Senior Director, Targeted Sciences

Company Description

Bicycle Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of medicines, referred to as Bicycle® molecules, for diseases that are underserved by existing therapeutics. Bicycle molecules are fully synthetic short peptides constrained with small molecule scaffolds to form two loops that stabilize their structural geometry. This constraint facilitates target binding with high affinity and selectivity, making Bicycle molecules attractive candidates for drug development. The company is evaluating zelenectide pevedotin (previously BT8009), a Bicycle® Toxin Conjugate (BTC®) targeting Nectin-4, a well-validated tumor antigen; BT5528, a BTC targeting EphA2, a historically undruggable target; and BT7480, a Bicycle Tumor-Targeted Immune Cell Agonist® (Bicycle TICA®) targeting Nectin-4 and agonizing CD137, in company-sponsored clinical trials. Additionally, the company is developing Bicycle® Radio Conjugates (BRC™) for radiopharmaceutical use and, through various partnerships, is exploring the use of Bicycle® technology to develop therapies for diseases beyond oncology. 

Bicycle Therapeutics is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with many key functions and members of its leadership team located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Culture is key and all Bicycle employees actively embrace and role model our company values:

• We are Adventurous. We believe it’s the way to deliver extraordinary results for our patients.
• We are Dedicated to our Mission. You can’t change the world if you don’t have determination. 
• We are One Team. We only succeed when we work together.

Job Description

Role Overview:

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented Target Science Lead (Senior Director), with a strong oncology background, to bring innovation to our Research and Innovation (R&I) portfolio by leading the discovery and validation of high-value targets to expand our BTC and BRC pipelines. In this role, you will drive target identification and validation strategies by applying your deep understanding on cancer biology, genomics, functional genomics, and machine learning/ artificial intelligence (ML/AI). A drug-hunting mindset, as well as collaboration and influence, are critical to this position as you will be closely working with stakeholders within Research & Development (bioinformatics, biology, translational science and commercial teams), and with external collaborators to deliver robust target rationales and medicine visions for novel targets.

Key responsibilities

• Accountability for the design and execution of target discovery and validation approaches to support BTC and BRC pipeline expansion:
  • Lead cross-functional efforts to identify and validate novel oncology targets, leveraging cutting-edge genetic, genomic, and bioinformatic tools.
  • Drive target selection strategies informed by disease biology, unmet clinical need, and therapeutic potential, ensuring alignment with company goals.
• Strategic Leadership: Provide scientific leadership and strategic direction across the matrix, ensuring delivery of innovative, actionable targets into the oncology pipeline.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with internal stakeholders, including platform technology and sciences (PTS), biology, translational sciences, and commercial teams, to advance targets from target discovery to platform screening.
• External Innovation: Collaborate with academic collaborators to identify emerging trends and integrate external innovations into the target discovery strategy.
• Team Development: Mentor members of our biology team, fostering a culture of collaboration, scientific excellence, and innovation.
• Communication: Present target sciences strategies, findings, and recommendations to executive leadership, external partners, and at scientific conferences.

This is a hybrid role, with the expectations to be onsite at least 3 days per week.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Educated to the highest level, in a scientific discipline of relevance to the role such us molecular biology, genetics, genomics, oncology, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in oncology drug discovery, with a proven track record of identifying and validating therapeutic targets.
• Knowledge of genetics and genomics, with demonstrated application of these approaches in target discovery
• Strong understanding of cancer biology and translational research, including knowledge of tumor microenvironment and signalling pathways.
• Demonstrated success in developing strategies for target selection and advancing programs from discovery to platform screening.
• Strong track record of publications, patents, or contributions to the field of oncology drug discovery.

Desirable:

• Competitive Intelligence experience
• Radiopharmaceutical conjugate experience
• ADC Target experience

Additional Information

• State-of-the-art campus environment with on campus restaurant and Montessori nursery
• Flexible working environment
• Competitive reward including annual company bonus 
• Employee recognition schemes
• 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays + option to buy up to 5 additional days annually
• Employer contribution to pension (employee does not have to contribute) 
• Life assurance cover 4x basic salary 
• Private Medical Insurance, including optical and dental cover. 
• Group income protection
• Employee assistance program
• Health Cash Plan
• Access to company subsidized gym membership.
• Eligibility for an option grant to subscribe to shares in Bicycle Therapeutics plc. 
• Cycle to work scheme 

Bicycle Therapeutics is committed to building a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. We recognize that diverse and inclusive teams build a stronger and more innovative company. Therefore, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability status, marital status, or veteran status.