensurate level of experience will also be considered.
• Knowledge and solid understanding of emerging research, mechanisms of action and disease models preclinically and clinically.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including writing, reviewing, and editing scientific documents.
• Strong interpersonal skills, diplomacy, and positive-influencing abilities.
• Exceptional communication, influencing and partnering skills to drive decision-making within a multi-disciplinary, matrix teams.
• Effective project management skills.
• Strong presentation skills; must be able to provide succinct, strategic, and actionable insights.
• Proactive self-starter who can lead work independently, with the ability to see the next step and anticipate issues.
• Scientifically independent.
• Enterprise and entrepreneurial mindset.

A Few Other Details Worth Mentioning:

• The position will be based in our beautiful Irvine office, complete with a courtyard, snacks, drinks, and occasional catered meals. We provide a hybrid work environment. Remote work is an option.
• We are passionate about our culture! Our Tarsans live our values of commitment to patients, empowerment to champion innovation, and teamwork to amplify impact!
• This position reports directly to our SVP, Development
• Some travel may be required – up to 20%

At Tarsus, we understand the importance of attracting and retaining top talent. The expected base pay range for this position is $180,000 - $252,000 plus bonus, stock equity, and comprehensive benefits. The base pay range reflects the target range for this position, but individual pay will be determined by additional factors such as job-related skills, experience and relevant education or training. Our benefits include health, dental and vision insurance benefits to ensure your well-being. We believe in work-life balance and offer generous paid time off, including vacation, holidays, and personal days. For more details regarding Tarsus benefits, please visit: https://alliantbenefits.cld.bz/25tarsusbenesnap.

#LI-Hybrid

#LI-Remote