Director, Mechanistic Pharmacology

CSL's R&D organization is accelerating innovation to deliver greater impact for patients. With a project-led structure and a focus on collaboration, we’re building a future-ready team that thrives in dynamic biotech ecosystems. Joining CSL now means being part of an agile team committed to developing therapies that make a meaningful difference worldwide.

The Head of the Pharmacology Unit Hematology & CVR provides strategic and scientific leadership for pharmacology research activities in alignment with the respective Therapeutic Area (TA) Research Strategies. This role is responsible for leading and developing a high-performing team in Translational Research with a focus on executing the Hematology and CVR; with particular attention to innovation, scientific excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. The position plays a key role in shaping and executing research strategies, fostering internal and external partnerships, and ensuring delivery of impactful preclinical and translational science packages that support clinical development and business objectives.

Main Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategic Direction

• Lead and develop the Translational Research Pharmacology Lab unit Hematology & CVR, located in Zürich, Schlieren

• Define and implement translational research strategies aligned with global therapeutic area (TA) and platform priorities, closely collaborating with Data Science and Clinical Bioanalytics, Immunogenicity & Biomarker teams.

• Represent TR in TA Research Strategy Teams as appropriate and contribute to strategic planning and decision-making.

• Define and implement externalization strategy incl. constantly monitoring the CRO landscape and building and maintaining a network of external partners.

Team Management & Development

• Supervise, mentor, and develop scientists and technicians; foster a culture of innovation and collaboration.

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and career development of team members.

• Promote high standards in health, safety, and environment (HS&E) and ensure compliance with quality and regulatory requirements.

Project & Resource Management

• Ensure scientific coordination, prioritization of requests and resource allocation across global research projects in alignment with global Research priorities.

• Lead delivery of preclinical science and biomarker strategies to support clinical development.

• Manage budgets, CAPEX investments, and operational planning for the Pharmacology Lab Unit.

• Drive excellence in Stage 0 and Stage Gate 1 projects and contribute to new product opportunity evaluations including (wet) Due Diligence activities.

Scientific Innovation & Communication

• Provide scientific input across R&D programs, including drug discovery, in vitro pharmacology, biomarker development, and OMICS studies..

• Develop and execute assays to understand the MoA of drug candidates, to inform species selectivity and critical data sets to enable the scaling of dose-response relationships to humans, early identification of potential safety impacts.

• Compile scientific reports, regulatory documents, and peer-reviewed publications.

• Present research findings at internal and external meetings and maintain state-of-the-art knowledge through literature and congress participation.

External Collaboration & Representation

• Establish and maintain collaborations with academic institutions, biotech companies, CROs, and other external partners to support execution of the Hematology and CVR Research Project Portfolio. Drive and executed wet Due Diligence activities, either in-house or in collaboration with external partners.

• Support patent filings and legal contract negotiations in collaboration with CSL’s legal and IP departments.

Qualifications and Experience Requirements:

• PhD or MD/PhD in Life Sciences with focus on Hematology, Cardio-vascular or Renal diseases, or related field.

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotech R&D, with a strong track record in translational and cellular pharmacology and in drug development.

• Proven leadership experience in managing scientific teams and laboratory staff in a global, cross-functional environment.

• Excellent communication, analytical, and interpersonal skills; excellent proficiency in English (German is a plus).

• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation, manage complex projects, and translate scientific insights into strategic value.

• High integrity, organizational skills, and a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset

Are you interested? We are looking forward to receiving your online application.

About CSL Plasma

CSL Plasma operates one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated plasma collection networks, with over 350 plasma collection centers in the U.S., Europe and China. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, CSL Plasma is a subsidiary of CSL Behring, a global biotherapeutics business and a member of CSL. Plasma collected at CSL Plasma facilities is used by CSL Behring for the sole purpose of manufacturing lifesaving plasma-derived therapies for people in more than 100 countries. The parent company, CSL, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs 32,000 people.

Learn more about CSL Plasma here https://www.cslplasma.com/ and CSL, CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor here https://www.csl.com/.

Learn more about CSL, CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor here at https://www.csl.com/ and CSL Plasma at https://www.cslplasma.com/.

Our Benefits

For more information on CSL Plasma benefits visit https://cslbenefits.com/cslp.

You Belong at CSL

At CSL, Inclusion and Belonging is at the core of our mission and who we are. It fuels our innovation day in and day out. By celebrating our differences and creating a culture of curiosity and empathy, we are able to better understand and connect with our patients and donors, foster strong relationships with our stakeholders, and sustain a diverse workforce that will move our company and industry into the future.

To learn more visit https://www.csl.com/careers/inclusion-and-belonging

Equal Opportunity Employer

CSL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please visit https://www.csl.com/accessibility-statement.