Associate Director, In Vitro Oncology

We are seeking a motivated and skilled Associate Director, In Vitro Oncology to support our Delivery team for the Discovery business. This role is central to our sponsor project delivery, understanding of sponsor needs, project/ study design and execution of in vitro experiments for sponsor projects and other relevant internal projects. The successful candidate will have a strong background in oncology research, especially in various cancer cell culture, protocol development, analytical testing and characterization, and contribute to team leadership by mentoring and guiding junior staff. This role will involve delivering sponsor projects, with the utmost quality and care to ensure timely, accurate, high-quality execution of research studies and delivery of results to Sponsors.

Key Responsibilities

• Offer critical oncology scientific expertise to the sponsor and help design the client project/ study to be conducted by Perceptive Discovery/ Preclinical team.
• Understand deliverables and co-ordinate with other lab groups (chemistry, in vivo, imaging etc.) to design and schedule in vitro experiments.
• Work in close co-ordination with study directors, project managers and QC specialists.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to and junior scientists.
• Lead report writing for in vitro parts of the study and help with final deliverables and reports to sponsors

Study Support & Execution

• Participate in study design and protocol review with Study directors and cross-functional teams
• Maintain and culture cancer cell lines, characterize and validate cancer cell models
• Establish patient-derived materials for PDX and PDXO models as needed
• Lead analytical testing including but not limited to DNA, RNA, protein characterization of CDX, PDX and PDXO models

Scientific Communication & Process Improvement

• Present study data to internal teams and sponsors.
• Prepare reports, slide decks, and summaries for senior leadership.
• Track and report on KPIs including study throughput, data quality, and team performance.
• Support regulatory and QA/QC inspections; ensure team readiness and documentation accuracy.

Other

• Carry out any other reasonable duties as requested.

Functional Competencies (Technical knowledge/Skills)

• Strong understanding of cancer cell biology, oncology in the context of pharmaceutical research
• Proficient in standard in vitro techniques (cell culture, cell line characterization, DNA, RNA and protein analysis etc.)
• Hands-on experience in a preclinical drug discovery environment
• Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize effectively
• Comfort with various study-related programs and software
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Occasional weekend and after-hours work as needed

Experience, Education, and Certifications

• Advanced degree in Biology, pharmacology or related field with 10+ years of relevant drug discovery/ development experience
• Background in oncology or radiopharmaceutical therapy will be considered a plus
• Demonstrated experience managing early stage oncology drug discovery projects
• Excellent multitasking, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities
• English: Fluent

This role is based in the Perceptive office/Lab located in Needham MA. The annual base salary range for this role is $125,00- $170,000. This range represents the anticipated initial annual salary and may vary depending on several factors including the candidates experience and skills and may be subject to market rate adjustment.

Come as you are. We're proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.