Director, Biological Research/Senior Principal Research Scientist

Job Description
At Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, we develop, manufacture, and market a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Our aesthetics portfolio includes facial injectables, body contouring, plastics, skin care, and more. Our goal is to consistently provide our customers with innovation, education, exceptional service, and a commitment to excellence, all with a personal touch. For more information, visit (url removed). Follow Allergan Aesthetics on LinkedIn.
The Neurotoxin Research Group at AbbVie seeks an accomplished scientist and leader. The Director/Senior Principal Research Scientist will lead a team performing in vitro and in vivo pharmacological research to screen and characterize existing and novel toxin therapeutics. She/He/They will be responsible for managing a diverse team of in vitro and in vivo scientists to design and perform cellular and in vivo pharmacology studies using existing and novel assays aimed at identifying candidate toxin variants and evaluating the effects of botulinum neurotoxins on peripheral motor and pain neurons. The candidate must have experience partnering with protein engineering SMEs to design novel proteins with desired pharmacological characteristics.
The ideal candidate will have a strong and established background in pharmacology, specializing in both in vitro and in vivo pharmacology, and a proven track record of successfully leading diverse project teams to produce novel therapeutics. The candidate will have experience with project conception, strategic planning, budgeting, and both leading as well as contributing to cross-functional and matrixed teams. Additionally, the candidate will have a working knowledge of various research areas including neuroscience, enzyme biokinetics, toxicology, biochemistry, and histology.
The candidate will be able to lead by influence and maintain a productive, collaborative, and inclusive laboratory environment in compliance with regulatory and company expectations. Experience managing projects from early-stage research through development is a required.
A key role for the position is partnering with senior management to conceive and provide strategic direction and vision for the program while leading a team responsible for executing the technical aspects of the plan. Strong communication skills are essential as the candidate must be able to tailor interactions with technical teams and represent the program and strategy to executive-level management.
Key responsibilities:
- Drive functional performance by leading team members in designing and deploying the appropriate in vitro cellular and in vivo assays, including analyzing pharmacological results for both screening of novel toxins and full characterization of key molecules
- Develop and execute a strategy in alignment with functional goals and key scientific objectives in early stage discovery and during transition to development stage
- Partner with protein engineering SMEs to design and create novel proteins with desired pharmacological characteristics
- Liaise with toxicology, immunology, bioanalytical, clinical development, and commercial colleagues
- As programs advance, develop plans to address and reduce risks in collaboration with key stakeholders to help progress the program into development and ultimately into clinical studies
- Manage project activities and professional development of a team of scientists through effective mentoring, guidance, and supervision
- Advance scientific expertise within the function and collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to advance programs from research to development
- Develop forward looking strategies to identify and implement novel assays, measurements, and technologies that increase throughput, quality, and reproducibility of pharmacological results
- Ensure the quality and effectiveness of key project results through sound design, early risk assessments, and implementation of fallback strategies
- Provide expert advice and share knowledge with direct reports, peers, and senior management
- Provide guidance to develop both the skills and the careers of direct reports
- Train and mentor functional colleagues and assess current and emerging business challenges to achieve functional goals
- Identify and integrate emerging scientific trends from internal and external sources into short-term functional objectives
- Responsible for data management, data QC, and technical report writing
- Author regulatory documents in compliance with Federal Regulations, including protocols, study reports, relevant sections of investigator brochures and INDs, white papers, and other similar documents
- Present program updates and research strategies to functional and non-functional leaders as well as potential and existing partners
- Maintain awareness of emerging literature and science in the neurotoxin field and author scientific disclosures as needed