Associate Director - Contextualised Tissue Biology(m/f/d)

Associate Director – Contextualised Tissue Biology for Target Discovery

Location: Heidelberg (EMBL Campus) Company: Cellzome, a GSK Company Working Model: Hybrid working available (on-site and remote working arrangements can be agreed with your manager) Working Hours: Full-time preferred. We are also open to discussing 80% FTE (4-day week) for exceptional candidates.

Join Us at GSK

At GSK, we unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

We believe breakthrough science comes from diverse perspectives, different experiences, and inclusive teams. Whether you've built your career in academia, biotech, pharma, or a combination of these environments, we are interested in hearing how your expertise can help us better understand human disease and improve patient outcomes.

We are looking for an Associate Director – Contextualised Tissue Biology to play a key role in target discovery by bringing deep biological understanding to the interpretation of single-cell and spatial omics data.

This is an opportunity to work at the interface of experimental biology, pathology, disease mechanisms and computational science within a highly collaborative environment at our Heidelberg research site.

About the Role

You will provide scientific leadership in tissue biology, helping translate complex human disease biology into actionable target discovery opportunities.

The successful candidate will bring extensive hands-on expertise in:

• Human tissue biology

• Histology and pathology

• Tissue-based disease models

• Spatial biology approaches

• Translational biology

While computational expertise is welcome, the essential requirement is the ability to collaborate closely with computational scientists, linking biological observations with single-cell and spatial data to generate meaningful therapeutic hypotheses.

This role combines scientific depth, strategic influence, and people leadership. You'll help shape research direction while supporting the growth and development of scientists across the team.

What You Will Do

Scientific Leadership

• Lead tissue biology strategy across target discovery programmes.

• Provide physiopathological and histological expertise to define and validate disease-relevant multicellular niches.

• Translate tissue phenotypes and pathological observations into testable biological hypotheses.

Experimental Biology

• Design and deliver tissue-based experiments including:

  • Histology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In situ hybridisation
  • Disease models
  • Advanced tissue characterization approaches

• Generate the biological context needed to interpret single-cell and spatial multi-omics datasets.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with computational biology and data science teams.

• Co-develop analysis strategies that integrate biological, spatial and computational evidence.

• Contribute to target prioritisation, biomarker identification, and therapeutic strategy development.

People Development

• Mentor and develop junior scientists.

• Help build a collaborative and inclusive team culture.

• Support scientific growth across multidisciplinary teams.

Scientific Influence

• Represent tissue biology expertise within cross-functional forums.

• Communicate complex biological concepts clearly to stakeholders across research, translational science, clinical development and computational biology.

• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative approaches that strengthen target validation efforts.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in:

  • Pathology
  • Immunology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Or another relevant tissue or disease biology discipline.

• Significant hands-on experience in tissue biology, demonstrated through:

  • Histology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Imaging
  • Tissue-based disease models
  • Scientific publications

• Proven experience delivering complex scientific projects in close collaboration with computational biology teams.

• Strong understanding of single-cell and/or spatial omics outputs and their biological interpretation.

• Experience mentoring scientists and contributing to team development.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Fluent English, written and spoken.

Nice to Have

• Experience with spatial transcriptomics or related technologies.

• Knowledge of computational tools such as Python, R, or bioinformatics workflows.

• Experience working with human tissues, clinical collaborators, or biobank partnerships.

• Exposure to target discovery and target validation programmes.

• Experience influencing portfolio decisions and research strategy.

• German language skills.

Why Join Cellzome and GSK?

• Work alongside world-class scientists at the EMBL Campus in Heidelberg.

• Help shape the future of target discovery through cutting-edge spatial and tissue biology.

• Be part of a collaborative, highly multidisciplinary scientific environment.

• Access state-of-the-art technologies and platforms.

• Enjoy significant opportunities for professional growth and career development.

• Hybrid working model with flexibility and work-life balance.

• Open and supportive culture where different perspectives are genuinely valued.

Inclusion & Belonging

We know there is no single path to becoming an outstanding scientist.

If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification listed, we still encourage you to apply. Strong candidates often bring valuable experiences, perspectives and capabilities that may not be reflected in a checklist alone.

At Cellzome and GSK, we are committed to creating an environment where people feel supported, respected and empowered to do their best work. We welcome applications from scientists across academia, biotechnology, pharmaceutical research and related scientific fields who are passionate about advancing our understanding of human disease.

Ready to Apply?

If you're passionate about human disease biology, tissue-based discovery, and working in a collaborative scientific environment, we'd love to hear from you.

Please submit your CV together with a short statement describing your experience and what attracts you to this opportunity.

Apply today and help us get ahead of disease together.

Skills Biotechnology, Business Strategies, Cell Biology, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Drug Development, Drug Discovery Process, Influencing Without Authority, Interpersonal Communication, Life Science, Market Opportunities, Matrix Leadership, Molecular Biology, Scientific Research, Scientific Writing, Strategic Alignment

Germany Salary Range / Gehaltsbandbreiten Deutschland: EUR 88,500 to EUR 147,500 The annual gross base salary range for new hires in this position is listed above for each applicable location. These ranges take into account a number of factors including the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. In addition, this position may offer an annual bonus and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program which is dependent on the level of the role. More detailed information on the total benefits package will be supplied during the recruitment process. This role is available for applicants from multiple locations, and therefore salary ranges for certain locations are also shown. Salary ranges for other locations are shown because some markets have pay transparency laws that require salary information on job postings, and those locations are potential job sites for this role. If salary ranges are not displayed in the job posting for a specific location or country, the relevant compensation will be discussed during the recruitment process. Please note salaries vary by country based on the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. Offers are typically made within the advertised range based on the candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications, with the upper end generally reserved for highly experienced candidates or other exceptional circumstances aligned with these criteria. Der jährliche Brutto - Grundgehaltsrahmen für Neueinstellungen in dieser Position ist oben für jeden relevanten Standort ausgewiesen. Diese Gehaltsspannen berücksichtigen eine Reihe von Faktoren, basierend auf den Fähigkeiten, der Berufserfahrung, der Ausbildung und Qualifikation der Kandidatinnen sowie der marktüblichen Vergütung für diese Rolle. Zusätzlich kann diese Position u.a. einen jährlichen Bonus, Urlaubsgeld, eine betriebliche Altersvorsorge sowie die Berechtigung zur Teilnahme an unserem aktienbasierten Long-Term Incentive-Programm beinhalten; dies ist abhängig von der Rolle. Detailliertere Informationen zum gesamten Vergütungspaket werden während des Rekrutierungsprozesses bereitgestellt. Wenn eine Position an mehreren Standorten bzw. in mehreren Ländern ausgeübt werden kann, werden die entsprechenden Gehaltsspannen für diese Länder/Standorte angezeigt. Zusätzlich können weitere Gehaltsspannen eingeblendet werden, wenn für bestimmte Märkte gesetzliche Vorgaben zur Entgelttransparenz gelten und diese Standorte als mögliche Einsatzorte für die Rolle in Betracht kommen. Wenn für einen bestimmten Standort oder ein bestimmtes Land in der Stellenausschreibung keine Gehaltsspannen angegeben sind, wird die entsprechende Vergütung im Rahmen des Rekrutierungsprozesses individuell besprochen. Bitte beachten Sie, dass die Gehälter je nach Land auf Grundlage der Fähigkeiten, Berufserfahrung, der Ausbildung und der Qualifikation der Kandidatinnen sowie der marktüblichen Vergütung für diese Rolle variieren. Angebote erfolgen in der Regel innerhalb der veröffentlichten Spanne unter Berücksichtigung der oben genannten Kriterien, wobei das obere Ende der Spanne im Allgemeinen sehr erfahrenen Kandidat*innen oder anderen außergewöhnlichen Konstellationen vorbehalten ist.

Why GSK? Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

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