Vice President, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology - Septerna : Job Details

Vice President, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology

Septerna is a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, CA on a mission to develop life-changing medicines for patients with the vision to become the industry-leading G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-focused drug discovery company. The company's Native Complex Platform recapitulates GPCRs with their native structure, function, and dynamics outside of the cellular context. This approach enables novel access to modern structural and screening technologies used in industrial-scale drug discovery for the entire class of GPCRs. Septerna has an emerging pipeline of GPCR-targeted small molecule programs with potential for growth to target many GPCRs that have been undruggable and unexploited to date.

We are excited to expand our multidisciplinary team of individuals focused on creating revolutionary medicines to address the unmet needs of patients. At Septerna we strive to embrace diversity of thought, expertise, and background through collaboration. To join our ambitious team, be prepared to bring your real self to work every day; grow and learn from a talented team of drug hunters, scientists, and business professionals; and contribute your passion, creativity, and energy to accomplish our mission. We share a fearless pursuit of ground-breaking innovations and cultivate an environment where our employees succeed by learning from each other and working as a team.

We are committed to the development of meaningful therapeutics for patients with indications of high unmet need. This is a tremendous opportunity to work with talented individuals on the frontlines of therapeutic discovery and development. You will directly help move therapies through preclinical research, positioning them for success in the clinic. The successful candidate will add their passion, unique talents, and expertise to a dynamic team motivated to discover new disease-modifying therapeutics for patients in a fast-paced environment.

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic leader to serve as Vice President, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology. This individual will lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for the design, execution, and interpretation of animal studies supporting drug discovery and development across multiple therapeutic areas. The ideal candidate will bring deep scientific and operational expertise in in vivo pharmacology, with a strong track record in the development and application of disease models and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and strategic leadership for in vivo pharmacology efforts across discovery and development programs, both in-house and external.
• Oversee development, validation, and application of relevant animal models for efficacy and PK/PD studies in both normal animals and relevant disease models.
• Collaborate closely with Early Development, DMPK, Toxicology, and Clinical Pharmacology to integrate PK/PD data to support IND-enabling studies and clinical development.
• Collaborate with Molecular Pharmacology and Molecular & Cellular Biology to drive our understanding of compound pharmacology and mechanism of action.
• Guide experimental design, data interpretation, and communication of results to internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies.
• Mentor and lead a high-performing team of in vivo scientists and research associates, who are working in our in-house vivarium and are managing external studies at CRO's and with academic collaborators.

Qualifications

• D., D.V.M., or equivalent in Pharmacology, Physiology, or related field with 15+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in animal models across a range of therapeutic areas (e.g., immunology, metabolic disease, CNS, cardiovascular).
• Proven experience in translational pharmacology, including development and application of PK/PD models to inform human dose projections.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience in regulatory submissions and interactions, including preparation of CTD sections for INDs, NDAs and MAAs.

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in South San Francisco, CA is $310,000 - $340,000. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location and relevant education or training. Septerna's compensation package also includes benefits, stock options, and annual target bonus for full-time positions.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Note to Employment Agencies: Please do not forward any agency resumes. The company will not be responsible for any fees related to resumes that are unsolicited.

Note to Employment Agencies: Please do not forward any agency resumes. The company will not be responsible for any fees related to resumes that are unsolicited. We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. Septerna participates in the E-Verify program. California Consumer Privacy Act Privacy Notice For Job Applicants. If you are a California resident, click here for our CCPA Notice.

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