Overview
Nurix Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of targeted protein degradation medicines, the next frontier in innovative drug design aimed at improving treatment options for patients with cancer and inflammatory diseases. Powered by a fully AI-integrated discovery engine capable of tackling any protein class, and coupled with unparalleled ligase expertise, Nurix’s dedicated team has built a formidable advantage in translating the science of targeted protein degradation into clinical advancements. Nurix aims to establish degrader-based treatments at the forefront of patient care, writing medicine’s next chapter with a new script to outmatch disease.
Nurix Therapeutics is seeking an accomplished scientific leader to serve as Vice President, Translational Medicine & Clinical Biomarkers. This executive will own the full translational medicine and clinical biomarker strategy across Nurix’s oncology and immunology pipeline, from early target engagement through late-stage clinical development and will serve as a decisive voice in portfolio-level go/no-go decisions.
Reporting to the Chief Scientific Officer, the VP will lead and scale a high-performing team, partner closely with Research, Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, and Data Science, and represent Nurix externally as a scientific leader in translational medicine. This role carries executive accountability for the translational medicine function, including CRO and diagnostic partner strategy, and requires the rare combination of deep scientific expertise, operational fluency, and the leadership presence to influence at the executive level.
This is a senior executive role for a builder. Someone who has led translational functions through clinical inflection points and can define what precision medicine looks like at a biotech pioneering targeted protein degradation.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Ownership
- Define and own the enterprise-wide translational medicine and clinical biomarker strategy across Nurix’s pipeline, integrating insights from discovery through Phase II/III to inform portfolio prioritization and investment decisions.
- Design and implement predictive biomarker strategies and translational plans to support indication selection and patient enrichment for degrader therapies.
- Serve as a standing member of the R&D leadership team and program governance committees; provide executive-level input on clinical development strategy, indication selection, dose/schedule decisions, and precision medicine positioning.
- Translate the unique biology of targeted protein degradation into rigorous translational hypotheses, from degrader-specific target engagement biomarkers to modality-specific patient stratification strategies.
- Represent Nurix in external scientific forums, KOL engagements, investigator meetings, and competitive intelligence activities; contribute to business development diligence on potential partnerships and in-licensing candidates.
Translational Science & Biomarker Development
- Oversee the full lifecycle of biomarker program development, from preclinical discovery and assay feasibility through clinical validation, implementation, and reporting. Ensure scientific rigor and regulatory defensibility at each stage.
- Direct design and execution of pharmacodynamic, predictive, prognostic, and safety biomarker strategies for each program; establish clear criteria for biomarker-driven decision gates.
- Integrate advanced translational data modalities, ctDNA/ctRNA, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, computational pathology, and multiplex imaging into Nurix’s precision medicine
- Partner with Discovery Biology to build translationally anchored preclinical models and IND-enabling data packages that de-risk clinical hypotheses.
- Lead clinical biomarker data interpretation and synthesis across programs; translate complex datasets into actionable insights for clinical teams, executives, and regulatory agencies.
Clinical Integration & Regulatory Partnership
- Provide scientific leadership for translational and biomarker content in clinical protocols, Investigator Brochures, clinical study reports, and regulatory submissions (INDs, BLAs, briefing documents).
- Shape biomarker regulatory strategy in close collaboration with Regulatory Affairs; represent translational science in FDA and EMA interactions, including pre-IND and End-of-Phase meetings.
- Partner with Clinical Pharmacology on integrated PK/PD modeling, dose-response biomarker analysis, and mechanism-based endpoint selection.
- Collaborate with Biostatistics and Data Science on statistical analysis plans, integrated translational datasets, and exploratory analyses that support publication and regulatory strategy.
- Provide leadership in companion diagnostic (CDx) strategy, including CRO/IVD partner selection and regulatory co-development planning where applicable.
Operational Excellence & External Partnerships
- Define and manage the translational medicine operating model, including infrastructure, technology platforms, and quality standards appropriate to Nurix’s stage and pipeline breadth.
- Evaluate, select, and govern CRO, central laboratory, and academic collaborative partnerships for biomarker assay development and clinical execution; ensure scientific and contractual accountability.
- Develop and manage the translational medicine budget and resource allocation; provide forward-looking investment guidance aligned with clinical timelines and portfolio priorities.
Team Leadership & Organizational Development
- Build, inspire, and develop a high-performing team of translational scientists and biomarker specialists; set clear goals, cultivate scientific rigor, and support career growth.
- Define team structure, roles, and growth pathways appropriate to Nurix’s pipeline stage; attract and retain top-tier scientific talent in the Bay Area biopharmaceutical market.
- Champion cross-functional collaboration and a culture of scientific excellence, intellectual curiosity, and patient focus within the team and across the broader organization.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Immunology, Oncology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, or a closely related life sciences discipline required; MD/Ph.D. strongly preferred.
- Postdoctoral training or equivalent advanced research experience in translational or clinical science is highly valued.
- 15+ years of progressive experience in translational medicine and/or clinical biomarker research within the pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical industry, with meaningful tenure in oncology.
- Minimum 10 years in a senior leadership role (Sr. Director level or above) with direct management of scientific staff and function-level accountability for deliverables and budget.
- Demonstrated track record of leading translational programs from IND through proof-of-concept (Phase I/II), including first-in-human study design and execution.
- Experience leading or meaningfully contributing to Phase III biomarker programs, regulatory submissions, and health authority interactions (FDA, EMA).
- Proven ability to evaluate, select, and govern external CRO, central laboratory, and academic partnerships in a biomarker development context.
- Experience presenting to and influencing executive leadership, Boards, investors, or senior regulatory agencies preferred.
Scientific & Technical Expertise
- Deep expertise in translational biomarker strategy — target engagement, pharmacodynamic, predictive, prognostic, and safety biomarkers — with command of regulatory standards governing their use in clinical
- Hands-on expertise or strong working knowledge of quantitative and multiplex biomarker technologies: flow cytometry, ELISA/MSD, IHC/mIF, NGS (RNAseq, scRNAseq, whole-exome), ctDNA/cfDNA, and digital
- Familiarity with bioinformatic and computational approaches supporting multi-omic data integration and translational dataset interpretation; ability to drive computational strategy in collaboration with data science partners.
- Knowledge of regulatory expectations for exploratory biomarkers and IVD/CDx development strategies across FDA and EMA frameworks.
- Scientific publication record and demonstrated presence in the translational medicine or oncology/immunology community (publications, conference presentations, KOL relationships).
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct experience with targeted protein degradation (PROTACs, molecular glues) or other emerging modalities, including translational challenges specific to novel mechanisms of action.
- Experience in both oncology and immunology/inflammatory disease therapeutic areas, reflecting Nurix’s evolving pipeline scope.
- Demonstrated experience building a translational medicine or clinical biomarker function from early stage, including infrastructure, platform selection, SOPs, and team design.
- Familiarity with advanced computational and AI-driven approaches in translational science, including patient stratification, multi-omic integration, and machine learning-based biomarker discovery.
- Publication record as senior or corresponding author; participation in scientific advisory boards or external translational medicine working groups.
Fit with Nurix Culture and Values
- Scientist-leader who brings equal conviction to the data and to the people — building teams and translational programs with the same rigor and care.
- Sees the intersection of targeted protein degradation and precision medicine as one of the most compelling opportunities in oncology, and is committed to defining what translational excellence looks like in this space.
- Operates without ego at the executive table — direct, collaborative, and secure enough to be changed by data and by the perspectives of colleagues.
- Has built things: functions, teams, capabilities. Brings both the track record and the hands-on instincts to drive a program from hypothesis to regulatory submission.
- Invests in people with the same intentionality as in the science — because at Nurix, those two things are inseparable.
