Director, Autonomous Molecular Discovery

Lila Sciences; San Francisco, Cambridge (CA, MA); On-site; USD 202,000 - 323,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Commuter benefits

Bike share and lunch program

Job summary

Lila Sciences seeks a Director/Senior Director of Molecular Discovery to lead autonomous, end-to-end small molecule discovery programs in a multi-site setting. You will ensure the discovery platform delivers validated candidates with high potency, selectivity, and favorable ADMET, guiding decisions from hit to lead and beyond.

You will work closely with AI/ML scientists, computational chemists, and platform engineers to optimize throughput, quality, and experimental efficiency, translating

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, chemical biology, or related field.
• 12+ years in small molecule drug discovery with 5+ years in a senior role advancing compounds.
• Experience delivering clinical candidates or close to progression decisions.
• Strong understanding of SAR, synthetic tractability, and lead optimization tradeoffs.
• Operational mindset with metrics, milestones, and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Own discovery programs end-to-end from hit identification to candidate nomination.
• Lead discovery output and set timelines, quality benchmarks, and throughput targets.
• Interface between autonomous platform and decision-making for potency and developability.
• Collaborate with AI/ML, robotics, and software teams to improve platform performance.
• Define assays, build capabilities, and manage scientific staff for execution.
• Coordinate CROs and external partners for specialized studies.
• Advise product teams on platform capabilities for partnerships.

Skills

AI/ML in molecular design

Leadership

Communication

Program management

Throughput optimization

Education

Ph.D. in medicinal/ computational chemistry

Tools

Robotics

Automated discovery platforms

Job description

Lila Sciences seeks a Director/Senior Director of Molecular Discovery to lead autonomous, end-to-end small molecule discovery programs in a multi-site setting. You will ensure the discovery platform delivers validated candidates with high potency, selectivity, and favorable ADMET, guiding decisions from hit to lead and beyond.

You will work closely with AI/ML scientists, computational chemists, and platform engineers to optimize throughput, quality, and experimental efficiency, translating