Director, Translational Sciences

Scorpion Therapeutics; Watertown (MA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 218,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary range

Annual performance bonus

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401K match

PTO 20+ days

Sponsorship not required

Job summary

Scorpion Therapeutics is seeking a senior Translational Sciences leader to define and drive the translational strategy across our early clinical pipeline, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and clinical priorities.

You will own translational strategy for T1D and CAR-T programs, integrating biomarker objectives into clinical protocols, sample collection plans, and trial timelines. Lead assay development and CRO partnerships to ensure readiness and regulatory alignment.

Qualifications

• PhD or advanced degree in Immunology, Translational Medicine, Cell & Gene Therapy, or related field.
• 10+ years in clinical translational science/biomarker development with early clinical leadership.
• Experience in T1D, autoimmune disease, CAR-T, or cell/gene therapy is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive translational science strategy across the early clinical pipeline.
• Lead translational strategy for T1D and CAR-T programs; align with clinical protocols and timelines.
• Represent translational sciences at conferences, regulatory agencies, and partner meetings.
• Oversee development and execution of translational and biomarker strategies for early-phase trials.
• Define and lead clinical biomarker objectives, contexts of use, and analysis plans.
• Interpret patient-derived translational datasets to inform program strategy.
• Partner with Early Development, Clinical Operations, Regulatory, and Medical teams.
• Build and lead the Translational Sciences team; manage resources, headcount, and budget.

Skills

Clinical biomarker development

Immune monitoring

Translational data interpretation

Education

PhD or advanced degree in Immunology/Translational Medicine/Cell & Gene Therapy

Job description

Responsibilities:

• Define and drive translational science strategy across the early clinical pipeline; ensure alignment with corporate objectives and clinical priorities.
• Primary scientific owner of translational strategy across T1D and CAR-T programs; integrate biomarker objectives into clinical protocols, sample collection plans, and trial timelines.
• Contribute to functional area strategy and company-level decision-making.
• Represent translational sciences internally and externally (conferences, regulatory agencies, academic/industry partners).
• Lead development and execution of translational and biomarker strategies for early-phase trials, including first-in-human studies.
• Define clinical biomarker objectives, context of use, and analysis plans aligned with mechanism of action and regulatory expectations.
• Interpret patient-derived translational datasets to inform program strategy.
• Partner with Early Development, Clinical Operations, Regulatory, and Medical to ensure translational readiness.
• Oversee assay development/qualification/validation for treated patient samples: immune phenotyping (flow), cytokine/soluble biomarkers, functional immune/cell-therapy assays, ADA assays, and molecular biomarkers (T1D/CAR-T).
• Ensure assays are fit-for-purpose and compliant with GCP/GLP expectations; set quality/scientific standards across internal/external labs.
• Define and lead clinical biomarker CRO strategy (partner selection, scope, assay transfer, governance); evaluate CRO data critically.
• Define translational data pipelines with Computational Biology/Data Science; drive integrated interpretation and communicate findings.
• Contribute to/lead clinical study reports, INDs, protocol amendments, and external scientific communications.
• Build and lead the Translational Sciences team; manage resources, headcount, and budget; attract and develop talent.

Qualifications:

• PhD or advanced degree in Immunology, Translational Medicine, Cell & Gene Therapy, or related field.
• 10+ years industry experience in clinical translational science/biomarker development/bioanalysis with substantial early clinical leadership.
• Track record driving translational strategies through IND, first-in-human, and early-phase milestones.
• Strongly preferred: experience in T1D/autoimmune and/or CAR-T or other cell/gene therapy; prior team leadership/building.

Technical/Skills:

• Expert knowledge of clinical biomarker development, immune monitoring, and translational data interpretation.
• Deep expertise in assay development/qualification/validation, including scale execution through CROs.
• Mastery of GCP/GLP and regulatory expectations for clinical biomarker data; experience contributing to regulatory filings.
• Strategic leadership with cross-functional matrix leadership; strong communication; sound scientific judgment under ambiguity.

Preferred Experience:

• First-in-human cell/gene therapy translational science leadership.
• Immune monitoring in autoimmune disease (incl. T1D).
• Contributions to INDs, clinical protocol/regulatory amendments, or translational responses.
• External scientific contributions (publications, conferences, patents, regulatory interactions).

Benefits:

• Expected salary range: $195,000-$218,000.
• Annual performance-based bonus (prorated by start date).
• Medical, dental, vision insurance; 401K match; 20+ days PTO (prorated by start date).
• Employees not requiring sponsorship are preferred.