Research Associate, Therapeutic target discovery [LKCMedicine]

The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) trains doctors who put patients at the centre of their exemplary care. The School, which offers both undergraduate and graduate programmes, is named after local philanthropist Tan Sri Dato Lee Kong Chian. Established in 2010 by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in partnership with Imperial College London, LKCMedicine aims to be a model for innovative medical education and a centre for transformative research. The School's primary clinical partner is the National Healthcare Group, a leader in public healthcare recognised for the quality of its medical expertise, facilities and teaching. The School is transitioning to an NTU medical school ahead of the 2028 successful conclusion of the NTU-Imperial partnership to set up a Joint Medical School. In August 2024, we welcomed our first intake of the NTU MBBS programme, that has been recently enhanced to include themes like precision medicine and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, with an expanded scope in the medical humanities. Graduates from the five-year undergraduate medical degree programme will have a strong understanding of the scientific basis of medicine, with an emphasis on technology, data science and the humanities.

The Nutrition, Metabolism and Health Programme is addressing one of the world's most pressing healthcare issue: Over nutrition driven chronic diseases. The key objectives are to support efforts to elucidating the molecular basis of type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, including fatty liver disease and to track changes in inflammatory signatures and states from healthy to metabolically imbalanced phenotypes. Our mission is to understand the developmental and environmental basis of obesity, diabetes, related gut, liver and metabolic disorders and to translate this understanding into disease alleviation and prevention.

For more details, please view https://www.ntu.edu.sg/medicine/research/research-programmes/nutrition-metabolism-health

We are seeking a Research Associate with a strong background in clinical research, drug development and project management to lead cross-functional programs in the field of Metabolic Steatosis-Associated Liver Disease (MASLD). This role requires scientific fluency and excellent program management to drive the scientific projects and to develop collaborations with industry partners.

The scientist will also lead our novel therapeutic target discovery efforts. The role will focus on functional genomics to dissect metabolic syndrome related liver disease, identify and validate therapeutic targets, generating IP.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, budgets, and risk management strategies in alignment with strategic objectives.

• Partner with stakeholders to develop and fine-tune needs, requirements, and outcomes for the projects

• Manage program governance including steering committee meetings, decision logs, and executive updates.

• Monitor program performance and report key metrics and progress to leadership.

• Identify and resolve project issues, resource conflicts, or delays proactively.

• Promote synergy among the various project teams within the program

• Development of business opportunities with industry partners.

• Be an excellent team player and closely interact with physicians, bioinformaticians, industry partners as well as other researchers

• Analyze screening data and identify high potential therapeutic targets

• Validate therapeutic targets relevant models

• Identify mode of action of therapeutic effect

• Supervise PhD, FYP and intern students

• Have extensive experience in NGS & NGS data analysis, stem cell culture

Required educational qualification, experience, skills and competencies:

• Bachelor/Master degree in domain discipline or related field

• At least 5 years of relevant experiences in similar role

• Strong translational research and entrepreneurial mindset

• PMP Certification (Project Management Professional) is required.

• 2+ years of project/program management experience in an industry facing setting.

• Research experience of at least 2 years in liver disease or metabolic disorders preferred.

• Deep understanding of therapeutic/biomarker discovery and development pipeline.

• Proven experience managing complex programs involving multiple stakeholders, timelines, and deliverables.

• Strong communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.

• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, JIRA, Basecamp, Asana).

• Experience working with MASLD, fibrosis, metabolic syndrome, or related therapeutic areas.

• Experience in therapeutic target discovery and Intellectual property development

• Understanding of non-invasive diagnostic tools, therapeutic technologies, clinical and research landscape in MASLD.

• Good written and oral communication skills

• Competent in writing grants and scientific articles as well as working in a team

• Ability to work independently / develop solutions under strict timelines, meticulous and eye for details / excellent organizational / time management skills

• Leadership Competency as below

• Ability to build rapport and influence stakeholders at all levels

• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

• Possesses international experience, with a strong network of contacts in the region.