Senior Director, DMPK

Vertex Pharmaceuticals seeks an experienced Senior Director of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics to lead scientific and organizational strategy for its San Diego DMPK team. The role involves advancing drug discovery and development programs across therapeutic areas while managing personnel, budgets, and cross-functional collaborations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as DMPK functional lead on multidisciplinary project teams from early discovery through regulatory approval
• Develop team strategy aligned with global DMPK and Vertex R&D goals; manage scientific and business activities
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists to design drug candidates and evaluate ADME and drug-drug interaction risks
• Prepare DMPK regulatory documents including Investigator Brochures, INDs, and marketing applications
• Manage personnel performance, budgets, hiring, and project prioritization to meet timelines and key objectives

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with 20+ years relevant DMPK experience, or Master's with 15+, or Ph.D. with 11+ years post-doctoral experience
• Extensive leadership experience in multifunctional DMPK groups within pharmaceutical companies
• Deep knowledge of DMPK tools (in vitro, in vivo) and expertise in at least one specialized area
• Proven ability to mentor junior scientists and build high-performing, diverse teams
• Strong track record leading DMPK on multiple R&D teams across different therapeutic areas
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for regulatory documents and cross-functional collaboration
• Experience or willingness to adopt AI approaches in drug discovery and development