Job Description

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Director, Chemical Biology, UK (1-year FTC)
GSK is a focused biopharma company with strong momentum and big ambitions, to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. Our R&D focuses on four therapeutic areas - respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases.
A unique opportunity has arisen for a 1-year position to cover the role of Director, Chemical Biology. This is an exciting opportunity to drive harmonisation, productivity and innovation within GSK's Target Discovery organisation. The successful candidate will lead a high performing chemical biology team based in Stevenage and will report directly to the Global Head of Chemical Biology. Contribution to novel target identification and validation is core to this role, through close collaboration with other technology platform scientists and disease biology experts. The successful candidate will have accountability for driving the evolution and strategy of GSK's chemogenomics platform, as well as representing the chemical biology department in project and portfolio reviews.
The ideal candidate will be motivated by challenge, display a keen interest in technology, have strong business acumen and possess a strong desire to make a meaningful difference. Applicants are encouraged to bring their passion and expertise to help GSK transform therapeutic outcomes for patients worldwide, advancing our aim of getting ahead of disease together.
Job Purpose
In this role you will

• Collaborate closely with platform scientists and disease biology experts to shape and execute target identification and validation strategy, driving enhanced pipeline value and overall organisational success.
• Lead GSK's global chemogenomics matrix team, with accountability for evolution of this capability to ensure it is best positioned for successful delivery.
• Lead and develop a high performing chemical biology team based in Stevenage, UK.
• Influence the strategic direction and application of other chemical biology platforms in support of bespoke target validation activities and in line with global strategy.
• Develop strong and effective partnerships with key stakeholders including, but not limited to, therapeutic Research Units, Human Biology and Molecular Modalities Discovery.
• Represent the chemical biology department in project and portfolio reviews, engaging with senior stakeholders to align departmental objectives and drive continuous improvement.

Why you?
Basic Qualifications & Skills:
We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

• PhD/DPhil or equivalent experience in chemical biology or related fields such as biochemistry, molecular pharmacology or molecular cell biology.
• Significant experience in drug discovery which should encompass people leadership: managing, training and developing scientific talent.
• Experience in pharmacology or mechanistic biology with tangible examples of reaching successful scientific milestones.
• Experience of working collaboratively across the interface of scientific disciplines such as chemistry, screening, mechanistic biology/pharmacology and 'omics technology platforms, with examples of influencing scientific decision making.
• Experience of setting and prioritising measurable research goals at a department level, accompanied by a strong track record of delivering against these goals.
• Strong communication skills coupled with an ability to think strategically in order to influence stakeholders and stimulate organisational challenge.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:
Please note the following skills are not necessary, just preferred, if you do not have them, please still apply:

• Experience of developing and/or contributing to research programs where chemical biology is integral to the proposal, e.g. PhD / Postdoc projects, innovation challenges.
• Experience of working with large datasets, including approaches for data integration and visualisation at scale.
• Knowledge of chemical biology techniques and related technologies that support target identification, engagement and validation (e.g. activity-based protein profiling, gene-editing, proteomics).

Closing Date for Applications - 17th October 2025
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Please take a copy of the , as this will not be available post closure of the advert.
When applying for this role, please use the 'cover letter' of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.
Why GSK?
Why GSK?
Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases - to impact health at scale.
People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we're committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.
GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.
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