VP, Head of Preclinical Pharmacology

The Role:

The Vice President, Head of Preclinical Pharmacology will define and lead Generate’s enterprise-wide preclinical pharmacology strategy, reporting directly to the Chief Scientific Officer.

This visionary leader will bolster and strengthen our preclinical pharmacology capabilities, while partnering with our Prototyping team to develop in vitro and in vivo technologies fueling large-scale data generation and advancing differentiated therapeutics in our pipeline. This includes deployment of novel assays at Generate that will enhance our abilities to perform functional screening at scale. Additionally, this leader will build a digitally enabled, translational pharmacology organization that converts computationally generated biologics into development-ready clinical candidates. The role spans in vitro and in vivo pharmacology and is accountable for the quality, rigor, and strategic integration of preclinical data across the portfolio.

This is not a traditional downstream pharmacology role. This leader will operate at the interface of computational design, high-throughput experimentation, and translational science, with joint responsibility for optimizing both our platform capabilities and therapeutic programs.

The role partners deeply with our platform teams to build and evolve experimental systems that generate large-scale, high-quality data and enable rapid iteration between hypothesis, experiment, and model. Success requires embracing incomplete systems, rapidly evolving technologies, and continuous closed-loop optimization between design and validation.

Organizational Scope

The Head of Preclinical Pharmacology will lead an organization consisting of:

Functional Bioassays

• In vitro potency and mechanism-of-action assays
• Advanced cell-based and complex biological models

Assay Automation & Qualification

• Assay development, optimization, and validation
• Automation strategy and execution
• GLP-aligned assay qualification where required
• Throughput scaling to support portfolio expansion

In Vivo Pharmacology

• Preclinical disease models
• PK/PD characterization
• Dose-ranging and efficacy studies
• Translational data integration across modalities

This leader will lead leaders who build scalable systems capable of supporting multiple programs across biologic modalities.

Here's how you will contribute:

Enterprise & Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a long-term vision for preclinical pharmacology aligned with the company’s Generative Biology™ platform and portfolio strategy.
• Align functional budget, infrastructure, and talent strategy with corporate growth objectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CSO and executive leadership on portfolio risk, differentiation, and development readiness.

Closed-loop Learning and Platform Integration

• Drive closed-loop optimization between computational design and experimental validation
• Ensure experiments are designed not only for program decisions, but to improve upstream models and platform capabilities
• Partner with platform teams to define data generation strategies that maximize information content and learning efficiency
• Continuously evolve assay systems to increase throughput, relevance, and turnaround time

Translational Integration

• Partner closely with the VP, Clinical Pharmacology to ensure:
• Strong PK/PD translation from animal models to first-in-human studies
• Biomarker continuity from preclinical to clinical settings
• Dose rationale grounded in mechanistic and quantitative understanding
• Create structured handoffs and shared accountability between Research and Clinical Development.

Scientific & Technical Excellence

• Set a high bar for rigor, reproducibility, and decision-quality data.
• Embed automation, digital infrastructure, and data science into pharmacology workflows.
• Ensure scalable assay systems that support rapid iteration with computational design cycles.
• Drive integration of in vitro, in vivo, and modeling data into cohesive translational narratives.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Build systems that promote enterprise-level accountability and transparency.
• Align pharmacology strategy with company-wide objectives and long-term growth.
• Champion a culture of experimentation, resilience, and calculated risk-taking.
• Model data-driven, transparent, and courageous communication.

Act as an organizational thought leader and spokesperson

The Ideal Candidate will have:

• PhD, MD, or equivalent in a life science, engineering, or quantitative discipline. We welcome candidates from both traditional life science backgrounds (e.g., pharmacology, immunology, biology) and quantitative or engineering fields (e.g., biomedical engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, systems biology), provided they demonstrate deep expertise in pharmacology and translational science.
• Proven experience leading leaders and managing multi-functional preclinical teams.
• 15+ years in novel and/or high throughput assay development (in vitro or in vivo) within industry or academia
• Demonstrated success advancing programs from early discovery through IND-enabling studies.
• Deep expertise in:
• In vitro potency and mechanistic assays
• Preclinical disease models
• PK/PD and dose optimization
• GLP-aligned assay validation
• Experience integrating automation and data systems into experimental workflows.
• Strategic planning experience with measurable impact on portfolio-level outcomes.
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence at the CSO/Board level.

Why This Role Matters

This role defines how Generate translates computationally designed molecules into clinically viable medicines. It is the bridge between digital biology and human proof-of-concept. As a direct report to the CSO and peer to the VP, Clinical Pharmacology, this leader ensures that Generate’s preclinical pharmacology is not just excellent but strategically differentiating.

Who Will Love This Job: 

You will architect a next-generation pharmacology organization built for the era of Generative Biology™ where machine learning and experimental biology are fully integrated to accelerate the creation of breakthrough biologics.

This is an opportunity to shape enterprise strategy, build leaders, and influence the future of drug development at scale.

About Generate:Biomedicines

We are a clinical-stage generative biology company pioneering the AI revolution in drug design and development. We are advancing a new approach to drug creation—one grounded in the ability to design proteins with defined biological intent. By integrating machine learning with large-scale experimentation, this approach aims to reduce the uncertainty, time, and cost associated with developing protein-based medicines.

Founded in 2018, we are advancing a growing pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs across multiple disease areas and protein modalities. By unifying computational design and clinical development within a single operating model, we translate this approach into clinical-stage programs and are leading a shift from traditional drug discovery toward systematic drug generation.

At Generate:Biomedicines, we collaborate across disciplines in new ways to invent and innovate. We bring diverse perspectives to a shared goal of delivering better medicines to patients in need, faster, guided by our values and leadership behaviors.

Generate:Biomedicines is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Generate:Biomedicines does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Generate:Biomedicines or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by the Company’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Generate:Biomedicines and the Company will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.