Director​/Senior Director, Discovery Research

Director / Senior Director – Discovery Research

Position Overview:

Morphocell is seeking an accomplished scientific leader to lead its Discovery Research function and help build the next phase of the company’s R&D capabilities. Reporting directly to the Chief Scientific Officer, the Director, Discovery Research will assume responsibility for leading and developing a growing team of scientists and research associates while advancing the scientific understanding and expansion of Morphocell’s proprietary iPSC-derived engineered tissue platform.

This position requires a proven leader: someone who is capable of providing the day-to-day management, mentorship, accountability and results-oriented mindset that a strong scientific team needs to perform at a high level.

This role has been created to strengthen management and leadership capacity within the R&D team and to establish an independent leader for Discovery Research. The successful candidate will take direct ownership of a high-potential team, setting clear expectations, establishing the processes and priorities that allow scientists to focus and execute, and investing in the development of each team member. They will also provide scientific and operational leadership across a broad range of activities, including platform optimization, disease biology, proof-of-concept research, new indication assessment, and support of Process Development initiatives, serving as a critical scientific partner across the organization and helping translate research insights into platform advancements and future pipeline opportunities.

Morphocell is open to candidates at the Associate Director, Director, Senior Director, or VP level, depending on experience and demonstrated leadership capabilities. The ideal candidate will combine deep expertise in stem cell biology and iPSC-derived systems with a strong track record of developing scientists, building high-performing research teams, and driving execution in an industry setting.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and manage a growing team of scientists and research associates, setting clear performance expectations, holding the group and individuals accountable, and ensuring the team operates with the structure and discipline needed to deliver consistently.

Mentor and coach scientists at all levels, providing regular feedback, supporting individual development, and fostering a culture of scientific excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Implement effective processes for project prioritization, resource management, and progress tracking that give the team structure, reduce ambiguity, and enable scientists to do their best work.

Identify opportunities to develop individual scientists and build team capability over time, creating an environment where people are challenged, supported, and set up to grow.

Provide strategic and operational leadership for Morphocell's Discovery Research function, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and platform development priorities.

Drive research programs focused on platform optimization, disease biology, mechanism-of-action studies, proof-of-concept investigations, and evaluation of new therapeutic indications.

Advance scientific understanding of Morphocell's engineered tissue technology and identify opportunities to enhance product performance, scalability, and clinical impact.

Serve as a key scientific partner to Process Development, Manufacturing, Translational Sciences, Quality, Regulatory, and other cross-functional teams.

Oversee experimental design, data interpretation, scientific rigor, and communication of research findings to internal and external stakeholders.

Evaluate emerging technologies, scientific trends, and competitive developments to inform research…