Scientific Director

WuXi AppTec • San Diego, CA

1d • $130,015 - $182,017 • Onsite

About The Position

Serve as the scientific and strategic expert in oncology and GPCR biology for WuXi AppTec’s US site, supporting discovery, translational and early development programs as well as external client projects. Provide technical leadership & consultation across cross‑functional teams, design and review experiments and preclinical strategies, evaluate external partnerships and scientific deliverables, and help drive decisions from target validation through lead selection and IND‑enabling activities.

Requirements

• PhD in oncology, molecular biology, pharmacology, biochemistry or related field; or MS with substantial industry experience.
• Minimum 8 years’ experience in drug discovery or early development, with demonstrated hands‑on or leadership experience in oncology and/or GPCR biology within biopharma, biotech, CRO or academic translational research.
• Deep knowledge of GPCR biology, ligand pharmacology, screening/assay paradigms, and/or tumor signaling pathways and translational oncology.
• Familiarity with in vitro and in vivo pharmacology models, biomarker development and early clinical development processes.
• Strong scientific communication skills in English (written and verbal); ability to interact effectively with clients and cross‑functional teams.
• Authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Direct project leadership experience on GPCR targets (e.g., chemokine receptors, adhesion GPCRs, aminergic receptors) or oncology targets with a record of advancing molecules toward IND.
• Experience supporting IND preparation, regulatory interactions (FDA/EMA) or early clinical study design.
• Familiarity with structural biology (GPCR crystallography/cry-EM), computational drug design, or advanced biased signaling/pharmacology assays.
• Experience mentoring teams and working in a client‑facing or CRO environment; demonstrated business development support or client engagement experience.
• Publications in peer‑reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences.

Responsibilities

• Provide high‑level scientific guidance for oncology and GPCR projects across internal programs and client projects, participating in milestone decision meetings (target selection, lead ID/optimization, IND‑enabling, early clinical strategy).
• Design, critique and approve mechanistic studies, pharmacology, translational biology, and in vitro study plans to ensure rigor, reproducibility and translational relevance.
• Evaluate target biology evidence (signaling pathways, oncogenic mechanisms, resistance mechanisms) and relevance across tumor types to support target prioritization.
• Guide GPCR‑focused activities including assay design for functional characterization, ligand screening strategies, SAR interpretation, biased signaling evaluation and appropriate pharmacology profiling.
• Support toxicology, PK/PD, CMC and safety teams in identifying GPCR‑ or oncology‑specific risks and mitigation strategies for preclinical packages and IND filings.
• Represent WuXi AppTec in scientific discussions with academic collaborators, clients, CROs/CMOs and regulatory agencies; build and maintain an external network of subject matter contacts.
• Prepare and review scientific reports, study summaries, regulatory documents (e.g., IND dossiers), client deliverables and external communications (abstracts/presentations).
• Contribute to capability building and support business development/scientific sales as needed.

Benefits

• Consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior