Head of Peptide Drug Discovery

Calico Life Sciences; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 320,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Two annual cash bonuses

Job summary

Calico Life Sciences in South San Francisco is looking for a Head of Peptide Drug Discovery to advance its preclinical pipeline. This role involves collaborating with diverse scientists, leading peptide drug discovery efforts, and providing mentorship to the team.

The ideal candidate must have a PhD in organic/peptide/medicinal chemistry and significant experience in drug discovery. The position offers a competitive salary range of $320,000 - $350,000 and eligibility for annual cash bonuses.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of drug discovery experience in biotech or pharma.
• Proven track record delivering peptide drug candidates.
• Knowledge of synthesis of peptide libraries.

Responsibilities

• Lead peptide drug discovery efforts and collaborate with scientists.
• Act as a peptide drug discovery Subject Matter Expert (SME).
• Provide leadership to the existing peptide chemistry team.

Skills

Peptide drug discovery expertise

Leadership and mentorship

Organic chemistry skills

Effective communication

Collaboration with ML design teams

Education

PhD in organic/peptide/medicinal chemistry

Job description

Who We Are

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet‑founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity‑driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug‑development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Position Description

Calico is seeking an accomplished and motivated individual to lead peptide drug discovery efforts as Head of Peptide Drug Discovery within the Calico Drug Discovery organization. This leader will collaborate with innovative and diverse scientists and play a pivotal role in advancing Calico’s Preclinical pipeline to deliver oral peptide drug candidates to our development portfolio. The ideal candidate will leverage deep and proven expertise in the lead optimization of oral peptide drug candidates, provide leadership for discovery and development stage projects, and be an effective people leader capable of attracting key talent and developing our internal team of peptide drug discovery scientists.

Responsibilities

• Act as a peptide drug discovery Subject Matter Expert (SME) to deliver peptide Drug Candidates for the Calico pipeline
• Be a strong and collaborative partner with leaders of the Calico Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Machine Learning Platform, Discovery Technologies, Research, CMC, DMPK, Toxicology and Clinical Development functions
• Bridge Computation & Chemistry: Serve as the primary technical liaison and advisor to the ML team, ensuring chemical intuition effectively informs algorithmic design and vice versa
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and development of the existing peptide chemistry team to achieve a cutting‑edge peptide drug discovery group
• Maintain oversight of external CROs to support chemistry, formulation, and DMPK for peptide drug discovery
• Contribute to global regulatory submissions (e.g., IBs, Briefing Books, INDs, NDAs)
• Represent Calico in external scientific collaborations, committees, and consortia in the field of peptide drug discovery

Position Requirements

• PhD in organic/peptide/medicinal chemistry with 12+ years of drug discovery experience in biotech or pharma
• Proven track record of successfully delivering peptide drug candidates that have achieved preclinical candidate nomination and progressed into clinical development
• Effective communication with ML‑peptide design team to deliver prioritized design concepts through strong collaboration
• Strong working knowledge of the synthesis of peptide libraries and the scale‑up of peptide lead molecules
• Strong organic chemistry skills to direct the synthesis of non‑canonical amino acids
• Deep knowledge in the use of formulation excipients to enhance oral bioavailability of peptide drug candidates
• Self‑motivated, enthusiastic, and highly adaptable with the ability to quickly identify project challenges and pivot strategies in a fast‑paced environment
• Exceptional oral communication and writing skills, with record‑keeping and data organization skills
• Must be willing to work onsite 5 days a week

Nice To Have

• Experience with evaluation of AI/ML generated peptides in Hit Generation-Lead Optimization

The estimated base salary range for this role is $320,000 - $350,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.