Associate Director, Discovery Pharmacology

The Opportunity

This person will:

• Lead discovery pharmacology strategy and execution from target concept through candidate nomination and IND-enabling entry, with modality-informed approaches for small molecules, peptides, small biologics, and antisense oligonucleotides.
• Design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret biochemical, biophysical, cell-based, functional, and mechanism-of-action assays that establish potency, efficacy, selectivity, target engagement, drug-like properties, and biological relevance using a 100% external model with CROs and academic collaborators.
• Own the pharmacology work needed to link exposure, target engagement, pharmacodynamic response, tolerability, early look at translational biomarkers, and early regulatory expectations into a clear rationale for advancing discovery programs.
• Mentor and develop scientific talent while fostering a culture of rigorous experimental design, cross-functional collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

Responsibilities

• Generate, analyze, and synthesize pharmacology datasets to characterize drug like properties, establish proof of concept, define liabilities and/or optimization opportunities, and recommend next experiments, using a 100% externalized model.
• Support or lead early in vivo or ex vivo proof-of-concept studies when needed, ensuring that study design is tied to the pharmacology hypothesis and stage-appropriate decision criteria.
• Apply experience across therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, peptides, small biologics, and antisense oligonucleotides, to select appropriate assay formats and interpretation frameworks.
• Conduct deep scientific diligence on new targets to develop target rationale and experimental paradigm.
• Partner closely with toxicology, bioanalytical, translational biology, and clinical pharmacology colleagues to connect pharmacology readouts with exposure, target engagement, and early developability considerations.
• Manage and direct CROs, academic collaborators, and external partners.
• Prepare concise scientific updates, program/project/study summaries, decision memos, and recommendations for project teams and leadership, with emphasis on >The pay range posted below represents our good faith estimate of compensation for this role, based on market data and internal benchmarks. The final offer may vary depending on a candidates experience, skills, and qualifications, as well as considerations of internal equity.