Associate Director, Drug Product - CMC

Centessa Pharmaceuticals; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Wellness program

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

Centessa Pharmaceuticals seeks an Associate Director of Drug Product within the CMC group to lead nonclinical and clinical formulation development and oversee CROs/CDMOs. You will design and develop formulations for oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous delivery to support Phase I–III programs and ensure timely delivery across vendor teams.

The role requires a PhD (preferred) with 10+ years in small molecule formulation, strong analytical skills, and the ability to drive projects in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in small molecule formulation development, including support of nonclinical and clinical programs across oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous dosage forms.
• Deep understanding of formulation development and manufacturing of poorly soluble (BCS Class II/IV) small molecule compounds for oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous delivery.
• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical and engineering principles related to liquid and solid dosage form development at clinical and commercial scale.
• Proficiency with analytical and solid-state characterization techniques, including HPLC/UPLC, XRPD, DSC, TGA, DVS, and related methodologies.
• Experience managing external development partners (CROs, CDMOs, CMOs) and coordinating pharmaceutical product development activities.
• Working knowledge of cGMP requirements and pharmaceutical development standards.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate risks, develop contingency plans, and drive timely, high-quality results.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and project leadership skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders, manage cross-functional and external relationships, and effectively communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment; willingness to travel domestically and internationally (5-10%).

Responsibilities

• Manage and guide external vendors, such as CROs and CDMOs to execute physiochemical characterization and pre-formulation studies for NCEs.
• Design and develop nonclinical formulations of drug candidates (oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous) to ensure stability, bioavailability and effective drug delivery in animal models.
• Design and oversee execution of nonclinical formulation stability and compatibility studies.
• Support clinical formulation development of oral solid dosage forms, as needed.
• Author and/or review and approve development and dose preparation protocols and reports.
• Review formulation related sections of protocols and reports associated with PK, PD, and safety studies.
• Represent CMC and provide nonclinical formulation, DS and DP stability, and supply guidance at cross-functional meetings.
• Coordinate shipments in support of development supply requirements to CDMO and CRO sites.
• Assist in compiling formulation-related documentation for regulatory submissions (IND, CTA).
• Work with discovery, nonclinical, clinical, project management, legal, sourcing, supply chain, quality and regulatory teams.

Skills

Vendor management

Nonclinical formulation development

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory submissions support

Analytical techniques (HPLC/UPLC, XRPD

Excellent communication

Education

BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences

MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences

PhD strongly preferred

Tools

HPLC/UPLC

XRPD

DSC

TGA

DVS

Job description

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026.

Description Of Role

Centessa’s CMC group is currently seeking an Associate Director of Drug Product within the CMC group to support our early stage programs. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record of designing high performance nonclinical and clinical formulations as well as managing CROs and CDMOs. The candidate should also have hands-on experience in developing and manufacturing nonclinical and clinical small molecule drug products to support Phase I to Phase III. This candidate will primarily lead work with various vendors and oversee nonclinical formulation development, with flexibility to support clinical drug product development, across programs to meet company deliverables and timelines. Travel to vendors both domestically and internationally might occasionally be required.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and guide external vendors, such as Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) to:
• Execute physiochemical characterization and pre-formulation studies for New Chemical Entities (NCEs).
• Design and develop nonclinical formulations of drug candidates (oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous) to ensure stability, bioavailability and effective drug delivery in animal models.
• Design and oversee execution of nonclinical formulation stability and compatibility studies.
• Support clinical formulation development of oral solid dosage forms, as needed.
• Author and/or review and approve development and dose preparation protocols and reports.
• Review formulation related sections of protocols and reports associated with Pharmacokinetic (PK), Pharmacodynamic (PD), and safety studies.
• Represent CMC and provide nonclinical formulation, DS and DP stability, and supply guidance at internal and external cross functional team meetings.
• Coordinate shipments in support of nonclinical and Clinical development supply requirements to various CDMO and CRO sites.
• Assist in compiling formulation-related documentation for regulatory submissions (e.g., IND, CTA) to meet nonclinical development requirements.
• Work closely and collaboratively with cross-functional CMC groups including discovery, nonclinical, clinical, project management, legal, sourcing, supply chain, quality and regulatory, as well as other CMC functions.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences or a related scientific discipline required; PhD strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in small molecule formulation development, including support of nonclinical and clinical programs across oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous dosage forms.
• Deep understanding of formulation development and manufacturing of poorly soluble (BCS Class II/IV) small molecule compounds for oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous delivery.
• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical and engineering principles related to liquid and solid dosage form development at clinical and commercial scale.
• Proficiency with analytical and solid-state characterization techniques, including HPLC/UPLC, XRPD, DSC, TGA, DVS, and related methodologies.
• Experience managing external development partners (CROs, CDMOs, CMOs) and coordinating pharmaceutical product development activities.
• Working knowledge of cGMP requirements and pharmaceutical development standards.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate risks, develop contingency plans, and drive timely, high-quality results.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and project leadership skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders, manage cross-functional and external relationships, and effectively communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment; willingness to travel domestically and internationally (5-10%).

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position is $140,000.00 to $195,000.00. Individual compensation within this range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge an location.
In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus. The Company also offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a 401(k) plan, company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, generous paid time off, and a health and wellness program.

Work Location

The (Associate) Director, Drug Product, CMC role is a based in the US, with occasional travel.
POSITION: Full-Time, Exempt
EEOC Statement: Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subdisary of Eli Lilly and Company believes in a diverse environment and is committed to equal employment opportunity for all its employees and qualified applicants. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.Please note: We will not assign referral rights for any unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies.