Job Opportunity: Program Officer or Assistant Director, Aging & Alzheimer’s Prevention Program, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, NYC
The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation is seeking up to 2 full-time scientists to join our staff as Program Officer and/or Assistant Director of Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention.
More information can be found at http://alzdiscovery.org/about-addf/join-our-team.
Applicants should send their resume and cover letter to hr@alzdiscovery.org
Position Title: Program Officer or Assistant Director, Aging & Alzheimer’s Prevention Program
Position description: Dementia prevention has been a major topic of research for decades but the vast majority of research designs cannot conclusively prove or disprove a given therapeutic approach. Similarly, therapeutic strategies to slow aging are extremely difficult to prove yet could be the most effective approaches to extend healthy active life and delay the onset of dementia.
The Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention program at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) works towards two goals to advance potential therapies to safely promote healthy aging and prevent Alzheimer’s, related dementias, and cognitive aging. Goal #1: evaluate and communicate the available evidence to help consumers make decisions in the face of incomplete evidence. Goal #2: accelerate the development of scientific evidence through strategic programs and research funding. ADDF is seeking up to two scientists to accelerate this program as either Program Officer or Assistant Director, depending on prior experience.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Manage day-to-day development of www.CognitiveVitality.org, a product of the ADDF that provides consumer-friendly reports on the scientific evidence that potential prevention therapies are either safe or effective. Draft and edit content and manage the external scientific peer-review of the content. Candidates with the appropriate experience may support the re-design of the site to better communicate incomplete evidence to consumers.
- Survey diverse sources of information like social media and the scientific literature to identify promising or controversial therapies to be evaluated
- Critically evaluate and rate the scientific evidence for safety and efficacy of potential prevention therapies ranging from repurposed drugs, drugs-in-development, natural products and supplements, non-pharmaceutical therapies, and the reduction of exposure to potential harms.
- Critically evaluate and communicate how risk factors, lifestyle changes, and biomarkers may indicate a risk of cognitive decline
- Identify potential research projects where non-profit funding might rapidly improve the available evidence for potential prevention therapies or accelerate the discovery and development of effective drugs.
- Manage a portfolio of grant applications for ADDF funding by proactively soliciting applications, assisting in the review process, communicating reviewer feedback to applicants, and monitoring the progress of successful funded applicants.
- Represent ADDF at scientific conferences to identify promising therapies and maintain up-to-date knowledge of research in aging, Alzheimer’s, and related dementias
- Meet with donors and represent ADDF at fundraising and public events
- Work with the ADDF science team as needed on programmatic efforts like organizing conference agendas and writing peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Candidate Background: The ideal candidates will have strong scientific credentials with an aptitude for rapidly assimilating new fields and critically evaluating scientific research. He/she will enjoy working both collaboratively and independently, with strong analytic abilities and outstanding communication skills. Experience communicating inconclusive scientific evidence to the general public will be a strong plus. The focus of his/her experience could range from evidence-based medicine, epidemiology or clinical trial design to biological gerontology, neuroscience, or neurodegenerative disease to natural products, drug discovery, or biomarker development. Applicants with a PhD in a biomedical discipline are preferred but strong applicants with a Masters will be considered.
The Program Officer and/or Assistant Director of Aging & Alzheimer’s Prevention will report directly to the Director of Aging & Alzheimer’s Prevention and will be overseen by ADDF’s Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer. The position is located in New York City. Salary will be commensurate with experience.
About the ADDF: Founded in 1998 by co-chairmen Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease. We follow a venture philanthropy model, funding breakthrough research in academia and the biotech industry. And we’re the only such charity solely dedicated to funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s. Through the support of our donors, the ADDF has awarded more than $70 million to fund over 450 Alzheimer’s drug discovery programs and clinical trials in 18 countries.
Please send resume and cover letter to: HR@alzdiscovery.org. Include “Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention” in the subject line.