Senior Manager, Biostatistics

Cytokinetics; South San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 198,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

Cytokinetics, a cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, seeks a Senior Biostatistics Manager to lead statistical strategy for clinical studies. You will design analyses, craft SAPs and protocols, and guide biomarker and endpoint development for Phase 1–4 trials.

The role emphasizes collaboration across teams, clear communication of complex results, and ongoing learning in statistics, drug development, and AI/ML capabilities. Hybrid work is available in South San Francisco.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Statistics/Biostatistics with biotech/pharma experience.
• Solid technical foundation in statistics.
• Proficiency in SAS and/or R; comfortable with programming concepts.
• Strong communication and decision-making abilities.
• Experience interfacing with cross-functional teams and translating analyses to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide statistical input to development plans, target product profiles, and trial designs.
• Draft/review protocols, SAPs, and CRFs.
• Perform or oversee analyses including novel endpoints or biomarkers and translate results into actionable insights.
• Collaborate with study teams to meet deliverables and governance reviews.
• Contribute to clinical study reports and regulatory submissions, including INDs/EMA interactions.
• Stay updated on statistics, drug development, and regulatory guidance; support Cytokinetics AI/ML initiatives.

Skills

Statistical analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

ML/AI familiarity

Problem solving

Education

Ph.D. in Statistics/Biostatistics

M.S. in Statistics/Biostatistics

Tools

SAS

R

Programming concepts

Job description

Cytokinetics is a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, building on its over 25 years of pioneering scientific innovations in muscle biology, and advancing a pipeline of potential new medicines for patients suffering from diseases of cardiac muscle dysfunction.

Senior Biostatistics Manager is a critical partner in the design and analysis of clinical studies, applying statistical expertise to guide trial strategy, design, and interpretation. This role ensures scientific rigor while maintaining the flexibility needed for hypothesis generation and signal detection.

Responsibilities include contributing to protocol design, developing statistical analysis plans, and analyzing complex, often high-dimensional and/or observational data to inform clinical plans, go/no-go decisions and regulatory interactions. Successful candidate will combine solid statistical background with advanced machine learning techniques to help to transform how Cytokinetics generates insights from clinical trials and other biomedical datasets.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Under guidance, provide statistical support and strategic input to clinical development plans and target product profiles, proof of concept criteria, and Phase1-4 trials designs, contributing to team's preparation for company governance reviews.
• Draft and review protocols, SAPs, and CRFs using established templates and examples, ensuring alignment with trial goals such as safety and efficacy assessments and translational objectives.
• Perform or support statistical analyses per SAPs, including working with novel endpoints or biomarkers, and proactively identify future uncertainties
• Collaborate with study teams to meet deliverables and develop appropriate processes
• Summarize findings clearly, with support as needed, translating complex outputs into actionable insights
• Contribute to clinical study reports and regulatory submissions, supporting documentation for relevant regulatory interactions including INDs, EMA scientific advice, and other HA interactions.
• Apply judgment to solve moderately complex statistical or data issues, and know when to seek guidance when facing novel or ambiguous situations
• Be an active participant in department initiatives contributing to best practices, and guidelines.
• Keep abreast in new developments in statistics, drug development, and regulatory guidance and share knowledge with functional and cross-functional team members.
• Play an active part in internal innovation by evaluating novel approaches, supporting capability building, and aligning with Cytokinetics AI/ML efforts

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Education/Experience:

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Statistics/Biostatistics, a minimum of 0-2 years (for Ph.D.) or 5+ years (for M.S.) of experience in the biotech/pharma industry or at research institutions as a statistician.
• Possess a solid technical foundation in statistics
• Proficient in SAS and or R and generally comfortable with programming concepts
• Demonstrate independent thinking and make decisions based on sound principles
• Demonstrate excellent strategic agility including problem solving and critical thinking, with agility that extends beyond the technical domain
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills in presentation and writing, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts in clear language

Preferred qualifications

• Experience working with cross-functional collaborators
• Effective communication skills with the ability to translate complex, often exploratory or model-based statistical concepts for non-statistical audiences, including clinicians and researchers
• Basic understanding or willingness to learn drug development principles
• Ability to providing statistical guidance in fast-paced, high-uncertainty settings
• Familiarity with ML and AI approaches

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Pay Range:

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of South San Francisco, CA is $198,000-$231,000. The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. Base salary is just one component of our competitive total compensation package, which includes equity in the form of stock options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to hear from you.

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