Strategic Director, Discovery Sciences & Technologies

Biopharma Careers; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 261,000 - 338,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Bonus

Stock incentives

Paid time off

Job summary

Gilead Sciences Inc. is seeking a Senior Director, Discovery Sciences & Technologies to provide strategic and scientific leadership in assay development, high‑throughput screening, and advanced drug discovery technologies.

This role supports target validation, lead generation, and progression of programs to development‑candidate nomination. The successful candidate will build and scale best‑in‑class discovery capabilities across small molecules, biologics, and modalities, leading across

Qualifications

• PhD in biochemistry, enzymology, biophysics or a related discipline with a minimum of 15+ years of drug discovery experience in an industrial research environment.
• Deep expertise in protein–ligand interactions, supported by strong experience with biophysical and cell-based technologies.
• Demonstrated success in developing and deploying biochemical and cellular assays for target validation, lead generation, and SAR driven optimization.
• Proven track record of advancing discovery programs from HTS to development candidate nomination.
• Experience with mass spectrometry–based approaches, and expertise in covalent inhibitors and degrader modalities, is highly desirable.
• Established ability to lead, mentor, and develop senior level scientists and to drive impact in a highly matrixed organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse scientific and non‑scientific audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a high‑performing team responsible for developing biochemical, biophysical, and cellular pharmacology assays across all therapeutic areas and modalities.
• Establish and execute assay and screening strategies that enable target discovery, hit identification, and lead optimization, while proactively identifying rate‑limiting steps and key decision points.
• Apply and integrate diverse biophysical and cellular approaches to drive deep mechanistic understanding of target engagement, pathway modulation, and inhibitor behavior.
• Drive the adoption and internal development of next‑generation lead‑generation technologies, including novel assay platforms, automation, data analytics, and innovative screening methodologies, to maintain state‑of‑the‑art discovery capabilities
• Evaluate and influence external technologies, platforms, and innovations in support of in‑licensing, partnerships, and strategic collaborations
• Provide clear scientific direction, critical data interpretation, and decision support at project teams and governance forums.
• Manage resources effectively across multiple concurrent programs to ensure efficient progression of programs across Gilead’s research portfolio.
• Mentor, develop, and empower scientific leaders and emerging talent, fostering a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, accountability, and collaboration.

Skills

Biochemistry

Biophysics

Cell-based assays

Protein–ligand interactions

Leadership

Education

PhD in biochemistry/enzymology/biophysics

Tools

Mass spectrometry

Biophysical technologies

Cell-based technologies

Job description

Gilead Sciences Inc. is seeking a Senior Director, Discovery Sciences & Technologies to provide strategic and scientific leadership in assay development, high‑throughput screening, and advanced drug discovery technologies.

This role supports target validation, lead generation, and progression of programs to development‑candidate nomination. The successful candidate will build and scale best‑in‑class discovery capabilities across small molecules, biologics, and modalities, leading across