Associate Director, Translational Medicine Lead

AstraZeneca plc; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 214,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc is seeking an Associate Director, Translational Medicine Lead in Gaithersburg, MD or South San Francisco, CA. You will own end-to-end translational strategies for B-cell malignancy programs, integrating genetics, expression data and mechanistic biomarkers to guide dose, patient selection and combinations.

The role requires a PhD in a relevant field with postdoctoral/industry experience and 0–3+ years in T-cell engaging bispecifics and ADCs, with deep expertise in TM biomarker

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant biological science; postdoctoral and/or industry experience required.
• 0-3+ yrs experience with T-cell engaging bispecifics (e.g., CD3-targeting bispecifics) in oncology/hematology development
• Experience with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in hematology or oncology development

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end translational strategies for B-cell malignancy programs from preclinical through Phase 1/2, with clear dose and patient selection decision points.
• Integrate human genetics, expression and clinical data to define indications and stratify patients across monotherapy and combinations.
• Design and interpret biomarker readouts to enable data-driven dose selection and early mechanism proof across studies
• Define and investigate resistance mechanisms using longitudinal samples to inform next-line strategies.

Skills

Translational leadership

Biomarker strategy

Flow cytometry

Immunohistochemistry

Education

PhD in hematology-oncology/immunology/oncology/molecular biology

Tools

Flow cytometry

Immunohistochemistry (IHC/IF)

Molecular profiling

NGS

MRD assessment

Job description

Job Title: Associate Director, Translational Medicine Lead

Gaithersburg, MD or South San Francisco, CA

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to turn deep B-cell malignancy biology into decisive clinical action for patients?Join us in leading translational strategy across a fast-moving portfolio in B-ALL, B-CLL and NHL, connecting mechanism to medicine across multiple modalities including T-cell engaging bispecifics, ADCs, small molecules and cell therapies.

In this role, you will shape the biomarker vision that drives dose, patient selection and combination choices from first-in-human through pivotal studies. You will partner closely with discovery scientists, clinicians and diagnostics experts to build translational data packages that change clinical trajectories.

You will be the single point of accountability for translational strategy on assigned programs and trials, ensuring fit-for-purpose assays and data readouts inform rapid, confident decisions. Your work will directly influence which patients benefit, why therapies work, and how we outpace resistance—ultimately advancing our ambition to transform outcomes in hematologic cancers.

Accountabilities:

Translational strategy and delivery: Own and execute end-to-end translational strategies for assigned B-cell malignancy programs from preclinical through Phase 1/2 and, as needed, Phase 3, with clear decision points tied to dose, schedule and patient selection.

Disease linkage and patient selection: Integrate human genetics, expression and clinical data to define indications, stratify patients and refine target populations across monotherapy and rational combinations.

Target engagement and PD: Design and interpret target engagement and pharmacodynamic biomarker readouts to enable data-driven dose selection and early proof of mechanism across multiple concurrent studies.

Resistance biology: Define and investigate mechanisms of resistance using longitudinal and relapse samples to inform next-line strategies and combination hypotheses.

Tumor microenvironment and combinations: Analyze B-cell tumor biology, pathway interactions and microenvironment features in patient samples to guide combination design and strengthen translational rationale.

Biomarker and assay development: Lead development, validation and deployment of fit-for-purpose assays (e.g., flow cytometry, IHC/IF, molecular, MRD-adjacent panels) internally and with external labs/CROs, aligned to clinical endpoints and timelines.

Clinical embedding and operations: Embed biomarker strategies and endpoints into protocols, sample manuals and statistical plans; partner with biosamples and precision diagnostics to ensure collection, traceability and, where relevant, CDx path alignment.

Program leadership and portfolio impact: Represent Translational Medicine on cross-functional teams, connect insights across the B-cell portfolio to inform indication expansion and combinations, and contribute to governance materials, study reports and Go/No-Go recommendations.

Regulatory and external influence: Contribute translational and biomarker content for health authority interactions and filings; build coherent scientific narratives; present internally and in external forums to shape the field in B-cell translational research.

Essential Skills/Experience

Education/Experience Required

• PhD in a relevant biological science (hematology-oncology, immunology, oncology, molecular biology, or related field); postdoctoral and/or industry experience required.
• 0-3+ yrs experience with T-cell engaging bispecifics (e.g., CD3-targeting bispecifics, BiTEs) in an oncology/hematology development context
• Demonstrated experience with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in a hematology or oncology development context

Scientific Expertise

• Experience contributing to early phase oncology clinical trials, including biomarker plan development, protocol input, and sample analysis; exposure to Phase 3 trial biomarker strategies a plus.
• Demonstrated expertise in biomarker technologies such as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, molecular profiling, NGS, ctDNA, MRD assessment, cytokine/immune profiling, and other omics-based approaches as relevant to hematologic cancers
• Established knowledge of B-cell malignancy biology spanning leukemia (B-ALL, B-CLL) and lymphoma (NHL), including disease pathogenesis, standard-of-care landscape, and mechanisms of therapeutic resistance.
• In-depth understanding of immunology and the tumor microenvironment in B-cell cancers, with ability to apply this knowledge to translational strategy and biomarker design.

Drug Development & Biomarker Experience

• Emerging understanding of the end-to-end clinical development process — from dose escalation through registration — and the strategic role of biomarkers at each stage.
• Ability to work independently and deliver translational programs with regular managerial support; demonstrates sound scientific judgment and prioritization without close oversight.

Collaboration, Communication & Organizational Skills

• Proven ability to operate effectively and demonstrate scientific leadership within cross-functional program teams in a matrixed pharma or biotech environment; understands the roles of Clinical, Ops, Project Management, and HBS Clinical functions in delivering translational work.
• Clearly presents and integrates scientific data across experiments to support a cohesive program narrative; able to articulate the implications of translational findings for Go/No-Go decisions with emerging clarity on risks and caveats.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for internal stakeholders and emerging external scientific audiences; comfortable representing TM in cross-functional governance settings.
• Emerging awareness of broader AZ functions (Regulatory, Medical, Commercial) and how TM outputs interface with and inform those stakeholders.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Experience with small molecule hematology therapeutics in B-cell malignancies (e.g., BTK inhibitors, BCL-2 inhibitors) and familiarity with combination treatment strategies.
• Exposure to cell therapy programs (CAR-T or other engineered cell therapies) in B-cell leukemia or lymphoma.
• Familiarity with Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) methodologies (flow cytometry and/or NGS-based) in leukemia or lymphoma clinical development.
• Experience integrating multi-omic biomarker data (flow cytometry, ctDNA, cytokine panels, transcriptomics) to support clinical decision-making across combination regimens.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations for biomarker analytical validation and CDx development.
• Early experience mentoring junior scientists; interest in contributing to team capability development.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca

Here, scientific curiosity is backed by meaningful scale—an innovative pipeline across modalities, strong and sustained R&D investment, and a track record of bringing new oncology medicines to patients. You will collaborate with discovery researchers, clinicians and diagnostics experts who move fast, publish in leading journals and welcome bold ideas, all while staying grounded in patient need. We value kindness alongside ambition, empower scientists to lead at every level, and put unexpected teams in the same room to spark breakthroughs that can change the practice of medicine.

The annual base pay (or hourly rate of compensation) for this position ranges from $142,377.60 - $213,566.40 USD Annual. Our positions offer eligibility for various incentives—an opportunity to receive short-term incentive bonuses, equity-based awards for salaried roles and commissions for sales roles. Benefits offered include qualified retirement programs, paid time off (i.e., vacation, holiday, and leaves), as well as health, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

20-Oct-2026

26-Oct-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.