Director - Neurobiology

About the Department

Dicerna, a Novo Nordisk company, is focused on driving innovation in RNAi (ribonucleic acid interference) to selectively target and silence genes that cause or contribute to disease. Our proprietary GalXC™ and GalXC-Plus™ RNAi technologies have the potential to address conditions that are difficult or impossible to treat with other modalities. Established as a Transformational Research Unit (TRU) following Novo Nordisk’s acquisition of Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in December 2021, the Dicerna TRU is a unique new organization within Novo Nordisk that brings together the best of both worlds – the agility, collaborative pioneering spirit and calculated risk-taking profile of a biotech along with the scale, resources and capabilities of a global leader in drug development. With approximately 200 researchers, scientists, drug developers and operational staff, we are a team of inventive and entrepreneurial thinkers pushing the boundaries of science to create and drive new RNAi-based therapies for both rare and more prevalent diseases from the bench to the clinic. Together, we are driving change. Are you ready to make a difference?

The Position

We are seeking a senior leader with experience investigating rare and common diseases to oversee our work in the CNS and eye. The Director, Neurobiology will lead efforts from drug discovery to clinical development on therapeutics based on Dicerna's proprietary platforms. The candidate, with a strong track record to successfully lead projects from target identification, candidate selection to IND filing will be responsible for a highly efficient research team comprised of Scientists, and Research Associates. The ideal candidate is an experienced and enthusiastic biologist with a broad range of scientific interest. You must have significant experience in drug discovery and development and be the kind of person who thrives in a hypothesis-driven, data-focused, team-oriented, and multi-disciplinary biotech environment with an end-goal to help patients.

The Director, Neurobiology is a key member of Dicerna's Biology teams, and will engage in multiple internal and partnered research and discovery efforts that are aimed to develop therapeutics to treat patients with rare and common diseases. The Director will lead a group of in vivo and molecular biology scientists and researchers, who specialize in dissecting disease mechanisms, optimize RNAi approaches and identify potential biomarkers using preclinical rodent and other animal models. The successful candidate will be responsible for making strategic decision, contribute to the discovery of clinical candidates, and help in broadening Dicerna's CNS and ocular pipeline. This individual will be a key player in investigating the mechanism of action and pharmacological properties of Dicerna's RNAi therapeutics in the central and peripheral nervous system and the eye.

Relationships

The position reports into a VP. The position will manage a team.

Essential Functions

• Oversee a strong performing group and provide leadership, strategic oversight, resource management, and organizational framework to ensure timely decision making and delivery on internal and partnered projects
• Establish research direction and implement programs to study novel RNAi-related therapeutics for CNS and ocular indications
• Design, implementation, and interpretation of experiments to identify and optimize new drug candidates
• Evaluation/validation of new potential targets
• Directing aspects of CRO’s, external partnerships and collaborations
• Work closely with Chemistry to coordinate SAR studies and support platform optimization
• Identify, support, manage and develop talent among team; act as a resource and mentor to team members by providing guidance, instruction, feedback and ongoing coaching
• Lead research efforts to understand the mechanism of action, activity, and durability of molecules
• Preparing high quality technical reports and summaries for internal use and inclusion in key regulatory documents (e.g. INDs)

Development of People

Ensure that reporting personnel have individual development plans (IDP), with annual goals and measurements that are consistent with the priorities of the business, and that interim reviews are held so that their work is focused on those priorities, and they understand their level of accountability for results and the measurement process. Ensure that the IDP forms include completed learning and aspiration plans and are in place for all reporting personnel to enable the achievement of goals and capability to assume increased levels of responsibility. Manage the application and communication of all Novo Nordisk policies, procedures, and Novo Nordisk Way.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Neurology, Pharmacology, or related disciplines
• Minimum of 10 years of post- graduate experience, at least 5 of those in industry
• Demonstrated experience in moving drugs from research to development and a thorough understanding of translational aspects of CNS/ocular drug discovery
• The ideal candidate is flexible, adaptable, positive, and a self-starter, with exceptional communication and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment, manage multiple priorities and projects, be well organized, take initiative, be flexible, work well under pressure
• Strong people leadership abilities, including inspiring and motivating a high performing team, setting clear direction, enabling cross-functional collaboration, empowering people, and developing, coaching, and mentoring talent
• Experience with overseeing work at CROs
• Ideally the candidate will have experience working with oligonucleotides as therapeutic agents

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

Novo Nordisk requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the first date of employment. As required by applicable law, Novo Nordisk will consider requests for reasonable accommodation.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.