About the Company

• An innovation-driven biotechnology company developing next-generation in vivo cell therapies and immune-modulating therapeutics for autoimmune and fibrotic diseases.
• Backed by a strong scientific foundation and entrepreneurial culture, the company is advancing a differentiated pipeline from target discovery through clinical proof-of-concept, with a focus on translating cutting-edge immunology into transformative therapies for patients with significant unmet medical needs.

About the Job

Reporting directly to the Founder, the Head of Translational Science will build and lead the company's translational science organization and serve as a key scientific leader across the portfolio. This individual will play a pivotal role in bridging preclinical discovery and clinical development, driving translational strategy from target inception through IND, while directly influencing indication selection, patient stratification, and early clinical success.

• Lead the translational science strategy across the company's immunology, fibrosis, and in vivo therapeutic pipeline, ensuring seamless progression from Preclinical Candidate (PCC) nomination to IND submission and First-in-Human (FIH) studies.
• Establish and execute translational plans that connect mechanism of action, preclinical pharmacology, biomarkers, and clinical development objectives.
• Partner with discovery scientists from the earliest stages of target evaluation to assess biological rationale, druggability, differentiation potential, and disease relevance.
• Drive indication selection and prioritization by integrating disease biology, translational data, competitive landscape insights, and unmet clinical needs.
• Define patient segmentation strategies, responder hypotheses, and clinical positioning to maximize therapeutic impact and probability of success.
• Serve as Pipeline Lead (PL) for one or more key programs, leading cross-functional teams across Research, Pharmacology, Toxicology, CMC, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, and Medical Affairs.
• Chair key program governance discussions and provide data-driven recommendations at critical Go/No-Go decision points.
• Lead biomarker strategy development, including predictive, pharmacodynamic, mechanistic, and patient selection biomarkers.
• Design and oversee translational studies supporting dose selection, dose-escalation rationale, safety monitoring, pharmacodynamic assessment, and proof-of-mechanism evaluation.
• Direct the development of patient enrichment approaches, companion diagnostics, and translational endpoints to support clinical trial execution and regulatory interactions.
• Work closely with Medical Affairs and Clinical Development teams to engage investigators, key opinion leaders (KOLs), and leading clinical centers.
• Present translational data directly to Principal Investigators (PIs), providing scientific rationale around dosing strategy, safety findings, adverse event management, efficacy expectations, and biomarker interpretation.
• Lead rapid mechanistic investigations in response to unexpected clinical findings or adverse events, generating data to inform trial adaptations and development strategy.
• Oversee external collaborations with CROs, academic institutions, and clinical research centers, while incorporating advanced translational technologies such as single-cell multiomics, spatial biology, and immune profiling.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing translational science team capable of supporting a growing clinical-stage pipeline.
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on portfolio prioritization, pipeline expansion opportunities, and emerging translational technologies.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Inflammation Biology, Fibrosis Biology, Translational Medicine, or a related discipline; postdoctoral training is strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of industry experience in biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical drug development, with substantial experience in translational science and early clinical development.
• Demonstrated track record of leading translational activities from PCC through IND submission and early clinical development.
• Deep expertise in autoimmune diseases, immune-mediated disorders, and translational immunology.
• Prior experience in CAR-T, in vivo cell therapy, T-cell engager (TCE), or other advanced immune-modulating therapeutic platforms is highly preferred.
• Proven success serving as Program Lead or equivalent, advancing at least one novel therapeutic program from target identification and preclinical evaluation into clinical development.
• Strong understanding of T-cell biology, immune regulation, inflammation, fibrosis mechanisms, and translational disease models.
• Extensive experience in biomarker discovery, validation, immune monitoring, translational assay development, and patient stratification strategies.
• Strong working knowledge of pharmacology, toxicology, clinical trial design, and translational aspects of regulatory submissions.
• Familiarity with global regulatory expectations related to translational medicine, including FDA, EMA, and NMPA requirements.
• Experience applying multi-omics technologies, systems immunology approaches, and advanced data analytics to support drug development decisions.
• Proven ability to build productive relationships with investigators, academic collaborators, and external scientific partners.
• International training and/or experience within global pharmaceutical or biotechnology organizations is highly desirable.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across functions and organizational levels.
• Fluent written and spoken English; Mandarin proficiency is highly desirable for China-based roles.

Why This Opportunity?

• A rare opportunity to shape the translational strategy of a next-generation immunology company from the earliest stages of pipeline development through clinical proof-of-concept.
• Direct reporting line to the Founder, with significant influence over portfolio direction, indication strategy, and development decisions.
• Opportunity to serve as both scientific leader and Pipeline Lead, driving highly innovative programs at the interface of discovery science and clinical medicine.
• Build and lead a best-in-class translational science organization while working alongside leading experts in immunology, cell therapy, and autoimmune disease.
• Join a fast-moving, science-driven environment where translational insights directly impact patient outcomes and company success.