Director for external research and development at the NNF Center for Vaccines and Immunology (NCVI)

Introduction

A translational research center for vaccines and immunity

Based on a collaboration between the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) it is the vision to establish a new flagship – a translational research NNF Center for Vaccines and Immunity (NCVI). The aim of NCVI is to conduct basic as well as translational research with focus on developing new vaccines against respiratory route pathogens that have epidemic potential or promote the spread of anti-microbial resistance.

The two-pronged mission for NCVI is:

Generation of knowledge on host immunity, host-pathogen interactions, and vaccine technologies.

Translation of knowledge into vaccines that provide robust, durable, and broad immunity against respiratory pathogens.

NCVI will bridge basic discovery research and new vaccines' development and clinical testing against diverse respiratory pathogens. Importantly, the center will establish expertise and infrastructure that can ‘pivot' to target new respiratory pathogen threats, should a new pandemic threat arise.

NVCI is expected to encompass >100 researchers and specialists and will be embedded at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM) at Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen.

Job description

As Director, External R&D, you will be responsible to identify and evaluate external partnerships, technologies, platforms and enabling science opportunities for collaboration or licensing that complement NCVI's internal R&D efforts. The Director will actively scout for research & development opportunities outside NCVI including new technologies and platforms. This involves monitoring the scientific literature, attending conferences, and building relationships with key opinion leaders, academic institutions, startups, companies and other organizations to identify promising innovations. The incumbent will also proactively identify potential partners for collaboration or joint R&D projects. This could include academic researchers, other pharmaceutical companies, biotech startups, contract research organizations (CROs) and Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC) partners. Working closely with Business Development and NCVI's Management Team, the incumbent will support in-licensing or out-licensing opportunities of preclinical and clinical stage assets that align with NCVIs strategies. Importantly, the Director, External R&D, will play a central role in Due Diligence exercises to evaluate preclinical and clinical data, CMC, intellectual property rights, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and potential risks. After successfully completing agreements, External R&D will facilitate the transfer of technologies, know-how, and expertise between external partners and NCVI. This could involve establishing research collaborations, licensing agreements, or technology transfer agreements to leverage external capabilities and accelerate internal R&D efforts. Strategic planning will be required in all the activities to provide insights into emerging trends, technologies, and competitive landscape in the vaccine field and industry to help shape NCVI's overarching scientific agenda and development plans. Overall, External R&D serves as a bridge between the internal R&D capabilities of NCVI and the external ecosystem of scientific and technological innovation.

Responsibilities

Overall responsibility to proactively identify and evaluate external partnerships, technologies, platforms and enabling science opportunities for collaboration, licensing or acquisition that complement or enhance NCVI's internal R&D efforts and strategic goals.

According to strategic planning for the scope of External R&D, responsible and accountable for the scouting of new technologies, platforms, CMC innovations and research & development opportunities outside NCVI.

Build and maintain a Key Opinion Leader network.

Monitor scientific literature, company reports and other areas of intelligence.

Attend targeting conferences.

Visit academic institutions, start-ups, companies and other organizations to identify promising innovations.

Support the identification of collaborative opportunities in terms of existing preclinical and clinical stage projects; co-development, regional development, joint-venture deals.

Support Business Development in-licensing or out-licensing deals, including central role in Due Diligence exercises.

Post term sheet agreement, support the successful technology and know-how transfer(s) where applicable.

Develop strategic and operational planning for External R&D activities with the Deputy Director / Chief Scientific Officer.

Maintain dashboards and others means of communicating competitive landscapes for technologies of interest.

Support NCVI governance as a representative of External R&D.

Drive efficiencies to ensure new and improved ‘Ways of Working'.

Required qualifications

You are a researcher at an international level within vaccinology and immunity.

3+ years or more in vaccine research and development with a strong acumen for the latest technologies in these fields.

Strong leadership skills able to champion R&D values and motivate diverse teams.

Strong communication skills and experience in complex matrix organizations.

Appetite for change and change management.

Proven agile ways of working.

Terms of employment

The position is a permanent position. The starting date is according to agreement.

The Director is positioned as Senior Consultant (“chefkonsulent”).

The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) with a possibility to negotiate supplements based on qualifications and experience. The university will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Questions

For further information regarding the position, please contact Thor G. Theander, email: [email protected]

Application

Your application should include:

Letter of application

Curriculum Vitae

Diplomas (Master's, and other relevant certificates)

Please submit your application by clicking on “Søg stillingen” (“Apply Now”) below. Only online applications will be accepted.

The closing date for applications is 8 September 2024, CET 23:59.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the above-mentioned requirements.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 38.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background