Director, Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery (SIDD)

Director, Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery (SIDD)
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas, Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery (SIDD)http://www.utmb.edu/idd/home
Through academic and industrial partnerships, UTMB has led the way in discovery of small molecules and biologics for treatment of diseases. The IDD seeks to build on this success for further therapeutics development and has invested in brand-new synthetic chemistry laboratories with state-of-the-art fume hoods to achieve this goal. Our established drug discovery for pandemic preparedness program is powered by the Galveston National Laboratory, the premier biosafety-level-4 facility in the world, and well-established pathogen models at UTMB.

Director, Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery - The Director of the Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery (“SIDD”) will be responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership for the development of safe and effective therapeutics within an academic setting. The incumbent will lead a team of experienced and innovative discovery chemists and biochemists to work cross-functionally with UTMB academic departments and external collaborators. The Director responsibilities include overall development of the team that will enable SIDD to achieve its strategic goal of becoming a national leader in the discovery and development of next generation of drugs for combating emerging infectious diseases as well as brain disorders, mentorship in scientific and project leadership as well as the development of strategic plans for the effective utilization of state-of-the-art screen facilities, medicinal chemistry expertise that will be available within SIDD along with UTMB’s academic research enterprise including the Galveston National Laboratory (“GNL”). The incumbent will be accountable for early drug discovery and, through collaborating with external partners, for pre-clinical candidate development.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Direct experience in delivering clinical drug candidates.
• Creative problem solver with a track record of innovation, preclinical and clinical achievements.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work in a team environment.
• Demonstrated leadership in team building and team management.
• Proven track record in setting strategic and tactical direction and priorities that lead successful drug discovery efforts, at the project and line management level.
• Strong leadership abilities for project teams and line management responsibilities, and an ability to bring together diverse skill sets to form a cohesive team.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• A passion for research and commitment to professionalism.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree within a relevant scientific field. (e.g., chemistry, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, infectious disease, immunology, neuroscience)
• A minimum of 5 -10 years of experience in Drug Discovery and Development.
• Direct experience in delivering clinical drug candidates for academia and/or industry.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry or Chemical Biology.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in drug delivery research in the pharmaceutical industry or academia.
• Additional years of experience and/or type/area of work experience preferred for position. (e.g., job duties related to drug discovery and pharma)

Living in South Houston and Galveston, Texas: Galveston Island is home to approximately 50,000 residents and is known for its 32 miles of Gulf Coast beaches, temperate climate, wide array of leisure and cultural activities, and affordable cost of living – all just south of Houston, the 4^th largest city in the US. More information about UTMB and Galveston can be found on the UTMB Living Website: http://www.utmb.edu/utmbliving/

For more information, please submit a current and updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter to,
Skott Harrington at: saharrin@utmb.edu

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or veteran status. As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.