VP, Product Development

AskBio Inc., a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines and changing lives. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease indications with a clinical-stage pipeline that includes investigational therapeutics for congestive heart failure, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, multiple system atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, and Pompe disease. AskBio’s gene therapy platform includes Pro10™, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive array of capsids and promoters. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered pre-clinical and clinical testing.

Our vision: Pioneering science to create transformative molecular medicines.

Our mission: Lead innovative science and drive clinical outcomes to transform people's lives.

Our principles:

• Advance innovative science by pushing boundaries. 

• Bring transformative therapeutics to patients in need.  

• Provide an environment for employees to reach their fullest potential.  

Our values:

• Be a Pioneer. We are not afraid of the impossible and to innovate to make gene therapies accessible to those in need.

• Cultivate Collaboration. Strive to be the best teammate, actively listen, openly communicate, and embrace diverse points of view.

• Embrace Responsibility. We are humbled by the enormity of our mission.  We hold a relentless commitment to advance science and clinical outcomes for our patients, families, and caregivers.

• Raise the Bar. Continuously drive improvements and efficiencies. Seek and provide constructive feedback. Have a bias for learning and action.

• Act with Uncompromising Integrity. Be honest, transparent, and committed to doing what’s right in every situation. Make clear commitments and follow through.

Position Summary

The VP, Product Development will lead research and discovery efforts to drive innovation and advance preclinical pipeline. This role will be pivotal in advancing AskBio’s pipeline of breakthrough genetic medicines by working closely with cross-functional teams, including Delivery, Informatics/AI/ML, CMC, Translational, Regulatory and Clinical Teams, to unlock new therapeutic indications and transform scientific and technological innovation into therapeutic products. 

The VP, Product Development will report to our Chief Scientific Officer.  This position is based in Research Triangle Park, NC and the successful candidate must be able to work on-site regularly. 

Job Responsibilities

• Stay at the forefront of and drive innovation in genetic medicine, including gene therapy and gene editing 

• Lead and oversee research and discovery activities (target validation, in vitro and in vivo pharmacology) required to advance programs through candidate nomination with speed and quality 

• Collaborate with translational medicine and regulatory teams on IND‑enabling stages. Contribute to the preparation and submission of regulatory documents 

• Prioritize and execute pipeline programs including timely allocation of resourcing and capabilities to prioritized programs and budget oversight 

• Efficiently manage a team of scientists and researchers, fostering a culture of clarity and innovation through collaboration and scientific excellence 

• Empower, coach and guide the development of next-generation leaders 

• Partner closely with Delivery (viral and non-viral), Informatics/AI/ML and CMC to incorporate new platform technologies into products and bolster innovation 

• Partner closely with Clinical Development and Business Strategy teams to enable end-to-end Research and Development strategy and clarify Target Product Profile 

• Acting as part of the AskBio R&D Leadership Team and a member of the Research and Discovery Committee, contribute to AskBio’s R&D strategy, pipeline project prioritization and project execution.  

• Serve as a technical and strategic leader on external partnership discussions and execution, playing a critical role in due diligence and fostering external innovation 

Minimum Requirements

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Genetics, or a related field with 12+ years of related experience (this can include a combination of post-doc/academic, industry, and similar experience)   

• Proven track record of advancing gene therapy candidates from early research through preclinical development 

• Experience in pre-IND and IND filing 

• Proven ability to think strategically, identify scientific opportunities, and translate them into actionable research plans 

• Outstanding leadership skills in building and fostering high-performing R&D teams in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment 

• Strong knowledge of regulatory and quality requirements in the gene therapy/editing field 

• Excellent collaboration mindset and skills, with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams 

• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain external collaborations with academic institutions, industry partners, and key opinion leaders 

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively present scientific findings to diverse audiences 

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills

• Strong passion and knowledge in developing cutting-edge platform technologies (viral- and non-viral delivery) and incorporating them into product discovery and development 

• Experience in applying AI to target identification and product design 

AskBio Inc. (AskBio) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‐related requirements. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening by calling us at (919) 561-6210 or sending us an email at [email protected].

Agencies:  Please do not contact any employee at AskBio about this requisition.  Any resume submitted by a recruitment agency to any employee at AskBio, through any medium, will be deemed the sole property of AskBio unless the agency was engaged by AskBio Talent Acquisition team to recruit for that position.  All agencies must have a prior executed service agreement with AskBio prior to any search engagement.  If a candidate who was submitted outside of the AskBio agency process is hired by AskBio, no fee or payment of any kind will be paid to the agency.