Pharmaceutical R&D Domain Expert

Weekday 1; California City (CA); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

Weekday 1 is seeking a senior pharmaceutical R&D domain expert to join a leading AI research team. Hybrid role based in the Bay Area, CA. You will guide how AI models understand real-world pharmaceutical research and development and evaluate outputs for accuracy and relevance.

The role requires 4+ years in pharma R&D, with a PhD or PharmD (MD with pharma experience considered). Expect on-site collaboration several days per week and a 40-hour work week during a six-month engagement.

Qualifications

• PhD or PharmD in pharma or life sciences; MD with pharma experience considered.
• 4+ years of pharma/biotech R&D experience in industry settings.
• Experience with AI tools in a professional setting is required.

Responsibilities

• Review AI outputs for scientific accuracy and regulatory relevance.
• Develop instruction specifications and reference solutions for pharma problems.
• Design pharma-specific benchmarks to evaluate AI performance across development stages.
• Calibrate evaluation standards with researchers from related disciplines.
• Provide precise written feedback to improve AI outputs and evaluation methods.

Skills

Pharma R&D expertise

Data quality assessment

Benchmark design

Scientific reasoning

Technical communication

Education

PhD or PharmD

MD with pharma experience

Tools

AI evaluation tools

Job description

This role is for one of our clients

Compensation: $75 - $115 per hour

We are seeking a senior pharmaceutical R&D domain expert to work with a leading AI research team on improving how advanced AI models understand and reason about real-world pharmaceutical research and development.

In this role, your expertise in drug discovery and development will be central to defining what high-quality pharmaceutical knowledge work looks like. You will evaluate AI-generated outputs, develop detailed instruction specifications, create reference-quality solutions, and design benchmarks that measure the accuracy, depth, and practical relevance of AI systems.

The ideal candidate is a practicing or experienced pharmaceutical R&D specialist with substantial industry experience and deep expertise in a specific area of the drug development lifecycle.

Location: Hybrid role based in the Bay Area, California. Candidates must currently live in the Bay Area and be able to work on-site with the research team multiple days per week, as required. Candidates outside the Bay Area must be willing to relocate at their own expense before the engagement begins. Relocation assistance is not provided.

Employment Type: Full-time W-2 position
Initial Engagement: 6 months
Expected Commitment: 40 hours per week

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Data Quality & Evaluation

• Review pharmaceutical knowledge tasks and AI-generated outputs for scientific accuracy, completeness, and practical relevance.
• Identify unsupported efficacy or safety claims, gaps in reasoning, missing considerations, and conclusions that would not withstand scientific or regulatory scrutiny.
• Assess whether AI responses reflect genuine pharmaceutical R&D expertise rather than surface-level or plausible-sounding reasoning.

Instruction Specifications & Reference Solutions

• Develop detailed instruction specifications that accurately reflect real-world pharmaceutical research and development workflows.
• Create high-quality reference solutions for drug discovery and development problems.
• Design new tasks that capture the complexity, judgment, and decision-making involved in industry pharmaceutical R&D.

Benchmark & Evaluation Development

• Develop challenging pharmaceutical evaluation tasks and domain-specific benchmark datasets.
• Help establish evaluation standards for measuring AI performance across different stages of the pharmaceutical pipeline.
• Collaborate with research teams to identify opportunities for improving domain-specific AI capabilities.

Expert Calibration

• Work with researchers and specialists from adjacent disciplines to establish consistent evaluation standards.
• Translate complex, experience-based pharmaceutical judgment into clear, objective, and teachable evaluation criteria.
• Provide precise written feedback that helps improve both AI outputs and evaluation methodologies.

Core Qualifications

Education

• PhD or PharmD in a relevant pharmaceutical or life sciences discipline, such as:
• Medicinal or Organic Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Toxicology
• MD candidates with substantial pharmaceutical drug development experience may also be considered.

Professional Experience

• 4+ years of substantive pharmaceutical or biotechnology research and development experience.
• Experience within a pharmaceutical company, biotechnology company, contract research organization, or translational research institute is strongly preferred.
• Candidates with purely academic research backgrounds and limited exposure to commercial drug development may be less suitable.

Domain Expertise

Demonstrated specialization in at least one major area of the pharmaceutical development pipeline, such as:

• Target identification and validation
• Medicinal chemistry and lead optimization
• Preclinical pharmacology
• Toxicology
• Translational science and biomarkers
• Clinical development
• Regulatory affairs
• Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC)

Seniority & Ownership

• Demonstrated progression into senior-level roles such as Senior Scientist, Principal Scientist, Director of Research, or VP-level R&D positions.
• Experience owning or making significant contributions to a discovery project or pharmaceutical development program.

Research & Industry Record

• Peer-reviewed publications, granted patents, or meaningful contributions to pharmaceutical programs that progressed into clinical development are strongly preferred.

AI & Analytical Skills

• Practical experience using large language models or AI tools in a professional setting.
• Strong ability to distinguish scientifically rigorous reasoning from responses that merely appear credible.
• Excellent analytical judgment and attention to scientific detail.

Communication

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to provide precise, structured, and actionable written feedback.
• Comfortable translating complex scientific concepts into clear evaluation criteria.

Availability & Location

• Able to commit approximately 40 hours per week for an initial six-month engagement.
• Currently based in the Bay Area, California, with the ability to work on-site multiple days per week as required.
• Candidates outside the Bay Area must be willing to relocate at their own expense before the engagement begins.

Work Environment

This is a collaborative hybrid position involving close interaction with AI researchers, pharmaceutical specialists, and program teams. The role requires participation in standard team workflows, research discussions, evaluation reviews, and ongoing calibration sessions.

You will contribute directly to initiatives focused on improving the capabilities of advanced AI systems in pharmaceutical research and development.

Equal Opportunity

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to legally protected characteristics. Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the hiring and employment process for qualified individuals who require them.