Associate Director, Discovery DMPK

Job Description

Job Description

About Parabilis Medicines  

Parabilis Medicines is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to creating extraordinary medicines for patients with serious diseases by unlocking biologically important targets long considered undruggable. The company has pioneered a new class of alpha-helical peptides – Helicons™ – capable of modulating intracellular proteins that have historically been beyond the reach of conventional medicines. The company's lead investigational medicine, zolucatetide, is the first and only direct inhibitor of the β-catenin:TCF interaction, a central node in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that has eluded drug developers for decades. Zolucatetide is being evaluated in the clinic across multiple Wnt/β-catenin-driven diseases, including desmoid tumors, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and a range of other solid tumor indications. Beyond zolucatetide, Parabilis is advancing additional Helicon-based programs focused on other challenging targets where we believe our medicines could have life-altering impact. For more information, visit or follow us on LinkedIn. 

What's the opportunity?

Parabilis Medicines' Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) team is seeking an experienced scientist to provide scientific leadership and apply PK/PD principles to our portfolio of exciting peptide drugs. Reporting to the VP of Discovery DMPK, you will serve as the primary DMPK representative on cross-functional discovery project teams, collaborating closely with medicinal chemists, pharmacologists, toxicologists and external CRO partners to advance novel therapeutics from early discovery through DC nomination.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead peptide DMPK strategy for discovery projects, aligning ADME objectives with project milestones and portfolio goals.
• Design and interpret in vitro and in vivo ADME studies to inform lead optimization and DC nomination.
• Integrate DMPK data with medicinal chemistry and pharmacology to guide chemical design and prioritize novel chemical matter with favorable drug-like properties.
• Present DMPK strategy, data interpretations, and risk assessments to project teams and senior leadership, providing clear scientific guidance to support program decisions.

What you'll need to be successful:

• PhD (or equivalent) in DMPK, biology, chemistry, or related field with 8+ years of relevant industry experience, or MS with 11+ years of relevant experience.
• Excellent understanding of small molecule and antibody ADME principles; hands-on experience in PK/PD modeling, drug transporter/drug-drug interaction assessment, or regulated bioanalysis are desirable.
• Proficiency with WinNonLin and R for PK data analysis and PK/PD reporting.
• Experience overseeing external CRO partners to ensure high-quality data generation within budget and timelines.
• Ability to contribute expert-level guidance to regulatory submissions for small molecules (e.g., IND, IB, briefing documents).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; proven ability to work cross-functionally and present scientific findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize AI tools for day-to-day work; baseline proficiency is expected, and advanced or innovative use of AI is a strong plus.
• Able to work on-site and attend in-person meetings.

Core Values

Parabilis Medicines is a team of passionate pioneers who are trailblazing the future of precision medicine with the aim of making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. The company is committed to promoting an inspiring and flourishing working environment for all employees across the business, in all departments, and driving innovation for patient benefit.

• Growth-Minded . We're inventing a new class of medicines—one applicable to therapeutic targets that have been dreamt about, but always considered impossible to drug. Our work requires us to be curious, humble and adaptable.
• In(ter)dependent. We are fiercely  independent as a leader in defying the limitations of current therapeutic modalities, and  interdependent as a team as we work collaboratively to shift drug discovery paradigms and provide patients with better treatment options.
• Patient-focused. We are deeply focused on patient outcomes, and all energy in the company is focused on science as it translates to patient impact.
• All-In. We're All-In on solving some of the hardest scientific challenges and delivering one of the most effective new classes of drugs in history.

The base salary range for this position is $165,000-$200,000 per year, depending on experience, qualifications, and internal practices. Parabilis's total compensation package also includes an annual target bonus, equity, and a comprehensive suite of competitive benefits designed to support our employees' overall well-being.

As an equal opportunity employer, Parabilis Medicines values an inclusive workplace and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.

30 Acorn Park Drive | Cambridge, MA 02140 |