Director, Medicinal Chemistry

Kardigan; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 207,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Kardigan in South San Francisco, CA is seeking a Director, Medicinal Chemistry to lead preclinical drug discovery programs. You will guide cross-functional teams and shape discovery strategies from hit identification to development candidate nomination.

The role requires a PhD in Chemistry with 8+ years in pharma/biotech, deep synthetic and medicinal chemistry expertise, and proven leadership. On-site four days a week, you will mentor chemists and advance innovative cardiovascular projects.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry (Organic or Medicinal) required.
• 8+ years in pharma/biotech drug discovery with leadership across hit-to-lead, lead optimization, and development nominations.
• Experience delivering a development candidate or managing CRO chemistry partners is highly preferred.
• Deep expertise in synthetic and medicinal chemistry, physicochemical property-based design, and structure-based design.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate complex data to diverse stakeholders.
• Direct management experience including hiring, mentoring, and performance management of chemists.

Responsibilities

• Lead preclinical medicinal chemistry efforts for Kardigan's programs.
• Co-lead the preclinical project team and develop/execute plans with Biology co-lead.
• Guide new molecule design focusing on potency, selectivity, DMPK, safety, and in vivo pharmacology.
• Oversee CRO-executed synthesis and assays ensuring data quality.
• Collaborate with IP to deliver strong intellectual property.
• Communicate complex data and strategies to project teams and governance meetings.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage medicinal chemists as the group grows.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Drug discovery

Medicinal chemistry expertise

Education

PhD in Chemistry (Organic or Medicinal)

Job description

About Us

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world. It is Kardigan's mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve. Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, MD, PhD, and Bob McDowell, PhD, Kardigan's co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020. We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients. At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic -leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries. These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

Position Details

Position Title: Director, Medicinal Chemistry Department: Medicinal Chemistry Reports To: Senior Director, Discovery Sciences Location: South San Francisco, CA - On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)

Job Overview

The Director, Medicinal Chemistry will provide experienced chemistry leadership to small molecule drug discovery programs in Kardigan’s preclinical portfolio. This role involves providing leadership to cross-functional project teams and effectively collaborating to advance preclinical programs from initiation to delivery of a development candidate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the Chemistry Lead for preclinical drug discovery programs.
• Co-lead the preclinical project team, working closely with Biology co-lead to develop and execute project plans, manage ongoing activities, and ensure project success.
• Lead new molecule design on Integrate potency, selectivity, DMPK, safety, and in vivo pharmacology data to guide new compound design and address liabilities.
• Provide oversight of CRO-executed chemical synthesis and assays, ensuring a high standard for productivity and data quality.
• Collaborate with IP Legal to deliver strong intellectual property.
• Effectively communicate complex scientific data, analyses, and strategies to project teams and in governance meetings.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage medicinal chemists as the group grows.

Qualifications and Preferred Skills

• PhD in Chemistry with a focus on Organic or Medicinal Chemistry.
• 8+ years of pharma/biotech industry drug discovery experience with a strong track record of leading medicinal chemistry across hit identification, hit-to-lead, lead optimization, and development candidate nominations.
• Prior experience delivering a development candidate or equivalent is a plus.
• Experience managing teams of external chemistry FTEs at CRO collaborators is strongly preferred.
• Deep expertise in synthetic and medicinal chemistry, physicochemical property-based design, structure-based design, and relevant drug discovery disciplines (e.g., biology, DMPK, and material science).
• Prior experience in cardiovascular disease is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex scientific concepts to a broad range of collaborators, leaders, and stakeholders.
• Track record of consistent scientific achievement and successful drug discovery work (peer-reviewed publications, patent inventorship, conference presentations).
• Prior direct management experience, including hiring, mentoring, and performance management of chemists.

Compensation

Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location. Pay range $207,000 - $250,000 USD