Vice President, Clinical Development

Scorpion Therapeutics; United States; On-site; USD 350,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Scorpion Therapeutics seeks a Vice President of Clinical Development (Nephrology) to provide clinical, scientific, and strategic oversight for rare kidney disease programs across Phases 1–4. The role leads Global Development Physician activities, shapes pre-IND to NDA/BLA strategies, and partners with Biometrics and Medical Affairs.

Onsite in San Diego with travel up to 25–30% is expected. This is a high-visibility leadership position in a fast-moving biotech setting, emphasizing collaboration

Qualifications

• MD or MD/PhD with nephrology training preferred.
• 12+ years in clinical research with pharma/biotech.
• 8+ years of leadership experience in a matrix environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Global Development Physician Lead for assigned programs and represent programs to executives and study teams.
• Communicate goals, strategies, plans, issues, and risks to stakeholders and leadership.
• Lead development of protocols and clinical/scientific strategy for Phase 1–4.
• Provide expertise across development/regulatory strategy and human-factors studies.
• Contribute strategic input for landscape, biometrics analyses, publications, and presentations.
• Partner with Biometrics and Medical Affairs on data planning and scientific communications.
• Ensure accountability for protocols, brochures, reports, and safety/efficacy rationales.
• Lead/mentor Clinical Development staff and consultants; foster high performance.
• Establish relationships with alliance partners, investigators, and KOLs; attend initiation meetings.
• Support governance presentations and cross-functional key decisions.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific communication

Clinical development strategy

Regulatory strategy

Education

MD or MD/PhD

Job description

Position Summary

• Vice President, Clinical Development (Nephrology) – project co-lead providing overall clinical, scientific, and strategic oversight for rare kidney disease programs across Phases 1–4.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Global Development Physician Lead for assigned programs (Program Strategy Team) and represent programs to executive leadership and study teams.
• Communicate program goals, strategies, plans, issues, and risks to stakeholders and executives.
• Lead development of protocols and clinical/scientific strategy for Phase 1–4.
• Provide expertise across development/regulatory strategy (pre-IND to NDA/BLA) and devices (Human Factor studies).
• Contribute strategic input for rare metabolic/genetic disease landscape, biometrics analyses, publications, and presentations.
• Partner with Biometrics and Medical Affairs on data planning, analysis, interpretation, and scientific communications.
• Ensure clinical accountabilities for protocols, investigator brochures, medical reports, efficacy/safety summaries, rationales, and benefit/risk.
• Lead/mentor Clinical Development staff and consultants; foster a high-performance culture.
• Establish relationships with stakeholders (alliance partners, external companies, investigators, KOLs); attend investigator and site initiation meetings.
• Support governance presentations and represent key decisions cross-functionally.

Education/Experience Requirements

• M.D. or M.D./Ph.D.; nephrology training and rare kidney disease drug development strongly preferred.
• 12+ years clinical research (design/execution of clinical trials in pharma/biotech); 8+ years leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
• NDA/BLA submissions experience preferred.

Additional Skills/Requirements

• Courage, Community Spirit, Patient Focus, Teamwork.
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills; ability to present complex data.
• Experience with devices/human factors preferred.
• Ability to work inclusively in multidisciplinary teams; manage complexity and shifting priorities.
• Ability to travel domestically/internationally (up to 25–30%); onsite presence in San Diego required (not 100% remote).