Head of R&D, Medicines for All Institute
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Full-time
Education
Posted on April 4, 2024
Head of Research & Development, Medicines for All Institute
Job Summary:
Medicines for All (M4ALL), a part of Virginia Commonwealth University, is an entrepreneurial, impact-oriented institute founded with commitment to improving access to medications across the globe by driving down production costs. We do this, in part, by developing low-cost, high-quality routes for the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
The Head of R&D plays a critical role in ensuring that we deliver on our mission by strategically leading the development and execution of high quality, responsive, and timely research initiatives. Reporting to the CEO, this role will serve as a mission driven leader through delivering scientific excellence in line with the strategic vision and organization strategy.
Key Responsibilities:
M4ALL's manufacturing optimization process has the potential to significantly impact the pharmaceutical supply chain and we are looking for a trusted advisor to lead our efforts. This position is integral to carrying out our mission with key responsibilities of:
• Developing and executing research initiatives for the Medicines for All Institute, focusing on organic synthesis, process chemistry, analytical chemistry, scale-up and tech transfer, which will require strong management of development partners and cross-functional leadership. The person in this position will manage all process chemistry, analytical, and lab management teams.
• Developing and implementing best research practices and training for the technical team at Medicines for All. Working with the research scientists, lab manager, and senior executives, the person in this position will continually assess and propose appropriate research practices to keep M4ALL teams functioning at their professional best. Training for staff, post docs, and students is a critical part of the job at M4ALL. Supporting staff scientists as they develop their skills and consider their career options is an integral component of this position. In addition, this role is responsible for reinforcing organization values and culture.
• Interfacing with organic chemistry, process chemistry, and engineering teams on emerging and enabling manufacturing technologies. M4ALL teams are multi-disciplinary and reflect the value M4ALL places on collaborative research. In addition to interacting with internal teams, the Head of R&D engages with collaborators at VCU, other academic institutions, contract research organizations, and outside subject matter experts engaged to bring additional expertise to M4ALL's projects.
• Building a team with depth of expertise that brings needed capabilities to the M4ALL research mandates. The person in this position will have significant involvement in resource planning, hiring and training new scientific team members.
• Building relationships with key research sponsors and manufacturing partners. M4ALL's research sponsors are keen to remain in touch with research progress, the Head of R&D will work closely with the scientific teams and project managers to present research findings, produce reports, and communicate the implications of research findings on a regular basis.
Critical Experience and Skills for Success:
• Ph.D. in organic/synthetic chemistry or equivalent professional work experience that equates to a Ph.D
• Demonstrated experience as a senior leader in chemical/pharmaceutical or closely related industries
• Experience working with external partners/customers and ability to create and nurture these relationships
• Experience with developing scalable chemical synthesis processes, preferably in an industrial setting
• Demonstrated experience in making decisions, good judgements, and weighing alternative courses of action after carefully weighing complex information from multiple sources
• A strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that includes demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment, or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
• Demonstrated experience as a designer and builder of strong teams and organization. A critical eye for talent and development of people
• Ability to organize, express and communicate ideas in a clear, succinct, accurate and convincing manner through a variety of communication settings and styles
• Must possess energy and passion to thrive in a start-up environment and to deliver on the mission of the Medicines for All Institute to improve access to affordable medicines
• Adaptive and effective communications suitable for a wide range of audiences
• Ability to analyze information, summarize findings and present them in ways easily understandable to decision-makers and audiences with non-technical backgrounds • Experience supervising professional level staff and working with multidisciplinary teams
• Commitment to aligning and adherence to M4ALL's core values and purpose
Preferred Experience and Skills:
• Experience working with contract manufacturers or internal manufacturing teams is strongly preferred
• Experience with flow chemistry approaches
• Experience working in both academic and industry laboratories
• Experience with proactively developing and promoting key stakeholder relationships by listening, problem solving, and generating solutions using customer perspectives and needs
Starting Salary:
Commensurate With Experience
VCU consistently ranks among the best places to work as judged by local and national organizations. VCU offers a robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, generous paid time off and holiday pay, employer-funded retirement plans as well as supplemental retirement savings plans with cash matching, tuition benefits, employee discounts, well-being resources, and abundant opportunities for career development and more!
Life at Medicines for All:
A career with M4ALL offers an invaluable chance to contribute meaningfully to work centered around tackling critical global health challenges. Our working environment is high-energy and the culture is mission-driven. The problems we hope to solve are immense, and we are just getting started on this journey! Join us in making a lasting impact at the forefront of pressing health issues worldwide!
Contact: M4all@vcu.edu
Position Details:
• University Job Title: Director/Senior Director RS (32411 - 32416)
• Exemption Status: Exempt
• ORP Eligibility: Yes
• Restricted Status: M4ALL is a grant funded research institute dependent upon the availability of funding
• Flexible work arrangements: Where feasible, this position embraces a combination of remote and on-site presence. Please note that the majority of our work fundamentally relies on frequent on-site commitment for effective collaboration and project alignment.
VCU and M4ALL is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
