Head of Research

Here at Kelonia Therapeutics, we aren't just a clinical company; we're trailblazers in viral engineering, pushing the boundaries of in vivo lentiviral gene and cell therapy. We're not just a team; we're dreamers on a mission to bring the promise of cell and gene therapy to every patient in need.

We've gathered a group of pioneers in cell and gene therapy to lead our journey, with extraordinary scientific founders at the helm, providing the cutting-edge technology that sets us apart. We're not just building a company; we're cultivating a culture that values both skill and care.

Are you ready to be a part of our remarkable journey? We're seeking a visionary Head of Research, reporting directly to the CEO, to set and lead our scientific vision, integrating discovery, translational, and clinical strategies into a unified, high-impact R&D portfolio. In this role, you'll set the portfolio's course, build and empower world-class leaders, and guide transformative programs from concept to clinic. This isn't just a Senior Leadership role, it's a rare opportunity to define the trajectory of a fast-growing biotech, influence critical investment decisions, and deliver therapies that could impact the lives of patients worldwide. Join us at the forefront of innovation and help write the next chapter in gene therapy.

What You will Do:

• • Define and lead the company's end-to-end R&D and discovery strategy, ensuring integration across discovery, preclinical, and clinical functions to maximize scientific impact, patient outcomes, corporate value and long-term growth.
  • Set the scientific vision, portfolio mix, and investment priorities across all therapeutic areas, establishing clear stage gates, kill criteria, and alignment to business runway and strategic milestones.
  • Oversee multiple R&D verticals through direct leadership of VPs and functional heads, ensuring cross-functional coordination and execution excellence of IND-enabling activities to enable robust, timely, and compliant IND submissions with clear development paths.
  • Plan, resource, and prioritize in-house and outsourced pharmacology activities.
  • Build trusted, collaborative partnerships across the executive team and functional leaders to align science with strategy and drive unified decision-making across the organization.
  • Serve as the primary scientific representative to the Board of Directors, investors, and strategic partners, communicating vision, progress, and value inflection points.
  • Cultivate a high-performance scientific leadership team, fostering an innovative-driven culture that thrives on rigorous science, creativity, and execution excellence.
  • Establish strategic external collaborations, licensing opportunities, and partnerships to expand the company's capabilities and pipeline.
  • Ensure integration of competitive intelligence, regulatory insights, and emerging scientific trends into portfolio and platform decisions.
  • Oversee the company's intellectual property strategy, ensuring alignment between scientific advancement and corporate protection/positioning.
  • Develop, manage, and optimize the R&D budget, ensuring strategic resource allocation that maximizes scientific impact and operational efficiency.

What You will Bring:

• • PhD, MD/PhD, or MS in Biology, Engineering, Medicine, or related Life Sciences discipline.
  • 15+ years of progressive leadership in biotech, biopharma, or life sciences, with proven success in multi-program, multi-therapeutic area portfolios.
  • Deep expertise in cell and gene therapy platforms, with a proven track record of advancing transformative therapies from concept through clinical proof-of-concept across multiple therapeutic areas.
  • Strategic thinker with the ability to integrate competitive intelligence, regulatory trends, and scientific advances into corporate strategy.
  • Extensive experience engaging with Executives, Boards and investors, with the ability to inspire confidence and secure support for scientific priorities.
  • Demonstrated success in building organizations and leadership teams that consistently deliver innovative science and measurable business impact.
  • Recognized leader within the scientific, investor, and KOL communities.
  • Strong business acumen, with the ability to balance scientific opportunity with commercial viability and shareholder value creation.

At Kelonia, we're serious about balance and growth. You'll get Flexible Time Off, flexible scheduling that aligns with your needs and our objectives, a competitive benefits package (health, commuter, and more), and great on-site perks that include free parking, a state-of-the-art gym, and a food hall - all within a collaborative, inclusive team that invests in your development and makes big things happen together.

Kelonia Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis protected by applicable law. Kelonia does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Type: On-Site M-F

Location: Boston, MA

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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