VP, Head of Preclinical Pharmacology

Generate Biomedicines•Somerville, MA

About The Position

The Vice President, Head of Preclinical Pharmacology will define and lead Generate’s enterprise-wide preclinical pharmacology strategy, reporting directly to the Chief Scientific Officer. This visionary leader will bolster and strengthen our preclinical pharmacology capabilities, while partnering with our Prototyping team to develop in vitro and in vivo technologies fueling large-scale data generation and advancing differentiated therapeutics in our pipeline. This includes deployment of novel assays at Generate that will enhance our abilities to perform functional screening at scale. Additionally, this leader will build a digitally enabled, translational pharmacology organization that converts computationally generated biologics into development-ready clinical candidates. The role spans in vitro and in vivo pharmacology and is accountable for the quality, rigor, and strategic integration of preclinical data across the portfolio. This is not a traditional downstream pharmacology role. This leader will operate at the interface of computational design, high-throughput experimentation, and translational science, with joint responsibility for optimizing both our platform capabilities and therapeutic programs. The role partners deeply with our platform teams to build and evolve experimental systems that generate large-scale, high-quality data and enable rapid iteration between hypothesis, experiment, and model. Success requires embracing incomplete systems, rapidly evolving technologies, and continuous closed-loop optimization between design and validation. The Head of Preclinical Pharmacology will lead an organization consisting of: Functional Bioassays, In vitro potency and mechanism-of-action assays, Advanced cell-based and complex biological models, Assay Automation & Qualification, Assay development, optimization, and validation, Automation strategy and execution, GLP-aligned assay qualification where required, Throughput scaling to support portfolio expansion, In Vivo Pharmacology, Preclinical disease models, PK/PD characterization, Dose-ranging and efficacy studies, Translational data integration across modalities. This leader will lead leaders who build scalable systems capable of supporting multiple programs across biologic modalities.

Requirements

PhD, MD, or equivalent in a life science, engineering, or quantitative discipline.
Deep expertise in pharmacology and translational science.
Proven experience leading leaders and managing multi-functional preclinical teams.
15+ years in novel and/or high throughput assay development (in vitro or in vivo) within industry or academia.
Demonstrated success advancing programs from early discovery through IND-enabling studies.
Deep expertise in: In vitro potency and mechanistic assays, Preclinical disease models, PK/PD and dose optimization, GLP-aligned assay validation.
Experience integrating automation and data systems into experimental workflows.
Strategic planning experience with measurable impact on portfolio-level outcomes.
Strong executive presence and ability to influence at the CSO/Board level.

Nice To Haves

Candidates from both traditional life science backgrounds (e.g., pharmacology, immunology, biology) and quantitative or engineering fields (e.g., biomedical engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, systems biology), provided they demonstrate deep expertise in pharmacology and translational science.

Responsibilities

Define and execute a long-term vision for preclinical pharmacology aligned with the company’s Generative Biology™ platform and portfolio strategy.
Align functional budget, infrastructure, and talent strategy with corporate growth objectives.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the CSO and executive leadership on portfolio risk, differentiation, and development readiness.
Drive closed-loop optimization between computational design and experimental validation.
Ensure experiments are designed not only for program decisions, but to improve upstream models and platform capabilities.
Partner with platform teams to define data generation strategies that maximize information content and learning efficiency.
Continuously evolve assay systems to increase throughput, relevance, and turnaround time.
Partner closely with the VP, Clinical Pharmacology to ensure strong PK/PD translation from animal models to first-in-human studies, biomarker continuity from preclinical to clinical settings, and dose rationale grounded in mechanistic and quantitative understanding.
Create structured handoffs and shared accountability between Research and Clinical Development.
Set a high bar for rigor, reproducibility, and decision-quality data.
Embed automation, digital infrastructure, and data science into pharmacology workflows.
Ensure scalable assay systems that support rapid iteration with computational design cycles.
Drive integration of in vitro, in vivo, and modeling data into cohesive translational narratives.
Build systems that promote enterprise-level accountability and transparency.
Align pharmacology strategy with company-wide objectives and long-term growth.
Champion a culture of experimentation, resilience, and calculated risk-taking.
Model data-driven, transparent, and courageous communication.
Act as an organizational thought leader and spokesperson.