Director of In Vivo Toxicology

A leading international life sciences organisation is seeking an experienced Director of In Vivo Toxicology to provide scientific and strategic leadership across its non-clinical safety assessment activities. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an accomplished toxicologist who is passionate about advancing innovative therapies and driving excellence in preclinical development.

The Role

As Director of In Vivo Toxicology, you will lead the scientific strategy, design, execution, and interpretation of non-clinical toxicology programmes supporting drug discovery and development activities. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will provide expert guidance on safety assessment strategies, regulatory requirements, and risk evaluation to support critical development decisions.

You will play a key role in shaping the organisation's toxicology capabilities, managing internal and external resources, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality scientific outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee non-clinical toxicology programmes from early discovery through regulatory development stages.
• Develop toxicology strategies to support candidate selection, IND/CTA-enabling studies, and overall development plans.
• Provide expert interpretation of toxicological findings and assess potential safety risks.
• Act as the scientific lead for in vivo toxicology studies conducted internally and through external partners and CROs.
• Collaborate closely with pharmacology, DMPK, pathology, clinical, regulatory affairs, and project leadership teams.
• Represent toxicology within governance committees and senior leadership discussions.
• Review and approve study protocols, reports, regulatory documents, and scientific communications.
• Ensure studies are conducted in accordance with GLP requirements, regulatory expectations, and industry best practices.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external scientific partners, regulatory agencies, and key stakeholders.
• Mentor and develop toxicology scientists, fostering a culture of scientific excellence and continuous improvement.
• Drive innovation in toxicology approaches, technologies, and translational safety strategies.

What you’ll need:

• Extensive experience in non-clinical toxicology within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, or related life sciences organisations.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing toxicology programmes, teams, and external partnerships.
• Strong expertise in the design, conduct, and interpretation of in vivo toxicology studies across multiple therapeutic areas.
• Deep understanding of regulatory toxicology requirements supporting global drug development.
• Experience contributing to regulatory submissions and interactions with health authorities.
• Proven ability to influence strategic decision-making at project and organisational levels.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
• PhD in Toxicology, Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Board certification (e.g. ERT, DABT) is highly desirable.
• Significant industry experience in preclinical safety assessment and drug development.

Languages

Fluent English is essential for international collaboration, scientific reporting, and stakeholder engagement