Head of Skin Biology

Company Overview

Outer Biosciences' mission is to improve human skin health by discovering and developing novel bioactives that are more effective and safer than anything available today. Founded by a scientific team with deep experience in engineering advanced organ systems, our fully-integrated technology platform combines complex, long-lasting, clinically-relevant ex vivo skin models with multimodal data analysis and predictive machine learning. Brief company overview here.

Role Overview

Outer Biosciences is seeking a Head of Skin Biology to lead our innovative bioactive discovery efforts. This critical position requires proven leadership skills and extensive expertise in skin biology or dermatology. The role provides a unique opportunity to develop and implement a visionary strategy that will play a crucial role in transforming skin health through pioneering bioactive discovery. This person will report directly to the Chief Scientific Officer.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and continuous advancement of Outer's skin platform to enhance model robustness, focusing on application areas such as, but not limited to, skin aging and inflammation.
• Oversee the scientific team and lead bioactive discovery efforts using natural and synthetic product libraries, along with multi-modal and in-depth data analysis, to identify next generation bioactives with strong scientific evidence.
• Direct scientific projects aimed at understanding skin aging and various skin conditions, investigating underlying mechanisms using a wide range of human donor skin sources to improve our understanding of diverse skin types and conditions.
• Lead high-profile partnership and collaboration projects with external groups.
• Collaborate closely with Outer's executive team to shape departmental vision and contribute to company-wide initiatives with strategic and collaborative input.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop a growing team of scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, excellence, thoughtfulness, and collaboration.
• Maintain strong collaboration with data science, engineering, and business teams to drive integrated research and development efforts across multiple projects and indications.
• Present research findings at scientific conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals to establish strong scientific credibility and contribute actively to the scientific community.
• Develop and maintain relationships with partners and vendors that drive our scientific efforts.

Qualifications

• PhD in Skin Biology, Dermatology, or a related discipline with a focus on skin-related research; 10+ years of academic or industry experience post-PhD.
• Proven leadership and managerial experience with developed skills to maintain and motivate a successful bio team. Candidate will have strong interpersonal skills.
• Extensive scientific research background and a strong record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Highly productive, agile, and resilient with exceptional troubleshooting skills.
• Extensive experience managing multi-year, milestone-based projects or grants, with a strong ability to manage complex timelines, deliverables, and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interactive communication skills.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively both independently and in a group.

We are deeply committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion in all its forms and practices. As a company we promote inclusion and desire to work with people from all walks of life. As we grow our team, we strive to be the change we want to see. If your experience is somewhat different from what we've described and you believe you can bring value and contribute in the role, we'd be honored to learn more about you.