Key Skills

Job Description

Build a drug discovery lab from scratch. As Director Drug Discovery at Candidate Center CCA, you set up and lead a state-of-the-art screening lab, combining target-based, cell-based and AI-supported drug discovery to deliver new cancer drug leads. About The Project Candidate Center CCA is a new drug discovery lab within Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA). It aims to identify and develop new drug leads for the treatment of cancer. The goal is to bring these leads to a stage where they can progress into clinical development or be taken further by industry. The Lab Covers Two Complementary Screening Approaches Target-based drug discovery: biochemical and biophysical assays on validated molecular targets, such as enzyme activity and binding assays (e.g. SPR, TR-FRET or comparable techniques). The aim is to identify and optimize hits with a demonstrable mechanism of action. Cell-based drug discovery: phenotypic screening assays, reporter cell lines and high-content imaging in relevant oncology cell models, to capture more complex biological responses and functional effects. AI-supported drug discovery is a prominent part of this approach, in collaboration with expert groups in this field on campus. Combined with the tumor biology expertise of the research groups within CCA, this allows screens to be focused on the most relevant targets and compounds, and kept limited in scale. Projects are selected together with these groups on the basis of their translational potential. What The Lab Will Deliver High-quality reporter assays and drugsthat directly enable commercialization or clinical trials Projects that lead to patentable composition-of-matter IP, with potential for licensing or spin-out to industry The position is for 3 years, followed by an evaluation based on the KPI and Go/No-Go framework of the Candidate Center. About The Role This is a new position. As Director Drug Discovery, you will set up and lead Candidate Center CCA, and you will have room to shape the lab yourself. You initiate, coordinate and carry out collaborative screening programs with academic groups across CCA. You are responsible from assay development to hit identification, and you remain involved in hit optimization together with other capacity groups. Activities Include Setting up and expanding a state-of-the-art drug discovery lab within the infrastructure of the Candidate Center and CCA Developing, validating and maintaining target-based and cell-based screening systems Running screens according to current international standards Identifying, together with academic groups, projects with high translational potential for drug discovery Contributing to the acquisition of grants and external funding Within the Translational Management Team, you are ultimately responsible for the funding and execution of the Candidate projects. You will have the opportunity to build Candidate Center CCA into a productive, financially self-sustaining screening center, with its own technical team, that delivers multiple new drug leads. You will work towards this with clear, shared milestones: progress is reviewed annually against the Candidate Center KPIs (external funding, invention disclosures, patent applications, and spin-offs or licenses), with an integral evaluation after three years. Profile Applicants Bring The Following a PhD in (bio)medical sciences, (bio)chemistry, pharmacology or a related discipline; work experience in a drug discovery or screening environment, for example in industry, biotech or an academic screening facility, and an understanding of the full drug discovery trajectory, including hit optimization; broad expertise in assay design and validation for both target-based and cell-based drug discoveryExperience or affinity with AI-supported drug discovery, for example to prioritize compounds and keep screens focused; hands-on experience with biochemical/biophysical assays (e.g. SPR, TR-FRET) and with phenotypic screening, reporter cell lines and high-content imaging; experience with acquiring grants or external funding. We Are Looking For The Following Personality Traits a proactive individual who enjoys building a new lab from the ground up; someone who takes ownership of both the science and the finances, and delivers on commitments; commercially and industry-aware; a strong connector who brings together academic groups, AI experts and management around shared projects. Our offer A new position with room to build and shape a drug discovery lab from the ground up. A 1.0 FTE appointment for a period of 3 years. After this period, an evaluation based on the KPI and Go/No-Go framework of the Candidate Center determines whether the contract is extended, for a fixed or indefinite term. Classification in salary scale 12: € 6.052 to € 7.684 gross for full-time employment (depending on education and experience). In addition to a good basic salary, we offer 8.3% end-of-year bonus. Calculate your net salary here (https://www.vismaraet.nl/bruto-netto-salaris-berekenen/). Holiday hours: 194.4 per year based on full-time employment and possibility to save additional hours. 100% reimbursement for public transport travel costs. If you travel by foot, bicycle, or car, a mileage allowance of €0.21 per km applies (up to a maximum of 40 km one way by car). Do you prefer walking or cycling? Take advantage of our good bike scheme. Pension accrual with the ABP, of which we pay 70% of the premium. Free and unlimited access to our online learning environment GoodHabitz. An active staff association and Jong Amsterdam UMC (https://jongamsterdamumc.nl/en/) association, both of which organize fun (sports) activities and events. About The Workplace Candidate-CCA is embedded in the Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR) of Cancer Center Amsterdam in the RDC Adore research building, and is part of the Candidate Center of Amsterdam UMC spanning both neurology and oncology. You will work closely with academic research groups across CCA. You will be supported by the Translational Management Team of Candidate Center CCA in setting up collaborations and selecting projects. You will work in alignment with the Director Drug Discovery of the Candidate Center-neurology. For AI-supported drug discovery, you will collaborate with expert groups in this field within Amsterdam UMC and on the VU campus. You report on progress to the Managing Director of the Candidate Center Platform and, on invitation, to the Candidate Center Steering Committee. Functionally, you report to the head of LEXOR. Let's meet Please note that we will close this vacancy early once we have found a suitable candidate; we therefore recommend applying promptly. The first round of interviews is scheduled in December. We ask you to take this into account in advance. Do you have any questions? For substantive information or information about the application procedure please contact: Maarten Bijlsma at 020-4448099 or [email protected] or Pieter van Bokhoven at [email protected]. A reference check and screening can be part of the procedure. Internal candidates will be given priority over external candidates in the event of equal suitability. Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.

Core Responsibilities

Establish and lead the Candidate Center CCA drug discovery laboratory, developing and maintaining target-based and cell-based screening systems and coordinating collaborative screening programs with academic groups. Select projects with strong translational potential, oversee work from assay development through hit identification and optimization, and take responsibility for project funding and execution.

Requirements

Applicants must have a PhD in biomedical sciences, biochemistry, pharmacology, or a related discipline, along with experience in a drug discovery or screening environment and knowledge of the drug discovery process through hit optimization. They should bring broad assay design and validation expertise, hands-on experience with biochemical or biophysical assays and phenotypic screening methods, familiarity with AI-supported discovery, and experience acquiring grants or external funding.

Benefits

• End-Of-Year Bonus
• Paid Holiday Hours
• Public Transport Reimbursement
• Mileage Allowance
• Bicycle Scheme
• Pension Contributions
• Online Learning Access
• Staff Association Activities