CSO / VP of R&D

Shennon Biotechnologies; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 350,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Shennon Bio seeks an accomplished CSO to lead R&D and drive translational immunology programs from discovery through clinical development. The role collaborates with the CEO and advisors to shape the pipeline, form strategic partnerships, and advance TCE programs with an entrepreneurial, data-driven approach.

The CSO will build and scale the R&D organization, maintain relationships with pharma and clinical collaborators, and present compelling data to the board in support of growth initiatives

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in immuno-oncology with 10+ years of industry experience in design, management and leadership of R&D programs.
• Domain expertise in immuno-oncology and TCEs.
• Deep expertise in directing TCE programs into the clinic.
• Proven ability to direct pre-clinical assets to IND and clinical trials.
• Pre-established relationships with pharma companies and partners.
• Experience scaling a pre-clinical company to commercial success with capital efficiency.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to present to executives and the board.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the CEO and advisors to scale and refine the pipeline for external partnerships and in-house programs.
• Lead the R&D team to refine the pipeline and drive lead candidates forward.
• Establish a strategic roadmap and present data-driven insights to the CEO and board.
• Lead efforts to scale the organization in terms of scientific talent and capital equipment.
• Establish and maintain relationships with external collaborators such as clinicians, biotech and pharma leaders.
• Organize strategic communications with internal and external partners aligned with growth strategy.

Skills

Immuno-oncology

TCEs

Leadership

Strategic roadmap

Data-driven

Stakeholder management

Education

Ph.D. in immuno-oncology

Job description

We are a well-funded biotech company that is redefining drug discovery and development through our fully integrated platform. We combine ultra-high-throughput microfluidics driven functional screening, computational engineering, and translational immunology into a unified engine. Rather than approaching drug development as a series of disconnected steps, we seamlessly integrate the discovery of novel targets, functional screening of binders, computational optimization, and predictive safety assessment to develop more better and safer therapeutics. This end-to-end approach enables faster iteration, deeper biological insight, and the development of better drugs with greater precision and confidence.

The Role:

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the CSO is an accomplished scientific leader, who can professionally and effectively execute the research initiatives towards Shennon Bio’s vision and strategy. This role will lead the R&D function on the therapeutics side and play a critical part in developing biopharma partnerships. An ideal candidate will be an R&D leader with a passion for immunotherapy and knows how to bring TCE candidates into the clinic.

This person will maintain professional and productive relationships with internal colleagues and external collaborators with an entrepreneurial & go-to-market mindset. Shennon Bio’s vision of this candidate is an organized leader that has a self-starter attitude and a strong background in immune-oncology and TCE development.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the CEO and various advisors to scale and refine the pipeline for both external partnerships and in-house therapeutic programs.
• Lead the R&D team to refine the pipeline and drive lead candidates forward.
• Establish a strategic roadmap and present key data-driven insights to the CEO and the board.
• Lead efforts to scale the organization in the way of scientific talent, and capital equipment.
• Establish & maintain new relationships with external collaborators such as targeted clinicians, biotech and pharma leadership, and key opinion leaders in the field of immuno-oncology and immunotherapy.
• Organize strategic communications with the internal team and external partners, tailored specifically to Shennon’s growth strategy and vision.
• Promote strong scientific excellence and foster an open culture of ideation, innovation, and deep scientific rigor.

Qualifications and Experience

• Ph.D. in a field related to immuno-oncology and 10+ years of industry experience in designing, managing, and leading R&D programs required.
• Domain Expertise in immuno-oncology and TCEs.
• Deep Expertise in directing TCE programs into the clinic.
• Proven ability in directing pre-clinical assets to successful IND and clinical trials
• Pre-established relationships with pharma companies and partners.
• Experience in scaling a pre-clinical company to commercial success with capital efficiency.
• Ability to plan decisions with discipline and possess an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Ability to present clearly and concisely to the executive team, board members, and external stakeholders as a thought leader and trusted advisor.
• Articulate and thoughtful communicator who effectively communicates across all levels of the organization.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and situational awareness, with the ability to exert influence and rally a team effectively
• Passionate about the startup environment, able to work from the ground zero to help develop the team and grow junior people
• Awareness of one’s own strength and weaknesses, knows when and where to get assistance when needed. Low ego with a growth mindset.
• Ability to gauge each team member’s strengths and weaknesses and know how to get the best out of each person in the team.
• Team player who can maintain professional and productive relationships with internal colleagues and external collaborators.

Company Culture

Collaboration, Ownership and Authenticity.