Director, Cell and Molecular Genomics

About Allogene:

Allogene Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a single-minded focus on pioneering the development of investigational allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (AlloCAR T™) products for cancer. Led by world-class management with significant experience in cell therapy, our fully integrated, in-house team of researchers is dedicated to discovery and translational research, development, and cell manufacturing.

At Allogene, we are developing a pipeline of off-the-shelf CAR T cell candidates, with the goal of delivering readily available cell therapy faster, more reliably, and at greater scale to more patients. For more information, please visit www.allogene.com, and follow @AllogeneTx on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About the role:

Allogene is seeking a highly motivated, self-driven, collaborative and experienced senior molecular immunology, T cell biology leader to join the Process and Product Development (PPD) organization. The successful candidate will be accountable for establishing heightened CAR T cell characterization and product understanding through application of cell and molecular biology approaches to identify and measure attributes or biomarkers critical for safety and efficacy for this novel engineered cell therapy modality.

The Director, Cell and Molecular Genomics is an accomplished technical leader who applies extensive T cell and molecular biology experience and leadership acumen to drive technical and strategic, functional and cross-functional CAR T cell product understanding. In this role you will partner closely with PPD and the broader PPD analytical and process development functions, and work in close collaboration with key stakeholders in Research and Translational Sciences, in the definition, analysis and understanding of product potential Critical Quality Attributes and their correlation with product safety, fitness and clinical outcomes, so as to drive process-to-product understanding and enhanced product control. This position will be accountable for Cell and Molecular Genomics technical strategy and vision, strategic planning and resource prioritization, and growing a strong and change-agile organization through talent acquisition, development and retention.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

· Provide senior, strategic and technical, molecular immunology/ T cell biology leadership for cell and molecular characterization of allogeneic CAR T cell products, and donor PBMCs/ cell starting materials, to inform product understanding, process-to-product relationships and batch-to-batch CART product functional-consistency

· Lead and contribute to the establishment of programs and analytical approaches to identify, understand and measure relevant metrics or biomarkers of CART product safety and efficacy - including characterization and understanding of the impact of donor PBMC/ cell starting material lot variability and cell engineering on CAR T cell phenotype and product safety and efficacy.

· Apply next-generation DNA and RNA sequencing and bioinformatics capability, and additional molecular approaches as appropriate, to provide enhanced understanding of lentiviral vector- and nuclease-mediated gene-editing on- and off-target events; lead/ oversee the development of appropriate bioinformatics pipelines

· Support process development and characterization and partner with internal and external stakeholders in leading Critical Quality Attribute/ Quality Target Product Profile strategy and tactics for enhanced product understanding; contribute to the design and execution of comparability studies and Regulatory filings as appropriate

· Drive relevant and impactful innovation programs to enhance CAR T cell characterization and understanding (including single cell approaches for molecular and functional characterization and high throughput screening capabilities) aligned with emerging technical needs and Regulatory expectations

· Provide visible and positive organizational, technical and personal leadership; model and engender desired One Allogene values and behaviors, including teamwork, resilience, excellence and ownership.

· Demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability and acumen to work productively and collaboratively and influence and negotiate with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

· Demonstrate strong leadership, personal accountability and interpersonal skills, and capability for mentoring junior colleagues (direct reports and others); build strong teams and actively foster colleague engagement; and establish safe, high-quality lab practices

· Ensure high-quality, timely documentation in electronic laboratory notebooks and Technical Reports, and contribute to Regulatory Filing strategy and content, and responses to Regulatory questions as appropriate

· Maintain awareness of current state of the field (literature, Regulatory expectations and competitive surveillance) and its application to CART characterization and understanding

· Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements & Experience:

· Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Immunology, Computational Biology or related field with at least 10 years of post-graduate experience in relevant roles in academia/ industry, in the development of methods and tools for investigation and characterization of T cell genotype, phenotype and function – preferably for cell-based therapies (or a Master’s degree with at least 14 years relevant experience)

· T cell biology, molecular immunology, 'omics analysis, NGS and bioinformatics expertise a plus

· Strong strategic and technical leadership and proven ability to successfully lead technical teams in identifying and solving complex problems

· Strong organizational skills and an ability to prioritize effectively to deliver results within established timelines

· Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to establish, motivate and lead highly-functioning teams, and influence across organizational boundaries

· Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential in this fast-moving and collaborative work environment.

· Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S.

· Onsite presence at Allogene is strongly preferred.

We offer a chance to work with talented people in a collaborative environment and provide a top-notch compensation and benefits package, which includes an annual performance bonus, equity, health insurance, generous time off (including 2 annual holiday company-wide shutdowns) and much more. The expected salary range for this role is $210,000 to $240,000. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, business needs, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

As an equal opportunity employer, Allogene is committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job-related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. We also embrace differences in experience and background, and welcome diversity of opinions and thought with active recruitment and internships designed to create a stronger and better Allogene that is focused on developing life-changing products for patients.

Please be aware that the FBI recently issued a warning about an increased number of fake job postings for remote work employment that target applicants' personally identifiable information. All approved Allogene Therapeutics positions are accessible via the Allogene Careers page at www.allogene.com/careers.

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