Date: 26 Sept 2025
Department: Pre-Clinical
Business Area: R&D;, Pharmacovigilance & Regulatory Affairs
Job Type: Direct Employee
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Parma, IT
About us
Based in Parma, Italy, Chiesi is an international research-focused pharmaceutical and healthcare group with 90 years’ experience, operating in 31 countries with more than 7,000 employees (Chiesi Group). To achieve its mission of improving people’s quality of life by acting responsibly towards society and the environment, the Group researches, develops and markets innovative drugs in its main therapeutic areas: Discover more here
We are proud to be the largest global pharmaceutical group to be awarded B Corp Certification, a recognition of high social and environmental standards. We are a reliable company that adopts and promotes a transparent and ethical behavior at all levels.
We believe that the success of Chiesi is built and shaped by our people and our strong set of shared Values and Behaviors. Our people make a critical difference to our success, which is why it is vital that we attract and retain the right talent who will continue to enrich our culture by living and breathing our values and behaviors.
In fact, we are a global family made up of different cultures, different genders, generations, ethnicities, abilities, sexual identities and many other enriching diversities.
Chiesi Research & Development
Our R&D; team represents a fundamental asset for the business. It is divided into integrated functional areas focusing on pipeline projects including discovery and preclinical research, global technical development, drug delivery technology, clinical development, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, intellectual property, quality assurance, R&D; project and portfolio management. Headquartered in the new purpose-built and fully integrated Research and Development Centre in Parma (Italy), the team also has important operations in Paris (France), Chippenham (UK), Cary (US), Stockholm (Sweden), Toronto (Canada) and Shanghai (China).
Who we are looking for
Purpose
The successful candidate will lead and contribute to the preclinical research and development of innovative therapies for the treatment of chronic pulmonary diseases. This role requires a deep understanding of disease mechanisms, preclinical models, and translational research.
Moreover, the candidate will lead a team performing in vitro and ex vivo pharmacological research in the area of respiratory biology focused on drug screening and development and also supporting target identification and validation and translational medicine activities.
Main Responsibilities
- Lead and manage preclinical research activities focused on chronic respiratory diseases, ensuring high quality research and development activities.
- Drive functional performance by leading scientists of the In Vitro Pharmacology Unit in designing and deploying the appropriate in vitro cellular and ex vivo assays, including analyzing pharmacological results to support timely progression of the drug discovery pipeline and the identification and validation of new targets.
- Provide the scientific and strategic direction for the In Vitro Pharmacology unit, aligning its goals with broader organizational objectives.
- Supervise and mentor a team of scientists and researchers, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
- Proactively leverage external CRO capabilities by integrating both internal and external expertise to establish an efficient and productive operational framework. Balance short-term and long-term perspectives to ensure sustainable support for an increasing number of projects.
- Collaborate extensively within cross-functional research teams in a matrix format (functional/report-line teams and research project teams) to advance discovery programs
- Analyze and interpret experimental data, and present findings to internal and external stakeholders.
- Stay current with the latest scientific advancements and contribute to the development of research strategies.
- Prepare and review scientific publications, patents, and regulatory documents.
- Manage lab budgets, resources, and equipment to optimize efficiency and productivity.
Experience Required
- Extensive experience in respiratory preclinical research, particularly in pulmonary fibrosis, in a pharma company.
- Experience in drug discovery and development.
- Familiarity with regulatory requirements for preclinical studies.
- Experience in mentoring and training junior scientists.
Education
Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., pharmacology, biology, biochemistry) with a focus on pulmonary diseases.
Languages
English fluent
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of disease mechanisms, preclinical models, and translational research.
- Proven track record of scientific publications and presentations.
Soft Skills
- Analytical skills
- Communication skills
- Problem solving
- Team working
What we offer
You would join a dynamic, fast-growing, challenging and friendly environment.
In Chiesi we firmly believe that our people are our most valuable asset, that is why we invest in continuous training, learning and development. Therefore, we strive to continuously promote and satisfy development needs, paying particular attention to the quality of our working environment and to collective well-being.
We want our people to come to work happy every day, and we know how important it is to find the right work-life balance in order to be able to give our best. That is why we offer flexible working approach, remote working, support in the relocation process, tax assistance service for foreign colleagues and many other people-care services.
📌 Preclinical Disease Area Expert
🏢 Chiesi Farmaceutici
📍 Parma