Job Description

Vertex San Diego Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) team is seeking a highly motivated, experienced scientist and leader Senior Director level to help advance discovery and development of transformational therapies for serious unmet medical needs.The Senior Director of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics will be part of the global DMPK and local site leadership teams. This role's responsibilities include developing and maintaining optimal organization within DMPK, as well as the scientific and managerial coordination of its groups and personnel. This role will optimize interdisciplinary activities within DMPK and integrate activities with those of the other sites and departments, and thus play a major role in shaping overall project and portfolio plans. This role will provide scientific leadership to help advance the discovery and development of transformational therapies for serious unmet medical needs at Vertex.

This is an onsite position at our San Diego research site.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a DMPK functional lead in a multidisciplinary project team to advance Vertex drug discovery and development programs from early discovery to late development
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists to design drug candidates avoiding metabolic liabilities and evaluate and select drug candidates based on potency in the biological target and on overall ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) profile and drug-drug interaction liabilities.
• Critically evaluates and interprets in vitro and in vivo DMPK data and liaises with DMPK colleagues to design studies to address key project issues
• Prepare DMPK documents to support development candidate nominations and regulatory filings including Investigator Brochures, IND's (or equivalent), and marketing applications
• Helps to develop a strategy and vision for global DMPK and team that is aligned with the Vertex R&D mission and goals
• Manages all scientific and business activities of team and integrates practices and work across global DMPK as well as cross-functionally
• Represents DMPK at company-wide R&D governance committees and with senior management
• Provides strong scientific and strategic leadership, urgency, and business acumen to grow and progress the Vertex portfolio in a speedy manner
• Guides personnel goal setting to the most productive pursuit of corporate goals and strategies
• Mentors on scientific and ethical development, motivates personnel and resolves conflicts
• Manages personnel performance and develops career growth opportunities across DMPK
• Constructs resourcing plans, draft-budgets, manages approved budgets and oversees hiring activities
• Oversees regular review of staff deployment and project status, to ensure all projects are appropriately prioritized and resourced, and key goals and timelines are met
• Balances degree of innovative exploration with pursuit of defined project objectives, and coordinates acquisition of new scientific capabilities, as appropriate
• Ensures compatibility with regulatory standards and corporate strategies
• Reviews content of DMPK communications (incoming and outgoing) for scientific collaborations and CRO contracts - for standards of scientific content, confidentiality and contract term satisfaction
• Cultivates reputation for DMPK and the company in the external scientific community

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrates extensive relevant experience of working in a multifunctional DMPK group and intersection of various areas for addressing key questions
• Demonstrates fundamental understanding of various DMPK tools and their application in solving broader project challenges in addition to demonstrating specialist knowledge and expertise in specific areas (e.g., drug metabolizing enzymology, drug transporters, biotransformation, PK prediction, etc.).
• Demonstrates a practical and advanced understanding of related scientific disciplines
• Has significant experience and skills representing DMPK on multiple project teams
• Ability to mentor and train junior members of the DMPK group
• Communicates in written and spoken form with high precision and skill, and is able to synthesize broad datasets and concepts into key conclusions for effective dissemination internally and externally (including in regulatory documents)
• Experience working in a leadership role as part of a multifunctional DMPK group in a pharmaceutical company with productive, relevant employment experience

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent degree) and 20+ years of productive, relevant employment experience, or
• Master's degree (or equivalent degree) and 15+ years of productive, relevant employment experience, or
• Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) and 11+ years of productive, relevant post-doctoral employment experience
• Extensive experience working in a managerial/leadership role as part of a multifunctional DMPK group in a pharmaceutical company
• Strong management and leadership skills, with emphasis on developing and mentoring junior scientists to build a high-performing, diverse, and inclusive team
• Successful track record and experience in a DMPK lead role on multiple R&D teams across more than one therapeutic area
• Ability to critically evaluate scientific literature and new technology as it relates to the discovery and development of new medicines
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, and ability to develop and grow strong cross-site/function collaborations
• Exhibits an outstanding record in multiple research projects, enabling the success of others
• Superior skills recruiting quality staff and refining activities to improve productivity across disciplines

Salary range: $232,800 - $349,200 annually

Disclosure Statement:

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journeywhile providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.

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