Senior Director, DMPK Project Leader

centessapharmaceuticalsinc; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Generous PTO

Wellness program

Job summary

Centessa Pharmaceuticals in Boston, a Lilly subsidiary, seeks a Senior Director, DMPK Project Leader to drive end-to-end DMPK activities across CNS programs. You will lead nonclinical PK/ADME studies, PK modeling, and toxicokinetics to enable candidate progression.

The role requires a PhD with 10+ years in biotech/pharma, cross-functional leadership, and NDA experience, plus strong communication and problem-solving, with US-based responsibilities and occasional travel.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of industry experience in biotech/pharma.
• Expert in DMPK sciences with knowledge of drug discovery and development.
• Experience leading DMPK projects and NDA submissions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the filing of NDAs for DMPK.
• Deliver high-quality DMPK input to projects on schedule.
• Influence project strategy with DMPK data.
• Calculate PK/toxicokinetic parameters and report results.
• Lead cross-functional engagement with clinical pharmacologists and toxicologists.
• Prepare governance presentations related to DMPK activity.

Skills

DMPK expertise

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Project leadership

Education

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field

Tools

Phoenix WinNonlin

In silico PK tools

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. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work ® in 2026.

Description of Role

Senior Director, DMPK Project Leader ensures delivery of all DMPK related activities working collaboratively as part of a cross-functional program team. These include nonclinical PK experiments, in vitro ADME, biotransformation studies, bioanalytical and toxicokinetic analysis. This role supports understanding pharmacokinetic, toxicokinetic, and ADME principles to enable progression of drug candidates across the portfolio. A qualified candidate will have previous experience in PK modeling ideally for CNS drug candidates and a basic understanding of vital ADME properties for CNS drug candidate progression. Furthermore, a qualified candidate will have end-to-end experience in drug discovery and development including NDA submission; will be able to partner with both discovery and development teams to enable the identification of lead candidates with optimal DMPK properties for progression into nonclinical development and the progression of lead candidates into clinical development.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the filing of NDAs for DMPK
• Deliver high-quality DMPK input and data to projects within established timelines
• Utilize knowledge of DMPK to support/influence compound profiling, project progression and project strategy
• Proactively calculate PK and toxicokinetic parameters, estimate safety margins and report results and interpretations to project teams and internal governance bodies
• Lead, coordinate, and engage with DMPK colleagues, clinical pharmacologists, and toxicologists in project related activities
• Prepare clear presentations related to the above for internal governance bodies

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology or a related field
• Minimum of 10 years of industry experience in a biotech or pharmaceutical setting
• Expert in DMPK sciences with knowledge of drug discovery and development processes
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience in DMPK project leadership
• Previous work in the discovery and/or development of CNS drug candidates
• Experience with regulatory submissions including NDAs for small molecules
• Knowledge, experience, and proficiency in supporting GLP-compliant studies
• Good knowledge of all DMPK assays including the use of in silico tools for PK prediction
• Proficiency with Phoenix WinNonlin and other software for NCA and PK modeling in small molecule drug discovery and development
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and communicate scientific findings clearly and effectively
• Collaborative mindset and operates with a sense of urgency
• Strong, proactive communication skills

Work Location

The Senior Director, DMPK Project Leader role based in the US, with occasional travel.

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position is $200,000.00 to $215,000.00. 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.

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.