Associate Director / Senior Scientist - Neuro Programs

NextCure is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company located in Beltsville, Maryland, focused on the discovery and development of first-in-class immunomedicines for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. We are committed to professional development in the context of learning, managing, and developing our employees. We create a unique environment for our employees, providing exposure to various facets of our operations to cultivate interdisciplinary career growth and development.

NextCure is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Associate Director to join our neuro programs team. The candidate will work across therapeutic areas to support developing therapeutics for diseases related to neurodegeneration and cancer. Therapeutic knowledge in one or more of these areas will be prioritized. Prior experience leading drug development projects and IND-enabling studies, preferably in neurodegeneration, is required, along with a willingness to acquire new subject matter expertise while working on an agile, interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Design and coordinate IND-enabling activities including pre-clinical disease research, tox studies, and clinical biomarker strategies
• Manage external relationships, including with contract research organizations and academic collaborators
• Design, execute, analyze, interpret and present mechanistic and disease relevant studies
• Independently generate ideas and flexibly collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to design, execute, interpret and communicate studies
• Identify new opportunities to innovate in disease areas relevant to NextCure's current pipeline

Required Education and Experience

• 4+ years of experience with drug development or IND-enabling studies at a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company to qualify at Associate Director level
• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, or a related field required
• Candidates demonstrating less than 4 years of industry experience may be considered for Senior Scientist level
• Disease relevant research experience in the above fields is a plus
• Willingness to perform hands-on work to independently design and execute experiments, make detailed observations, analyze data, interpret, and deliver timely results
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Prior work history in a start-up environment preferred
• Proven record of publishing, writing, and presentation skills
• Flexible with the capacity to prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment

NextCure, Inc. is committed to equal opportunity and affirmative action in employment. The company ensures non-discrimination in all its employment practices. Every qualified applicant is considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.