Senior Principal Scientist; Project Enablement

Overview

Provide deep expertise in assessing target feasibility, including, but not limited to, reagent generation, mechanistic characterisation, ligandability, and druggability. Work at the intersection between portfolio generation, molecular sciences, chemistry and biosciences to define and prosecute strategies that deliver clear, early go/no‑go decisions across a range of challenging target classes.

This role uniquely combines cutting‑edge screening expertise with deep mechanistic insight to transform early‑stage target prosecution. Leveraging a range of hit identification methods (HTS, DEL, AS‑MS) and rigorous mechanistic understanding, it ensures only the most viable targets progress into drug discovery, reducing attrition and accelerating timelines. Beyond shaping the science, the successful candidate will influence and improve our ways of working, embedding best practices and innovative approaches across teams.

The smarter, risk‑aware strategy will ultimately deliver higher‑quality medicines faster, improving outcomes and bringing life‑changing therapies to patients who need them most. We actively encourage our colleagues to celebrate our science by attending conferences, presenting posters, giving talks at events and publishing papers.

• Provide scientific and strategic leadership for the assessment of novel targets and mechanisms to drive innovation and portfolio success.
• Communicate effectively to influence multiple stakeholders and collaborate across projects and sites.
• Promote scientific excellence through external publication, presentations, and membership of conference committees and Scientific Advisory Boards.
• Define the vision and strategy for CRH early project enablement, establishing robust processes to select and advance promising targets into the drug discovery portfolio.
• Lead and develop a matrixed team, guiding them to deliver clear go/no‑go decisions through deep expertise in target feasibility and druggability.
• Work closely with the Portfolio Generation team to build a sustainable pipeline, evaluate risks, shape mitigation strategies, and ensure projects progress efficiently toward clinical development.
• Provide leadership within the broader CRH TI organisation, shaping strategic direction and driving scientific and technical innovation, including championing new modalities.

• A PhD in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Chemistry or equivalent experience, with extensive pre‑clinical drug discovery experience in industry.
• Deep intellectual and practical knowledge of methods to assess target feasibility and druggability (e.g., computational modelling, protein characterisation, assay development, affinity‑based methods such as DEL, AS‑MS).
• Proven track record of innovative scientific delivery through driving impactful insight into target characterisation across a range of challenging target classes.
• Demonstrated scientific and project leadership in highly matrixed environments, inspiring, developing, and guiding a diverse world‑class team through effective matrix management.
• Significant experience establishing and leading external academic and industrial collaborations, and technology change projects, to advance organisational capability.
• Track record of delivering results across a diverse project portfolio by leading strategic and scientific initiatives.
• Strong external reputation in drug discovery, evidenced through a wide personal network, external presentation and publication in high‑impact journals, and influential roles on relevant external committees.
• Strategic, credible, and future‑thinking leader with strong prioritisation, sound decision‑making under uncertainty, integrity, openness, and a commitment to EDI.

We are looking for people who can believe in and embody our values:
Bold – Act with ambition, courage and determination;
Credible – Act with rigour and professionalism. We expect these values to drive progress against our mission to beat cancer.

As the world’s biggest medical research charity, we have helped bring eleven new cancer drugs to market. We have recently developed a new approach to driving therapeutic…