Director, Medicinal Chemistry, ADC Group Leader

Gilead Sciences • Foster City, CA

2d

About The Position

At Gilead our pursuit of a healthier world for all people has yielded a cure for hepatitis C, revolutionary improvements in HIV treatment and prevention as well as advancements in therapies for viral and inflammatory diseases and certain cancers. We set and achieve bold ambitions in our fight against the world’s most devastating diseases, united in our commitment to confronting the largest public health challenges of our day and improving the lives of patients for generations to come. As a Director, Medicinal Chemistry, ADC Group Leader at Gilead you will have the following responsibilities:

Requirements

• Ph.D. (+8 years) in organic chemistry, or equivalent discipline with an emphasis in ADC, medicinal chemistry and bioconjugation applications OR Master's (+10 years) in organic chemistry, or equivalent discipline with an emphasis in ADC, medicinal chemistry and bioconjugation applications OR Bachelor's (+ 12 years) in organic chemistry, or equivalent discipline with an emphasis in ADC, medicinal chemistry and bioconjugation applications.
• Demonstrated impactful and innovative contributions to ADC drug discovery, including bench level and leadership roles, that advance programs through lead selection and candidate nomination.
• Strong understanding of ADC linker/payload design considerations, including conjugation/cleavage/stability concepts and strategies to tune physicochemical properties for conjugate performance.
• Track record of partnering with IP counsel to develop, protect, and evaluate intellectual property strategies related to ADC linker–payload and conjugation innovations.
• Experience interpreting ADC characterization data; familiarity with common methods used to evaluate conjugates (e.g., SEC, HIC, RPLC, high-resolution MS) and applying these learnings to guide design decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to present findings clearly and concisely.
• High level of scientific rigor, accuracy and attention to detail in all aspects of work.

Nice To Haves

• Education: Ph.D. (+15 years), Master's (+17 years) or Bachelor's (+ 20 years) in organic chemistry, or equivalent discipline with an emphasis in ADC, medicinal chemistry and bioconjugation applications.
• Experience with one or more of the following: site-specific or enzymatic conjugation approaches; high-throughput or automated conjugation workflows; hydrophilic masking strategies; advanced linker architectures and novel payload classes.
• Previous collaboration with data science/informatics partners to enable structured capture and analysis of ADC chemistry, analytical and biological data.
• People Leader Accountabilities Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.
• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.
• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the chemistry/bioconjugation leader for one or more ADC programs, driving strategy from early concept through lead selection and development candidate nomination, with attention to developability and differentiation.
• Define and drive small-molecule design strategy for ADC payloads and linkers, including mechanism-of-action alignment, stability/cleavage concepts, and property optimization to enable effective delivery via antibody conjugation.
• Propose innovative solutions that address programmatic or platform based needs.
• Translate complex data packages (chemistry, analytical, biology, DMPK) into clear recommendations and decisions for cross-functional teams and governance forums.
• Identify and propose new opportunities from internal science and the external landscape; develop program proposals and present at scientific review meetings.
• Maintain broad awareness of latest technologies, external platforms, and assets of interest and collaborate with Corporate Development on diligence efforts to evaluate and provide recommendations on these opportunities.
• Lead or coordinate the design, synthesis, purification, and characterization of ADC-related intermediates and protein conjugates using established and innovative conjugation methodologies.
• Partner closely with protein therapeutics and DMPK colleagues to ensure conjugate quality and interpretability of key data (e.g., conjugation profile, DAR-related metrics, stability and release kinetics).
• Lead, mentor, and develop scientists and teams; set a high bar for experimental design, data quality, and timely delivery; create an environment of scientific rigor and collaborative problem-solving.
• Provide technical coaching and training in ADC and bioconjugation techniques and best practices across the group.
• Communicate clearly and effectively across functions and levels; present scientific strategy and results at team, department, and governance meetings, and with external collaborators where appropriate

Benefits

• This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package.
• Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans.
• For additional benefits information, visit: https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing
• Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree