Principal Scientist (Director), Drug Metabolism

Job Description
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. With each new discovery and investigational drug candidate, we seek to improve the care of patients living with life-threatening diseases around the world. Gilead's therapeutic areas of focus include HIV/AIDS, liver diseases, serious respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, cancer and inflammation, headquartered in Foster City, California.

** Open to candidates who are interested in either Foster City, CA or Seattle, WA location.

Specific Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility of this pharmacokinetic (PK) scientist is to serve as a PK and drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) representative and provide guidance to drug discovery project teams and after candidate selection continue with project through drug development phases to registration/post approval. Apply knowledge in primary area of expertise broadly to benefit department across the portfolio.

Essential Duties and Job Responsibilities:

Serve as DMPK subject matter expert on dynamic cross-functional teams, to define absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) strategy to achieve target product profile, provide in vitro and in vivo drug disposition and PK drug-drug interaction (DDI) data, interpretation and presentations to teams.

Work closely with internal and external resources to assure a high level of quality and timely delivery of DMPK support.

Design and perform complex PK analysis, model development and PK/PD analyses to answer translational questions and to provide DMPK guidance for project teams.

Makes major contributions to scientific literature and conferences through publication and presentation of research results.

Ability to communicate and educate others on complex areas of ADME science as a technical expert. Could be a deep expert in one area with working knowledge of other aspects of drug disposition.

Supervising associate scientists may be required.

Knowledge, Experience and Skills:

Requires a highly motivated individual with PhD degree in life sciences with 5-10 years of industry experience.

Demonstrates excellent scientific verbal, technical communication and interpersonal skills. Must be organized, pay attention to details and have strong organizational and planning skills.

Prior experience contributing to the discovery and development of a drug candidate from preclinical through clinical trials

Considered an expert in one or more subdisciplines of ADME or bioanalytical sciences demonstrated through presentation/publication record

Comfortable working with and educating colleagues in medicinal chemistry, DMPK, toxicology and clinical pharmacology on strategies to understand drug PK, metabolism and disposition

Expertise and experience in one or more of the following areas:

Capability in the state of the art bioanalysis with previous experience in applying automation to enable high throughput bioanalysis

DMPK related enzymology and transport, biotransformation and reactive metabolite chemistry.

Principles and theories on PK and ADME science, applying such knowledge to the direction that supports the advancement of drug candidates