Clinical Professorship and Director, CRUK Cambridge Centre

Optum; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cancer research organization is seeking a Clinical Professor and Director for the CRUK Cambridge Centre. The role involves strategic leadership and oversight of innovative cancer research programs, alongside a significant financial package for advancing research initiatives. Candidates should have an outstanding research profile and demonstrate the ability to drive excellence in cancer research. The position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of cancer research in collaboration with international partners.

Qualifications

• Exceptional researcher with an outstanding international research profile.
• Ability to provide inspirational leadership and strategic development for the Centre.

Responsibilities

• Lead scientific and operational strategies at the CRUK Cambridge Centre.
• Oversee financial management and ensure cutting edge research programmes.

Job description

Clinical Professorship and Director, CRUK Cambridge Centre

Department/Location: Department of Oncology, The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre

Reference: RD46551

Category: Professorships/Directorships

Published: 15 July 2025

Closing date: 14 September 2025

The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre amalgamates all cancer research in Cambridge. The Centre comprises over 1,200 members and 200 research groups drawn from over 34 departments, institutes, and units across all six schools of the University and affiliated NHS Trust Hospitals, including fundamental, translational, and clinical cancer researchers. The mission of the Centre is to end death and disease caused by cancer through research, treatment, and education.

The University of Cambridge, in partnership with Cancer Research UK, will seek a new Clinical Professor (Honorary Consultant) who will serve as the Centre's Director. It is proposed that the successful candidate will also be based at the CRUK Cambridge Institute - the largest single research organisation within this network - as a Senior Group Leader. Senior Group Leader positions at the CRUK Cambridge Institute carry a significant package of financial support of approximately £3.5 million over five years, alongside dedicated in-house service from our core facilities and operational teams. A Senior Group Leader appointment would be subject to the candidate's research programme aligning with the Institute's own strategic priorities. The Centre combines world-class science and technology with excellent patient care to pioneer new ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer. Research is aligned to eight cross-disciplinary programmes, five virtual institutes and three affiliated physical institutes, all aligned to achieve the Centre's strategic objectives.

The new Director will be expected to provide inspirational, scientific leadership to the Centre, and will be responsible for its ongoing strategic development, for ensuring that its research programmes remain at the cutting edge of cancer biology and translational cancer research, and for the day-to-day operational and financial management of the Centre. The Centre is funded by the CRUK Major Centre Award (MCA), along with additional funding from industry and other national and international charity and research councils. Cancer Research UK is the world's leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. The charity is the largest single, independent funder of cancer research in Europe. It provides funding for over half of the UK's cancer research, including the life-saving work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors, and nurses fighting cancer on all fronts.

The Director has a large degree of autonomy in establishing the direction and allocation of the Centre's core funding, which presents a unique opportunity to hire an exceptional leader to shape and drive the world-class research network, equipped with the resources to bring a strong strategic vision to fruition. The new Director will be an exceptional researcher in their own right and will be a scientist or clinical scientist with an outstanding international research profile. The Director will embody the vision and ambition of the Centre, and of Cancer Research UK more broadly, and will build on the success of the Centre to date. They will lead the Centre into the future, as it further develops as an international centre of excellence. If appointed as a Senior Group Leader within the CRUK Cambridge Institute, the postholder would maintain an internationally leading research programme. At a national level, they will be expected to help drive collaborative working across the CRUK research network and, at an international level, be an advocate for CRUK and its mission.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Applications, consisting of a letter of application, a statement of current and future research plans, an equality, diversity, and inclusion statement, a curriculum vitae, and a publications list, along with details of three referees, one of which must be the most recent employer, should be made online no later than 14 September 2025.

Short-listed candidates may be invited to visit the CRUK Cambridge Centre to give a seminar on their work and meet prospective colleagues in the course of the process.

Informal enquiries may be directed to Regius Professor of Physic Patrick Maxwell, Head of School of Clinical Medicine: [e-mail].

Please quote reference RD46551 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.