Director, Translational Research
Founded in 2022, Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. (Ticker: APGE) is a well-funded, Nasdaq listed company that offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment. At Apogee, you can actively contribute to shaping the company culture, take on various roles and responsibilities, and grow professionally.
Apogee Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company seeking to develop differentiated biologics for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other inflammatory and immunology indications with high unmet need. Our antibody programs are designed to potentially overcome limitations of existing therapies by targeting well-established mechanisms of action and incorporating advanced antibody engineering to optimize half-life and other properties. We seek to reshape the current standard of care for inflammatory and immune diseases because we believe people living with these diseases deserve the best possible treatment, and we refuse to stop at “good enough.”
We are a fast-paced company committed to building an exceptional company culture, founded on our C.O.R.E. values: Caring, Original, Resilient and Egoless. This is an exciting opportunity to build and oversee the lab function at Apogee and establish the early discovery and candidate development strategy for our future programs.
If this sounds like you, keep reading!
Role Summary
We are seeking an applied-science minded leader with experience in antibody therapeutics discovery and characterization with expertise in the field of inflammation and immunology. In this newly created role you will report to the VP, Research and Translational Medicine. You will build your own team of scientists at our new research laboratory currently being established in the Boston area and will assist in strategic development and leadership of the mAb characterization efforts in collaboration with internal and external cross-functional teams and external collaborators / CROs.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the assessment and expansion of indications, potential patient stratification, combination therapy, mechanism of action studies, and drug candidate differentiation for all our portfolio programs.
- Lead target identification, antibody discovery/characterization and drug-validation internally in close collaboration with our partners and CROs, utilizing cutting-edge technologies to deliver therapeutic antibody candidates to the clinic.
- Stay up to date with the latest advancements in antibody discovery and engineering, characterization, and immunology research, integrating new technologies and methodologies into the development process
- Develop and implement comprehensive antibody characterization strategies, including binding kinetics, epitope mapping, and functional assays, to assess the potency and safety of antibody candidates.
- Build and lead our internal research laboratory and grow, mentor, train and develop an internal team of scientists to support our antibody discovery and characterization capabilities.
- As a scientific and technical SME, provide leadership within your team and cross-functionally.
- Manage the workflows of the group to ensure quality, prioritization, and timeliness across multiple programs.
- Manage relationships and scientific studies expanding to CRO’s, external collaborations and KOLs to gain a deeper understanding of diseases indications and mAb-based therapies thereof.
- Author and review non-clinical/discovery sections of candidate nomination documents as well as regulatory documents including INDs, IBs, etc. as well as IP-filings, FTO-analyses, scientific publications and presentations of our research and antibody discovery efforts.
Ideal Candidate
- Ph.D. in immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or related field required
- At least 10 years of drug development experience in industry and contributions to early drug development programs and applied research is required
- 5 + years of integrated antibody discovery and characterization experience and their associated applied technologies is required
- Experience in inflammatory & immunological therapeutic areas highly preferred
- Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams.
- Proven track record of successfully leading antibody discovery and development projects, including authoring and submission of regulatory documents.
- In-depth experience in building and growing internal teams, particularly leading internal research teams and in managing relationships with external partners
- Ability to manage multiple projects as the portfolio evolves over time
- Excellent communication and organizational skills, including authoring, reviewing, and editing scientific and regulatory documents as well as presentation to a variety of stakeholders.
- Ability to navigate, problem-solve, execute, and lead in a dynamic, fast-paced and evolving environment with a strong sense of urgency
- Successfully exhibit Apogee’s C.O.R.E. values: Caring, Original, Resilient and Egoless
- Willingness to work a hybrid schedule 2 - 3 days per week in Boston based lab
- Ability to travel up to 20%
- $215,000 - $230,000 a year
The anticipated salary range for candidates for this role will be $215,000 - $230,000 / year. The final salary offered will depend on several factors, which may include, but is not limited to relevant years of experience, educational background, and geography.
What We Offer
- · A great culture, grounded in our C.O.R.E. values: Caring, Original, Resilient and Egoless. To learn more about our C.O.R.E. values and how they manifest day-to-day, click here
- · Opportunity to work in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment where you help shape the culture and company, wear multiple hats, and learn quickly
- · Market competitive compensation and benefits package, including base salary, performance bonus, equity grant opportunities, health, welfare & retirement benefits
- · Flexible PTO
- · Two, one-week company-wide shutdowns each year
- · Commitment to growing you professionally and providing access to resources to further your development
- · We offer regular all team, in-person meetings to build relationships and problem solve