Hybrid Translational Science Applications Director

at Guardant Health

• Job title: Translational Science Applications Director
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $218,300 - $300,200 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Palo Alto, United States

About the role

• Translational Science Applications Director role at Guardant Health, a precision oncology company. Leading biomarker strategy and collaborations in drug development and clinical research.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership on translational biomarker strategy, including genomics, epigenomics, liquid biopsy and tumor tissue NGS technologies.
• Support the clinical positioning, validation, and adoption of Guardant’s assays across oncology use cases (therapy selection, patient stratification, response prediction, minimal residual disease, recurrence detection, and early screening).
• Represent the voice of biopharma customers, translating their needs into product development requirements and business cases.
• Serve as a scientific ambassador in collaborations with biopharma partners, regulatory stakeholders, and key opinion leaders, building credibility and advancing Guardant’s leadership in precision oncology.
• Define and execute a translational science strategy that expands biopharma collaborations and strengthens strategic partnerships.
• Drive opportunities to advance biomarker testing from RUO through IUO to CDx development.
• Communicate the clinical and strategic value of Guardant’s platforms for predictive/prognostic biomarker discovery, patient selection, and drug development.

Requirements

• Typically requires a university degree and generally 15 years of related experience; 12 years and a Master’s degree; 8 years and a PhD; or 5 years and a PharmD/MD in Molecular Biology, Oncology, Genomics, or related field; MBA a plus.
• 10+ years experience in biopharma, diagnostics, or life sciences, with proven success in R&D, product development, scientific affairs, or business development.
• Ideally, prior experience and strong understanding of epigenomics/methylation profiling and its applications.
• Deep expertise in translational and biomarker strategies, including genomics, transcriptomics, NGS technology and diagnostic assay development, for tumor and liquid biopsies.
• Demonstrated success building collaborations, influencing stakeholders, and driving adoption of innovative technologies.
• Exceptional scientific communication, presentation, and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage credibly across both scientific and business audiences.

Benefits

• Guardant Health is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our hiring processes for candidates with disabilities, long-term conditions, mental health conditions, or sincerely held religious beliefs.
• Flexibility for better work-life balance while keeping teams connected to advance our science for our patients.