Director of Peptide Therapeutics

Caris Life Sciences•Phoenix, AZ

About The Position

At Caris, we are dedicated to transforming cancer care and improving lives through precision medicine. We leverage cutting-edge molecular science and AI to provide unique answers for each patient. Our mission extends beyond cancer, pushing the frontiers of medicine to improve the human condition across multiple diseases. We are seeking passionate individuals to join us in this revolution, driven by innovation, compassion, and purpose. The Director, Peptide Therapeutics will lead the formulation, design, development, and advancement of peptide-based therapeutics targeting clinically relevant genetic mutations. This role will oversee scientific strategy and execution from discovery through early-stage translational development, collaborating cross-functionally to advance peptide drug candidates. The Director will provide scientific leadership, manage project priorities, guide experimental design, and ensure alignment with Caris’ broader precision medicine and therapeutic development objectives.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Biology, Bioengineering, Pharmacology, or a related scientific discipline.
10+ years of relevant experience in peptide therapeutics, drug discovery, formulation development, pharmaceutical development, or targeted therapeutic development.
Demonstrated experience leading peptide design, formulation, synthesis strategy, characterization, optimization, or development programs.
Experience advancing therapeutic candidates through discovery, lead optimization, or preclinical development.
Strong understanding of peptide chemistry, peptide stability, delivery technologies, formulation principles, analytical characterization, and developability considerations.
Experience managing scientific teams, external partners, CROs, or matrixed development programs.
Demonstrated ability to translate biological targets or mutation-specific insights into therapeutic development strategies.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex scientific information to executive, technical, and cross-functional audiences.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, priorities, and stakeholders in a fast-paced scientific environment.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Word, Excel, Outlook, and general working knowledge of Internet for business use.

Nice To Haves

Experience in oncology, precision medicine, genomics-informed drug development, or mutation-specific therapeutic targeting.
Experience with peptide conjugates, macrocyclic peptides, stapled peptides, cell-penetrating peptides, peptide-drug conjugates, or targeted delivery systems.
Experience with IND-enabling studies, CMC planning, GLP toxicology preparation, or regulatory interactions for therapeutic candidates.
Experience working in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or translational research environments.
Familiarity with computational peptide design, structure-based drug design, AI-enabled discovery, or molecular modeling approaches.
Experience contributing to patent filings, scientific publications, or external research collaborations.
Prior experience building or leading a peptide therapeutics function or platform.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategic direction and execution of peptide therapeutic programs focused on targeting disease-associated mutations.
Oversee peptide design, synthesis strategy, formulation development, optimization, characterization, and candidate selection.
Direct the development of peptide-based drug candidates, including evaluation of potency, selectivity, stability, delivery, manufacturability, and translational relevance.
Partner with genomics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, oncology, and translational science teams to identify mutation-driven therapeutic opportunities.
Establish and manage workflows for peptide formulation, screening, lead optimization, and preclinical candidate advancement.
Evaluate emerging peptide drug discovery technologies, delivery platforms, conjugation strategies, and formulation approaches to enhance therapeutic performance.
Provide scientific oversight for internal teams, contract research organizations, academic collaborators, and external development partners.
Design and review studies supporting mechanism of action, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and early development planning.
Translate mutation biology and molecular profiling insights into actionable peptide therapeutic development strategies.
Build project plans, define milestones, manage timelines, assess risks, and communicate program progress to senior leadership.
Support intellectual property strategy through invention disclosure, patent review, and competitive landscape assessment.
Contribute to regulatory and quality documentation related to peptide therapeutic development, as applicable.
Recruit, mentor, and develop scientific staff, fostering a collaborative, rigorous, and innovation-focused research environment.
Maintain current knowledge of peptide therapeutics, precision oncology, targeted drug development, formulation science, and relevant regulatory expectations.