Project Lead Drug Discovery

**Overview**:
**An exciting opportunity to scientifically lead trailblazing science in a fast-moving Cambridge based biotech**

**LOCATION**: Cambridge, UK

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SALARY: *Competitive salary and benefits package, relative to qualifications and experience

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Amphista Therapeutics is a fast-growing Cambridge-based biotech and the leading European Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) company. Our unique scientific approach to TPD, one of the hottest areas in modern drug discovery, gives us a range of advantages over other therapeutic strategies.

We have completed an oversubscribed $53M funding round to allow us to progress our portfolio of projects and greatly strengthen the development of our underlying scientific platform. We were delighted to recently announce two separate collaboration deals with Bristol Myers Squibb and Merck Healthcare which will allow us to grow and advance our therapeutic portfolio even faster, utilising our unique technology.

Initially founded from the laboratory of Professor Alessio Ciulli (University of Dundee) our team comprises both academic and drug discovery pioneers of the TPD field and a growing R&D team focused on advancing a portfolio of medicines to the clinic using our proprietary next generation TPD technologies We’re now growing the team further and have an opportunity for an experienced project leader to join us to help us move our portfolio of projects into the clinic.

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the fastest-growing UK-based drug discovery biotech’s and be part of a dynamic, adventurous and fast-moving team of experienced drug discoverers and TPD experts in a brand-new research facility. As project leader, you will use your extensive experience of successful project delivery and creative ways to overcome drug discovery challenges to lead and contribute to specific programmes within Amphista’s protein degrader drug discovery portfolio, having a significant impact on the success of Amphista’s R&D strategy.

**Experience Required**:

- Scientific background in one of the main drug discovery disciplines - chemistry, biology, pharmacology or DMPK with significant industrial or biotech drug discovery experience.
- An outstanding understanding of contemporary small molecule drug discovery and development including structure-based design, property-based design, multi-parameter optimisation and successful use of computational chemistry and cheminformatic tools.
- Competitive intelligence awareness and strategic awareness of target drug discovery.
- Experience of working in a fast-moving drug discovery environment, contributing to successful delivery of multiple projects in parallel.
- Outstanding scientific reputation as evidenced by publication, patents and conference presentations.

**Duties & Responsibilities**:

- Responsible for helping to build, lead and motivate high performing project teams to reach project goals including projects run across multiple locations comprising Amphista scientists as well as a network of collaborators at eg CROs or academic centres.
- Designing and delivering project plans to enable fast decision-making and project progression to defined milestones through your personal contributions as well as matrix management and collaboration with others including at CROs or academic centres.
- Working closely with external chemistry, DMPK and other scientists at CRO partners to ensure they are highly productive team members contributing to rapid project progression.
- Maintaining an excellent awareness of contemporary literature developments in drug discovery, medicinal & synthetic chemistry of particular relevance to targeted protein degradation and projects within the Amphista portfolio.
- Presenting project plans and results both internally and at external scientific conferences and maintaining and growing your network of external contacts across drug discovery disciplines.

**Skills and attributes**
- Experience of managing teams of scientists including at CROs via direct line management and matrix management
- Passion for science together with a ‘can-do’ problem-solving approach
- An adaptable team player capable of working to tight deadlines and exacting standards
- Strong organisational skills including ability to prioritise and work under pressure

**Experience in the following areas would be preferred but not essential**:

- Experience working with TPD field

**What’s on offer**

Competitive salary and benefits package including share options and discretionary bonus.

Hybrid working

**More about Amphista**

Amphista’s approaches use completely novel mechanisms to build on all the advantages of TPD while directly addressing the emerging limitations of existing TPD strategies to expand the utility of the field. In particular, we have shown our approach has the potential to be superior to all other TPD approaches (PROTACs, molecular glues etc) improved druglike properties and reduced tumour resistance potential.