Associate Director, Genetic Diagnostic Scientist

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs.  With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees. 

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive. 

We’re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you’re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, GENETIC DIAGNOSTIC SCIENTIST

SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Executive Director, Genetic Diagnostics, Clinical Development. The Associate Director, Genetic Diagnostic Scientist (GDS) will serve as a cross-functional liaison of Ionis’ genetic testing, genetic counseling, and genetic diagnostics programs for both current and future Ionis programs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Support Clinical trials as Subject Matter Experts for Genetic Diagnostics leveraging expertise in genetics and genetic testing methodologies to assist with protocol development and implementation
• Educate, support & engage external healthcare professionals and staff including field-based genetics awareness and physician education
• Continuously stay current and develop expertise on genetic conditions, their natural history, inheritance and molecular pathophysiology, and act as a resource for internal and external stakeholders to synthesize relevant peer-reviewed medical literature and summarize for physician and other healthcare providers
• Create and present on Genomics, Genetic Diagnostics research, and on medical genetics and genetic counseling for internal and public audiences including webinars and conferences
• Provide vendor and partner support to ensure quality of communications and education with external partners
• Support & engage internal, cross-functional project teams
• Ensure Compliance with all Ionis initiatives in accordance with genomics, genetic diagnostics, genetic testing & genetic counseling best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure Ionis’ genetic and genomic testing programs exceed the quality, reliability, and ease-of-use of all relevant alternative programs in North America and maintain alignment with current standards and guidelines of the ACMG and related global regulations, including IVDR
• Support global colleagues in developing genetic testing programs
• Expand the genetic testing programs to additional geographies globally and therapeutic areas, as Ionis and collaborative product pipeline requires
• Develop and maintain key relationships with National and Regional Genetics organizations, including, but not limited to ACMG, NSGC, ASHG, ESHG and genetic counselors and geneticists specialized in cardio-genetics and neurogenetics
• Support genomic diagnostic data driven research initiatives, analytics and reports (including on disease prevalence and penetrance, allele frequency data, genomic and genetic population screening and genotype/phenotype associations)
• Create genetic databases, analyze large variant and exome data, write and prepare manuscripts for publication independently and in collaboration with Functional Genomics/Bioinformatics, Medical Affairs, Scientific Communications and Key Opinion Leaders
• Proficiency with public and private genetic variant databases and analytics
• Develop data platforms and dashboards in collaboration with Informatics
• Support development of disease specific genetic and genomic testing and genetic counseling recommendations and guidelines
• Support program development with Genetic Diagnostics Team
• Support all efforts regarding the genetic testing program cross-functionally (e.g., Creative Services, Analytics, Ionis field medical teams) to ensure common goals and aligned principles of operations
• Support and facilitate implementation of novel program modifications to increase diagnoses and enhance the value and benefit of the programs
• Support Patient Advocacy with genetic testing and genetic counseling resources and outreach materials
• Write and edit genetics educational materials for a broad range of audiences, including but not limited to patients, healthcare professionals, non-clinical scientists, Commercial and Marketing Teams, and assure genetic testing and genetic counseling information accuracy and excellence.
• Support Patient Advocacy Team to educate patients, families, and HCPs on genetic testing & genetic counseling programs.
• Support gene curation research of variants, genetic test results interpretation clinical implications and advise on acceptable HGVS nomenclature and ontologies
• Support projects and trainings with Ionis Genetic Counseling Graduate Student Shadowing Program

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure all programs follow Ionis compliance, legal and regulatory policies and data privacy protections
• Serve as participant and organizer of the cross-functional quarterly diagnostic group updates
• Support data communication & field activity alignment where applicable
• Provide vendor and partner support to ensure quality of deliverables and operations with genetic testing laboratories & third-party genetic counseling services

TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in vendor/partner standing reviews
• Liaise with all corporate functions to establish directional feedback and updates regarding the program
• With Medical Communications, provide data and implementation of various publication/presentation opportunities aligned with medical messaging and plans
• Manage Competitive Intelligence related to Genetic Diagnostics
• Facilitate Trainings- Creation, Review & Implementation with Training Department Team
• Analyze and publish genetic variant and exome data, oversee abstract and manuscript submissions in alignment with program objectives

REQUIREMENTS: 

• 10+ years relevant Pharmaceutical/Diagnostic/Clinical experience
• Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from an accredited program, ABGC board certified  
• Expertise in Rare Diseases required and experience in Dyslipidemias, Cardio/Metabolic and Neurogenetics preferred
• Experience in supporting and motivating internal and external partners to deliver high impact initiatives with measurable milestones and metrics
• Strong leadership attributes to generate commitment and constructively resolve issues
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity, at an accelerated pace with an entrepreneurial mind-set with a track record of exploring new ways of working, driving new opportunities and catalyzing others to build creative solutions
• Strong sense of urgency and ability to generate exceptional results by driving performance and collaborating across functions   
• Innovation mindset to develop an environment of continuous improvement and simplification
• Significant levels of ambition and motivation
• Enterprise mindset and focus; strong process skills and ability to effectively work in a matrixed organization with cross-functional teams
• Resourceful, decisive, and proactive; must be able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-growing organization
• Sound judgment, high integrity, and ability to maintain strict confidentiality
• Effective stakeholder and relationship management experience; able to interact and build trusted relationships with multiple levels
• Patient advocacy organizations, clinical research, rare disease registries, and public speaking experience and authorships of published peer-reviewed medical literature
• This role is fully remote and based in the US.
• 20% Travel is required.
  
  

Please visit our website, http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition # IONIS003813

Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits

Full Benefits Link: https://www.ionis.com/careers/working-at-ionis/#:~:text=our%20employee%20spotlight-,Benefits,-Employees%20are%20rewarded

The pay scale for this position is $$174,428 to $246,407

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.

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