Senior Director, Head of Structural Biology

Revolution Medicines•Redwood City, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Revolution Medicines is seeking a Senior Director, Head of Structural Biology, to lead the scientific strategy, team development, and operations of its Structural Biology group. The group combines X-ray crystallography, NMR, and cryo-EM to advance oncology drug discovery through the company’s tri-complex molecular glue platform. The role partners closely with medicinal and computational chemistry, project teams, and biologists to guide compound design and optimization and investigate structure-function relationships and mechanisms of action. The position will define the next stage of structural biology capabilities, including identifying technologies, talent, and external partnerships that can improve discovery decisions and expand the platform’s reach. It will translate understanding of molecular recognition, cooperativity, and conformational dynamics into improved molecules and new therapeutic opportunities. The role combines scientific judgment with strategic leadership, cross-functional influence, and accountability for group performance and resources.

Requirements

PhD in structural biology, biophysics, biochemistry, or a related discipline.
12+ years of biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry experience and a demonstrated record of scientific and people leadership.
Proven ability to lead a structural biology group, develop scientific leaders, and translate research strategy into priorities, resource plans, and measurable outcomes across multiple discovery programs.
Deep expertise in at least one of X-ray crystallography, NMR, or cryo-EM, with sufficient breadth across all three to guide specialists, critically evaluate data, and develop integrated experimental strategies.
Strong track record applying structural biology to small-molecule drug discovery in close partnership with medicinal chemistry and translating structural findings into compound design and optimization decisions.
Expertise in protein-ligand and protein-protein interactions, complex assembly, and structure-function analysis, with the ability to integrate structural, biophysical, biochemical, and cellular evidence into testable mechanistic models.
Experience integrating structural methods with computational modeling, molecular simulation, or complementary biophysical approaches to explain molecular recognition and dynamics.
Demonstrated strategic judgment in solving complex scientific problems, anticipating capability needs, and managing competing priorities, budgets, and internal and external resources.
Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership skills, including influencing senior stakeholders, building alignment, and communicating uncertainty and scientific tradeoffs.
A leadership approach that develops talent, welcomes diverse perspectives, maintains high scientific and ethical standards, and sustains effective collaboration in a growing research organization.

Nice To Haves

Experience establishing or expanding structural biology capabilities and external collaborations in a growing biotechnology organization.
Experience with molecular glues or other small molecules that induce or stabilize protein interactions, including familiarity with ternary complex characterization, cooperativity, and mechanisms of selectivity.

Responsibilities

Set and execute Structural Biology strategy with research leadership, aligning program needs and capability development with portfolio and platform priorities.
Lead and develop scientists across crystallography, NMR, and cryo-EM by setting expectations, coaching, and supporting career growth.
Partner with medicinal, computational, and digital discovery scientists to integrate experimental structures, predictive models, and molecular simulations into hypotheses that guide molecular design, structure-activity relationship interpretation, compound optimization, and experimental validation.
Work with project teams and the Structural Biology group to define structure-function questions and design integrated studies with biochemistry, biophysics, and cellular biology.
Lead investigations into the tri-complex glue platform, including protein-partner recognition, ternary complex architecture, cooperativity, conformational dynamics, and selectivity.
Direct the complementary application of crystallography, NMR, and cryo-EM, choosing methods appropriate to each scientific question and guiding challenging protein and complex characterization.
Prioritize and allocate group resources, balancing program delivery with exploratory platform research.
Model scientific rigor, integrity, and commitment to patients, and foster an inclusive culture of collaboration, constructive debate, accountability, and continuous learning.