Kyverna Therapeutics is a patient-centered, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Guided by our core values, Stay True to Why, Collaborate to Accelerate, Lead with Clarity, Boldly Innovative, and Own the Outcome, we are committed to transforming the future of treatment for autoimmune disease. Join us at the forefront of cell therapy innovation and help redefine what’s possible.
Title: Executive Director, Lifecycle Lead New Technologies
Location: Emeryville, CA (Hybrid) preferred or open to Remote
Reporting to: VP, Lifecycle Leader
Position Summary
The Executive Director, Lifecycle Lead New Technologies, is responsible for leading one or more strategic development programs across the full product lifecycle—from early research and clinical development through process validation (PV/PPQ), commercial readiness, launch, and lifecycle management.
This role serves as the cross-functional leader accountable for defining and executing integrated asset strategies that maximize program value and align with Kyverna’s portfolio and corporate objectives. The Lifecycle Lead partners closely with Research, Translational Sciences, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Technical Operations, Manufacturing & Supply, Quality, Medical Affairs, Commercial, and Business Development.
As the company continues to expand its technology and modality portfolio, this leader will play a key role in advancing emerging technology opportunities, defining development pathways, developing manufacturing strategies and commercialization approaches to ensure successful execution and long-term value creation.
Responsibilities
- Lead integrated asset strategy across the full lifecycle, including research, clinical development, PV/PPQ, commercialization, and lifecycle management.
- Drive strategic planning for emerging therapeutic platform technologies.
- Evaluate portfolio opportunities and recommend development pathways, platform investments, and lifecycle expansion strategies.
- Partner with Research, Translational Sciences, and Clinical Development to enable seamless transition from discovery through development.
- Provide strategic oversight of manufacturing readiness, including process characterization, tech transfer, PV/PPQ, comparability, and supply chain readiness.
- Ensure alignment across Clinical Development, Manufacturing/MSAT & Supply, Quality, Regulatory, and Commercial teams for late-stage development and launch planning.
- Guide commercialization strategy, including launch readiness, market access, product differentiation, and lifecycle expansion.
- Partner with Project Management lead to develop and manage program timelines, action items, issues/risks and budget.
- Support governance decisions on manufacturing strategy, CDMO partnerships, network design, capacity planning, and commercial supply.
- Partner with Research, Translational Sciences, and Technical Development to advance next-generation therapeutic modalities and platform technologies.
- Ensure development strategies reflect platform-specific regulatory, manufacturing, clinical, and commercial considerations.
- Drive integrated multi-platform planning with focus on portfolio value and risk mitigation.
- Lead cross-functional planning for INDs, BLAs, label expansions, post-marketing commitments, and global lifecycle management.
- Work with third party technology and/or development partners to advance programs and operational plans
Qualifications
- PhD, MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of experience in biotechnology or pharmaceutical drug development, including significant program leadership experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing programs through IND, pivotal studies, approval, and lifecycle expansion.
- Experience advancing platform technologies in a matrixed biotech environment.
- Strong end-to-end understanding of drug development (discovery through commercialization).
- Deep expertise in advanced therapy development, including autologous/allogeneic/in-vivo cell therapy, engineered viral vectors, lipid nanoparticles, polymer nanocarriers, gene editing technologies, and emerging platforms.
- Proven ability to drive cross functional teams, identify and escalate issues, influence senior leaders and align cross-functional governance.
- Success leading complex, cross-functional programs through major development and commercialization milestones.
The national salary range for this position is $275,000 to $310,000 USD annually. This salary range is an estimate of what we reasonably expect to pay for this position, and the actual salary may vary based on various factors, including without limitation individual education, experience, tenure, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. This position is also eligible for bonus, benefits, and participation in Company’s stock plan.
Skills Required
- 10+ years of experience in biotechnology or pharmaceutical drug development, including significant program leadership experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing programs through IND, pivotal studies, approval, and lifecycle expansion.
- Experience advancing platform technologies in a matrixed biotech environment.
- Strong end-to-end understanding of drug development (discovery through commercialization).
- Deep expertise in advanced therapy development, including autologous/allogeneic/in-vivo cell therapy, engineered viral vectors, lipid nanoparticles, polymer nanocarriers, and gene editing technologies.
- Proven ability to drive cross-functional teams, identify and escalate issues, influence senior leaders, and align cross-functional governance.
- Success leading complex, cross-functional programs through major development and commercialization milestones.
- PhD, MBA or equivalent advanced degree.
What We Do
Kyverna is a cell therapy company engineering and developing a new class of curative living medicines for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Using its SmarTcell™ approach which includes synReg-T cell and synNotch CAR-T technology platforms, Kyverna reprograms T cells to target and selectively suppress or eliminate autoreactive immune cells. The company’s goal is to develop therapies that are selective, potent and durable to tame autoimmunity. We build interdisciplinary teams that bring a broad range of experiences and scientific expertise together to develop medicines that will free patients from the siege of autoimmune diseases and bring curiosity for exploring and creating the unknown. Our commitment to our employees is to foster an open, supportive, and inclusive environment where we create opportunities for individuals to learn and grow to their full potential at every level. synNotch is a trademark of Gilead/Kite.
.png)
