Principal Scientist, Toxicology & Pharmacology

Shasqi

7d • Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a strategic and hands-on Principal Scientist, Toxicology & Pharmacology to contribute to strategy and execution of nonclinical safety and pharmacology for our next-generation targeted therapy technology based on pre-targeting enabled by click chemistry.
You will work together with chemistry, biology, and ADME/PK teams to design, lead, and interpret toxicology and pharmacology studies that contribute to therapeutic design, candidate selection, IND-enablement, and clinical strategy in a fast-paced startup environment.

Requirements

• PhD, DVM, or equivalent in Toxicology, Pharmacology, or related discipline.
• 4+ years of industry experience in nonclinical safety and/or pharmacology.
• Demonstrated experience leading IND-enabling toxicology programs.
• Strong background in small molecules, biologics, or targeted delivery systems (e.g., ADCs, radioconjugates, bispecifics).
• Experience designing and interpreting in vivo toxicology and pharmacology studies.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations (FDA/ICH) for nonclinical development.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with pre-targeting strategies.
• Familiarity with bioorthogonal click chemistry (e.g., tetrazine–TCO systems).
• Background in oncology or other areas involving targeted therapies.
• Experience evaluating on-target vs. off-target toxicities in complex systems.
• Knowledge of safety considerations for reactive intermediates or payload-driven toxicity.
• Experience integrating PK/PD and tox data for translational modeling.
• Strong publication record and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to and execute toxicology strategy for pre-targeted therapeutics, including IND-enabling studies.
• Design GLP and non-GLP toxicology studies.
• Identify, characterize, and mitigate safety risks.
• Establish safety margins and therapeutic index for candidate molecules.
• Contribute to pharmacology strategy to demonstrate proof of mechanism and proof of concept.
• Design and interpret in vivo efficacy studies including model selection/characterization, study design, working with CROs to execute the study, and data analysis/presentation.
• Define exposure-response relationships.
• Collaborate on dose and schedule optimization.
• Partner with ADME/PK to integrate pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and exposure-response modeling.
• Work closely with chemistry and protein engineering teams to guide design toward safer and more effective molecules.
• Collaborate with CMC and analytical teams to ensure appropriate characterization of each therapeutic component.
• Support regulatory strategy, including authoring and reviewing IND sections (e.g., nonclinical overview, tox summaries).
• Develop safety assessment frameworks tailored to our pre-targeting approach.
• Drive candidate selection by balancing efficacy, exposure, and safety.
• Present findings and recommendations to leadership, board members, and external partners.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary as part of a broader total rewards package.
• Equity: Included as port of total compensations.
• Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, short- and long-term disability.
• Flexible PTO and a WFH stipend to support remote work.
• Ongoing growth opportunities, professional development, and mentorship.

What This Job Offers

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