Associate Director of Drug Discovery- Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation

Department:
SOM EVC Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation (IAMI)

-----

Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation
Position Title:
Associate Director of Drug Discovery- Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation
Job Family Group:
Professional Staff
Job Description Summary:
The Associate Director for Drug Discovery will be a major contributor to the strategic development and shaping the success of the Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation (IAMI). He/she will work closely with the Director, leadership team, project managers, IAMI entrepreneurs-in-residence, and external collaborators to drive scientifically robust drug discovery within IAMI from the biology/chemistry interface through in vivo preclinical proof of principle and clinical proof of concept. Specifically, this translational science position will direct drug discovery and development activities with scientific input input into clinical development. This position will also serve to train and educate graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, tenure-track faculty and clinician scientists in the principles of entrepreneurship and innovation to further develop the pipeline of medical innovation technologies. The Associate Director for Drug Discovery will report directly into the Director of IAMI. The incumbent may hold adjunct appointment(s) in appropriate department(s) within the University of Kansas or University of Kansas Medical Center as appropriate.
Job Description:

Required Qualifications

Education: PhD degree in chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, molecular or cancer biology, pharmacology or toxicology with a strong background in drug discovery and development.

Work Experience: Minimum of fifteen years experience in drug discovery and/or development, having previously worked for pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology companies. 

Preferred Qualifications

Work Experience:

• Experience working with academic investigators.

• Experience developing peer review research as well as small business grant applications.

Skills:

• A passion for drug, diagnostic, and medical device “hunting” as well as a keen interest in entrepreneurship and innovation.

• Strong interpersonal and team science skills, the ability to interact with all levels of scientific (i.e., basic, translational and clinician scientists) and administrative personnel in the University as well as with external scientific, business, not-for-profit, and entrepreneurial partners.

• Effectively partner with IAMI project managers as well as tenure-track basic, translational, and clinician scientists, to develop and execute product development-focused translational research project plans to drive projects through defined go/no-go decision points and milestones, de-risking projects along the way.

• Ability to effectively perform both strategic and operational responsibilities not only for the Institute but IAMI’s public-private partnership, CureBridgeCollaborativeÔ, as well.

Job Responsibilities and Percent Effort

This position will direct IAMI’s drug discovery programs and will provide necessary input to IAMI investment decisions required to translate laboratory and bedside discoveries into medical innovation technologies.  The Associate Director for Drug Discovery will work closely with product development teams, KUCTC, and IAMI’s private sector partner, BioNovus Innovations LLC, to define drug discovery and development plans, patenting, and licensing strategies necessary to advance IAMI projects through early development.  This position will support the University’s major research priorities including but not limited to the University of Kansas Comprehensive Cancer Center (KUCC), Frontiers Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, other research initiatives across University of Kansas campuses, as well as in support of our consortium partners, notably Children’s Mercy Kansas City and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Additionally, this position will interact with both local and national key opinion leaders, entrepreneurs, and business development partners in the private and not-for-profit sectors to further advance KUCC priorities. This role will be a 85% part-time position.

Job responsibilities are described as follows:

• Support the vision and mission of IAMI by functioning as Associate Director of Drug Discovery, including:

• Lead the creation and advancement of all new IAMI drug discovery programs

• Lead development and refinement of strategic plans which define internal drug discovery competencies and capabilities as well as partnerships with external partners to support a rich project portfolio

• Lead CureBridge companies in the new drug discovery and development programs

• Support execution of licensing and partnering strategies

• Represent IAMI on the Board’s of NewCo’s licensing IAMI technologies

• Monitor the management of alliance relationships as the relationship manager

• Assist the Director in establishing and managing partnerships and collaborations with government agencies, philanthropic organizations, patient advocacy groups, academic institutions and industry

• In conjunction with the University’s General Counsel’s Office and KUCTC, support negotiations of legal agreements including contracts, material transfer agreements and patent filings

• Communication and collaboration with KUCTC on IAMI projects

• Participating in providing experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students, professional students, postdoctoral trainees, residents, fellows, tenure-track faculty as well as research staff in therapeutic, diagnostic, and medical device development including pursuit of NIH training grants

• Working with faculty across KU and KUMC campuses as well as partner institutions, assisting teams in translating laboratory and bedside discoveries into drug discovery and development projects through external grants, through the utilization of university research infrastructure

• Actively supporting advancement of drug discovery projects through in vivo preclinical proof-of-principle across all therapeutic areas including rare diseases. Upon establishing proof principle in validated animal models, the Associate Director for Drug Discovery will enable, facilitate, and manage the transition of projects to CureBridgeCollaborative™ and will lead scientific teams

• Participate in establishing and directing strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and allicances with industry, academia, government, and disease philanthropy partners

• Supporting the mission of Frontiers Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

• Supporting creation of a formal Translational Research Training Program to provide the learning environment for 21st Century cancer researchers to develop skills in transforming discoveries into new cancer therapeutics that improve the lives of cancer patients

• Contributing to the development and execution of tactical and strategic plans designed to ensure long-term sustainability, growth and impact of IAMI and its programs

Support KUCC’s NCI-designation efforts by

• Collaborating effectively with the University of Kansas Comprehensive Cancer Center (KUCC) scientific leadership and members to drive drug discovery projects from target validation through in vivo preclinical proof of principle, supporting KUCC’s NCI-designation efforts by contributing to the Drug Discovery and Development Steering Committee as an active member.

• Enable and facilitate intra-programmatic and inter-programmatic collaborations

Support the mission of the Frontiers Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program

• Provide leadership to the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program within Frontiers

• Enabling and facilitating rare disease-focused basic, translational, and clinical research projects arising from the Rare Disease Innovation Accelerator

• Provide leadership in establishing and advancing product development-focused translational research collaborations with other CTSA hubs

• Support the research, education, and service missions of basic science and clinical departments as require.

Support KU, KUMC, KU Cancer Center, IAMI, Center for Health Innovation and Transformative Care, and other strategic planning initiatives by providing entrepreneurship and innovation expertise 

Reporting Lines: This position will report directly into the Director of IAMI.

Funding the Position: The position will be funded by IAMI.

Required Documents:

• Resume/CV

• Cover Letter

Comprehensive Benefits Package:

Coverage begins on day one for health, dental, and vision insurance and includes health expense accounts with generous employer contributions if the employee participates in a qualifying health plan. Employer-paid life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and various additional voluntary insurance plans are available. Paid time off, including vacation and sick, begins accruing upon hire, plus nine paid holidays. One paid discretionary day is available after six months of employment, and paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and parental leave is available after 12 months of employment. A retirement program with a generous employer contribution and additional voluntary retirement programs (457 or 403b) are available. https://www.kumc.edu/human-resources/benefits.html

Employee Type:
Regular
Time Type:
Part time
Rate Type:
Salary

Compensation Statement:

The pay range listed for this position is determined by our compensation program using market data and salary benchmarking. A combination of factors is considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, education, experience and training, qualifications relative to the requirements of the position, and funding. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, a reasonable estimate for the starting pay range will be the minimum to midpoint of the posted range, taking into account the combination of factors listed above. 

Pay Range:
$181,000.00 - $307,000.00

Minimum

$181,000.00

Midpoint

$244,000.00

Maximum

$307,000.00