Translational Research Liaison (m/f/d)

At the GSK Research and Development (R&D) site in Heidelberg, Germany, we are seeking a Translational Research Liaison. The site is located on the campus of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). This highly interdisciplinary and stimulating environment brings together diverse scientific backgrounds and expertise, fostering innovative, collaborative and impactful translational research.

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.

• Position summary:
• As a Translational Research Liaison, you will act as a trusted scientific expert bridging GSK R&D and the medical and biomedical research community across Germany and Europe. You will be part of an experienced team, driving innovation across early and late drug discovery. You will identify, establish, and lead strategic collaborations with clinical and academic Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) to accelerate the discovery of transformational new medicines. This role offers opportunities for professional growth, high visibility, and meaningful impact, contributing to GSK’s ambition to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together.
• Key responsibilities:
• Scout and Drive Collaborations: Proactively identify, establish, and lead research-focused collaborations with European academic institutions, Clinical Centers, and disease experts/KOLs outside of clinical trials.
• Business-Case creation: Build strong, evidence-based business cases that align external opportunities with GSK R&D strategy and portfolio objectives.
• Scientific Expertise: Act as a leading scientific expert, fostering strong relationships and representing GSK within the broader scientific community.
• Scientific Presentations: Deliver clear, data-driven scientific presentations to diverse internal and external audiences.
• Cross-Functional Engagement: Drive cross‑functional collaborations with internal Preclinical, Translational and Data Science Teams ensuring alignment across business units
• Insight Generation: Generate and communicate actionable insights from potential and existing collaborations to influence portfolio decisions.
• Strategic Guidance: Provide strategic guidance to Business Development Team on emerging external scientific and translational opportunities.
• Representation: Represent the company at translational science conferences, organize symposia, and support scientific advisory boards and other engagement fora.
• Compliance: Maintain high ethical standards and ensure compliance with applicable regulations and company policies during all external interactions.

• Required skills and qualifications:
• Education & Experience: Advanced scientific degree (PhD in life sciences and/or MD, preferably MD/PhD preferred) with at least 5 years’ experience in translation research (preferably in the pharmaceutical industry).
• Medical knowledge: Ability to quickly familiarize with novel therapeutic areas; deep biomedical expertise in respiratory, kidney, liver or neurodegenerative diseases is preferred.
• Human Biological Samples (HBS): Demonstrated experience in working with and managing HBS in accordance with ethical and legal requirements
• Translational and Clinical Research: Deep understanding of the end‑to‑end translational research pathway, from human disease biology to therapeutic hypothesis generation. Strong understanding of omics data and their application to drug discovery. Familiarity with clinical research processes, including the development and use of exploratory biomarkers.
• Data Management: Familiarity with enterprise data management approaches.
• Scientific and Collaboration track record: Proven scientific achievements and a strong collaborative track record.
• Networking & Influence: Excellent interpersonal, networking, and public-speaking skills with the ability to tailor complex scientific information to diverse audiences.
• Strategic thinking and Workstyle: Demonstrated strategic judgment, a self-directed work style, and expertise in interpreting and synthesizing scientific research.
• Communication and presentation skills: Outstanding communication skills to navigate complex stakeholder landscape within GSK and with external institutions, demonstrated experience producing high-quality scientific reports and presentations.
• Global Mindset: Ability to operate across geographies and cultures.
• Project Management: Effective time- and project-management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities, lead cross-functional efforts, and drive decisions.