QSAR Team Leader

Syngenta Group; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension scheme

Bonus scheme

Private medical & life insurance

Up to 31.5 days annual holiday

Job summary

Syngenta Crop Protection, part of the Syngenta Group, seeks a scientific leader with expertise in (Q)SAR modelling and expert knowledge to guide global toxicology decision-making. You will own the global QSAR strategy, oversee a dispersed team, and ensure robust read-across arguments with regulatory alignment across geographies.

You will evaluate structural analogues, metabolism, physicochemical properties, and mode of action, while leading, mentoring, and developing a global team of

Qualifications

• Degree in chemistry or toxicology with a strong mechanistic chemistry foundation.
• Proven leadership of a group of technical staff.
• Ability to manage complexity and ambiguity and resolve issues with internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Leading a team of toxicologists responsible for design, delivery, and interpretation of QSAR assessments, driving methodological innovation.
• Collaborating with global teams to design and deliver fit-for-purpose regulatory-aligned approaches.
• Acting as an expert for regulatory challenges and development of technical strategies.
• Proactively managing and resolving issues with study delivery and stakeholder management.
• Ensuring toxicology data is delivered within time, cost, and quality targets while providing technical leadership.
• Collaborating to develop techno-regulatory strategies and advocate science-led positions to stakeholders.
• Supporting training and development across the Product Safety organization.

Skills

Technical leadership

People leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Complexity management

Innovation in toxicology

Education

Degree in chemistry/toxicology

Job description

Syngenta Crop Protection is a leader in agricultural innovation, bringing breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow healthy and nutritious food while taking care of the planet. We offer a leading portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, as well as digital solutions that transform the decision-making capabilities of farmers. Our 17,900 employees serve to advance agriculture in more than 90 countries around the world. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and is part of the Syngenta Group.

Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. Regardless of your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding an ever-increasing population while taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture.

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a scientific leader with expertise in (Q)SAR modelling and expert knowledge/rule-based prediction systems to join our Global Science Delivery Toxicology team and lead data-driven toxicology decision making at a global scale. Within the role you will own and drive Syngenta's global strategy for (Q)SAR and expert knowledge rule-based systems, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and portfolio priorities across all geographies. As part of your role you will apply deep mechanistic chemistry knowledge to evaluate structural analogues and build scientifically robust, defensible read-across cases and critically review and challenge read-across argumentation, including assessment of structural similarity, metabolic fate, physicochemical properties, and mode of action. You will be the authoritative expert judgement on chemical domain of applicability, structural alerts, and reactivity considerations that underpin analogue selection, while leading, managing and inspiring a globally dispersed team of computational and regulatory toxicologists, providing clear direction, regular performance conversations, and meaningful development opportunities. Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading a team of toxicologists that are responsible for the design, delivery, and expert interpretation of QSAR assessments, while driving innovation in methodological approaches and testing paradigms.
• Collaborating with global teams to design and deliver leading-edge, fit-for-purpose approaches aligned with regulatory requirements.
• Acting as a recognized expert for support with regulatory challenges and the development of appropriate technical strategies.
• Proactively managing and resolving arising issues/challenges with study delivery and stakeholder management.
• Ensuring toxicology data is delivered to time, cost, and quality, while providing technical leadership.
• Collaborating to develop innovative techno-regulatory strategies and advocate science-led, technical positions effectively to stakeholders.
• Supporting the training and development of others, promoting Syngenta's purpose, values, and leadership model across the Product Safety organization.

Qualifications

What we are looking for

• Degree in a scientific discipline relevant to chemistry or toxicology with a strong mechanistic chemistry foundation.
• Proven track record of effective technical or people leadership of a group of technical staff.
• Ability to manage complexity and ambiguity and resolve business-critical issues in a collaborative manner with internal and external stakeholders, inculding contract research organsiations.
• Capability to comply with both regional and global requirements and deliver according to the appropriate defined standards and priorities.
• Proven ability to contribute innovation to both problem solving and the development of emerging science in the toxicology platform.

Additional Information

Our site

Jealott's Hill International Research Centre UK is situated in pleasant semi-rural surroundings between Bracknell and Maidenhead and is the place of work for approximately 800 Syngenta scientists and support staff. Jealott’s Hill is one of the main global research and development sites and key activities include research into discovery of new active ingredients, new formulation technologies, product safety and technical support of our product range.

What we offer

• Extensive benefits package including a generous pension scheme, bonus scheme, private medical & life insurance.
• Up to 31.5 days annual holiday.
• A position which contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment.
• The opportunity to develop and apply your science within the chemical industry.
• The chance to work with and learn from highly qualified and experienced employees to address the current and future needs of the agricultural sector.
• Learning culture and wide range of training options.

Syngenta has been ranked as atop 5 employer and number 1 in agriculture by Science Journal.

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Learn more about our D&I initiatives here: https://www.syngenta.com/careers/working-syngenta/diversity-and-inclusion

Jealott’s Hill has Disability Confident certification.

We are committed to making all stages of our recruitment process accessible to all candidates and our Jealott’s Hill site are a Disability Confident Level 2 Employer. Please let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application and we will do everything we can to support you.