What are the responsibilities and job description for the Executive Director, Translational Medicine position at Dovetail Therapeutics?
Company and Role Description:
Dovetail Therapeutics is a Seattle biopharmaceutical company founded in 2023 by the world’s leading healthcare venture capital firm OrbiMed. Dovetail is committed to developing novel biotherapeutics that will meaningfully improve the lives of patients. The company has established a transformative, proprietary platform and a robust, expanding pipeline, with our lead drug candidate entering the clinic this year.
Dovetail Therapeutics is seeking a highly accomplished and strategic Executive Director, Translational Medicine to join our growing and dynamic leadership team. If you are passionate about bridging early-stage discovery with clinical development in a creative, collaborative, and fast-paced environment where your contributions will make a real difference, this role is for you.
The Executive Director, Translational Medicine will serve as a key scientific and operational leader, driving the translational strategy across Dovetail's antibody-based pipeline from preclinical candidate selection through clinical development. This individual will work closely with Research, Clinical, Regulatory, and CMC teams to define and execute pharmacodynamic biomarker strategies, assay development, and proof-of-concept data generation that maximize the probability of clinical success.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Translational Strategy
• Lead the development and execution of translational medicine strategies for Dovetail's preclinical and clinical-stage programs across therapeutic areas
• Oversee the design and implementation of translational biomarker plans including pharmacodynamic biomarkers, target engagement and receptor occupancy assays
• Define target product profiles (TPPs), clinical proof-of-concept hypotheses, and go/no-go criteria in alignment with scientific and business objectives
• Integrate human biology insights to inform mechanism of action validation and clinical candidate selection
Biomarker & Assay Development and Data Generation
• Build internal capabilities and a CRO network to develop, validate, and deploy fit-for-purpose clinical biomarker assays for high quality, timely data generation
• Analyze and interpret translational and clinical data; present findings to project teams, senior leadership, and third parties with clarity and scientific rigor
Clinical & Cross-Functional Leadership
• Serve as the translational science lead on cross-functional program teams, collaborating with Biology, Protein Sciences, Clinical Development, CMC, and Regulatory Affairs
• Compile and present translational data packages for Development Candidate (DC) selection, IND filings, and governance meetings including Board of Directors presentations
• Partner with the Clinical team to design early-phase clinical trials (Phase 1/2), including objectives, endpoints, sampling strategies, and exploratory biomarker analyses
• Drive scientific and operational interactions with KOLs, clinical investigators, and academic collaborators
Qualifications
Required
• MD, PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent advanced degree in a relevant scientific discipline (Immunology, Pharmacology, Cell Biology, or related field)
• 12 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with substantial focus on translational medicine or clinical pharmacology
• Demonstrated track record of leading translational strategies for biologics (antibodies, bispecifics, or related modalities) from IND-enabling studies through early clinical phases
• Deep expertise in biomarker assay formats related to pharmacodynamic characterization and target engagement
• Experience authoring and contributing to regulatory documents including INDs, IBs, and clinical protocols
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to influence and align teams in a fast-moving biotech environment
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences including non-scientific stakeholders
Preferred
• Experience with immunology or inflammation indications in addition to oncology
• Familiarity with biologic development
• Prior experience in an early-stage or venture-backed biotech, with demonstrated ability to build programs from the ground up
Benefits
We foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, with each team member playing a critical role in shaping our success. Dovetail offers a competitive total compensation and benefits package. Benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, paid parking or transit, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off, among other components. Dovetail is located at 1616 Eastlake Ave East, in the vibrant South Lake Union neighborhood.