Associate Director, Translational Science

BioSpace; New Jersey; On-site; USD 168,000 - 221,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Legend Biotech, a global biotechnology company headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey, is seeking an Associate Director, Translational Science for the Early Drug Development team based in Somerset, NJ. The role bridges early discovery research and clinical development with a blend of immunology expertise and computational biology to drive translational strategies and biomarker insights.

You will lead multi-omic data analyses (scRNA-seq, CITE-seq, flow cytometry, spatial transcriptomics) to

Qualifications

• PhD or MD/PhD in Immunology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field.
• 5+ years in the biopharmaceutical industry or an equivalent academic leadership role within translational research.
• Extensive knowledge of human autoimmune and oncology diseases, specifically in immuno-oncology, autoimmune diseases, or cell therapy (CAR-T/TCR-T).
• Demonstrated experience with genomic data analysis and data integration from multiple datasets.
• Proven track record in development, validation, and clinical implementation of complex biomarkers.
• Strong regulatory understanding for biomarker-driven clinical trials.
• Excellent project management and cross-functional leadership capabilities.
• High scientific curiosity and motivation to understand biology behind diseases and therapies.

Responsibilities

• Translational Strategy: Lead translational plans from lead optimization through Phase II trials.
• Data Integration & Analysis: Oversee high-dimensional datasets (scRNA-seq, CITE-seq, flow cytometry, spatial transcriptomics) for pharmacodynamic markers and MoA insights.
• Clinical Collaboration: Work with Clinical Development to implement biomarker assays in protocols and ensure quality data collection.
• External Partnerships: Manage CROs and academic collaborators for assay development and data processing.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Represent Translational Science on program teams with input on disease biology and competitive landscape.
• Scientific Communication: Author reports, regulatory documents (IND/IB/NDA), and contribute to publications and conferences.

Skills

Translational science leadership

Biomarker development

Data analysis & interpretation

Regulatory knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

PhD or MD/PhD in Immunology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology

Tools

scRNA-seq

CITE-seq

flow cytometry

spatial transcriptomics

Job description

Legend Biotech is a global biotechnology company dedicated to treating and, one day, curing life-threatening diseases. Headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey, we are advancing the next generation of cell therapy through a portfolio of innovative technologies, including autologous, allogeneic, and in vivo cell therapy approaches. Our research spans chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T), T-cell receptor (TCR-T), natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies, and other emerging platforms designed to transform the treatment of serious diseases. From our global network of research and development sites, we are committed to discovering and developing safe, effective, and cutting-edge therapies for patients worldwide.

Legend Biotech entered into a global collaboration agreement with Johnson & Johnson to jointly develop and commercialize CARVYKTI® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel). Through this strategic partnership, we combine complementary expertise and capabilities to advance innovative immunotherapies for patients living with multiple myeloma.

Legend Biotech is seeking an Associate Director, Translational Science as part of the Early Drug Development team based in Somerset, NJ.

Role Overview

The Associate Director of Translational Science will bridge the gap between early-stage discovery research and clinical development. This role requires a unique blend of deep immunological expertise and advanced computational proficiency. You will be responsible for designing and executing translational strategies, identifying biomarkers, and leveraging large-scale multi-omic datasets to provide actionable insights into mechanism of action (MoA), patient stratification, and drug resistance in both autoimmune and oncology disease area.

Key Responsibilities

• Translational Strategy: Lead the development and execution of program-specific translational plans from lead optimization through Phase II clinical trials.
• Data Integration & Analysis: Oversee the analysis of high-dimensional datasets (e.g., scRNA-seq, CITE-seq, flow cytometry, and spatial transcriptomics) to identify pharmacodynamic markers and predictive signatures, to interpret and provide insight into the biological mechanisms.
• Clinical Collaboration: Partner with Clinical Development and Clinical Operations to implement biomarker assays in clinical protocols and ensure high-quality data collection.
• External Partnerships: Manage relationships with Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and academic collaborators for specialized assay development and advanced data processing.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Represent Translational Science on program teams, providing expert input on disease biology, target engagement, and competitive landscape.
• Scientific Communication: Author high-quality technical reports, regulatory documents (IND/IB/NDA), and contribute to peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Requirements

• PhD or MD/PhD in Immunology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry or an equivalent academic leadership role within translational research.
• Extensive knowledge of human auto-immune disease and oncology diseases, specifically in areas such as immuno-oncology, autoimmune diseases, or cell therapy (CAR-T/TCR-T).
• Demonstrated experience with genomic data analysis. Practical and hand on experience data analysis pipeline, ability to guide data integration, knowledge integration from multiple datasets is essential.
• Proven track record in the development, validation, and clinical implementation of complex biomarkers.
• Experience working with relevant disease areas, deep understanding of the biological mechanisms related to diseases(auto-immune, oncology, or/both).
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements for biomarker-driven clinical trials.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to lead multiple programs in a fast-paced environment.
• High scientific curiosity, driven, motivated in deep understanding of the biology behind both disease and therapies.

Pay Range (Base Pay)

$168,372 - $220,988 USD

Other Types of Pay: Performance-based bonus and/or equity is available to employees in eligible roles.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a 401(k) retirement plan with a company match that vests fully on day one. We offer eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave after just three (3) months of employment, and a paid time off policy that includes vacation time, personal time, sick time, floating holidays, and eleven (11) company holidays. Additional voluntary benefits include flexible spending and health savings accounts, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, legal assistance, and supplemental plans such as pet, critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance. We also provide voluntary commuter benefits, family planning and care resources, well-being initiatives, and peer-to-peer recognition programs; demonstrating our ongoing commitment to building a culture where our people feel empowered, supported, and inspired to do their best work.

Work Authorization & Employment Eligibility

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. As part of our commitment to maintaining a lawful workforce and ensuring compliance with federal employment regulations, we participate in the E-Verify program. If you are selected for employment, you will be required to complete the Form I-9 process, and your employment eligibility will be verified through E-Verify in accordance with applicable federal law. We are committed to providing a fair, transparent, and welcoming hiring experience for all candidates.

EEO Statement

It is the policy of Legend Biotech to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions and lactation), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state or local laws or ordinances.