Exelixis Inc Posted August 26, 2026

Senior DMPK Director

Alameda, United States Full time
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About this opportunity

Summary/Job Purpose (Basic purpose of the job):

The Senior DMPK Director has strong scientific, technical and leadership skills to develop and implement DMPK and modeling & simulation strategies to advance drug candidates from discovery to development stage and build comprehensive DMPK packages to enable successful drug registration. The senior director is responsible for providing strategic and technical subject matter expertise as well as scientific accountability and oversight for the DMPK support of several programs in Exelixis’ portfolio. The Senior Director contributes to growth of the Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics department and may mentor junior scientists.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Lead the Translational IND- and NDA-enabling ADME work; characterize the ADME properties of molecules and collaborate to establish in vitro to in vivo correlations; ensure that all DMPK studies and analyses are consistent with regulatory guidance

Analyze and interpret preclinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data to inform drug development decisions

Closely partner with Discovery to evolve translational ADME strategies and collaborate on roll-out, education and execution to ensure deep integration of knowledge from Discovery to Development

Closely partner with Clinical Pharmacology and pharmacometrics to ensure a seamless transition of molecules to development and generate the preclinical data needed to inform the Clinical Pharmacology development plans

Work collaboratively with other functional partners including Translational Medicine, CMC, Toxicology, Clinical Development and Regulatory to deliver on project and corporate objectives

Prepare high quality regulatory documents including IND, CTA, and NDA filings; prepare DMPK components of nonclinical and clinical study protocols, nonclinical and clinical study reports, and investigator brochures

Support functional area reviews for due diligence evaluations

Conduct scientific presentations to senior management, project teams, and internal/external collaborators

Stay up-to-date with advancements in DMPK research and identify and integrate emerging science to advance the portfolio

Maintain external scientific visibility through publications

Foster a science-driven, goal-oriented culture that values innovation, teamwork, agility, transparency, accountability, and empowerment

Comply with company health and safety policies and general laboratory practices.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

No supervisory responsibilities.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Education:

PhD degree in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Metabolism, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or other relevant field and a minimum of 14 years of relevant experience in DMPK in the pharmaceutical industry

Experience:

Minimum 12 years experience in DMPK

Expert knowledge of in vitro and in vivo ADME studies

Strong experience of managing external DMPK work at CROs

Extensive experience in identifying clinical candidates through balancing ADME, pharmacology and toxicology properties and progressing molecules into clinical trials

Solid experience in utilization of physiologically-based and empirical modeling and simulations techniques to characterize drug-drug interactions and biopharmaceutics liabilities

Experience with submission of IND/NDA/BLA and global marketing applications

Experience with antibody drug conjugates is a plus

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Extensive scientific and technical knowledge around drug metabolism and drug transporters, including enzymology and enzyme kinetics and in vitro to in vivo extrapolation

Demonstration of independent thought/creativity in science and drug discovery

Experience in applying emerging science and technologies to strengthen and improve research capabilities

In-depth knowledge of current practices and issues in DMPK (including regulatory requirements), PKPD and translational sciences

Keen desire to grow and develop the careers of team members

Demonstrates strong leadership; and has the ability to influence and make decisions

Excellent collaborative verbal and written communication skills

Able to work well with multi-disciplinary teams

Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis and review of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Works on ADME complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors

Exercises independent judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results

Networks with key contacts outside own area of expertise

Thrives in a fast-paced business environment

Function in a highly matrixed team environment

Establish collaborative networks between functional areas

Find creative solutions to unique and complex problems

Manage within performance teams

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

Our office is a modern, open-plan space that foster collaborations and creativity.  Teams work closely together, sharing ideas and solutions in a supportive atmosphere.  We provide all necessary equipment, including dual monitors and ergonomic workstations, to ensure a comfortable workspace.

Travel requirements can be listed by stating up to certain % of time traveling.

#LI-JP1

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The base pay range for this position is $183,000 - $260,000 annually. The base pay range may take into account the candidate’s geographic region, which will adjust the pay depending on the specific work location. The base pay offered will take into account the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, experience and internal equity, among other factors.

In addition to the base salary, as part of our Total Rewards program, Exelixis offers comprehensive employee benefits package, including a 401k plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts. Employees are also eligible for a discretionary annual bonus program, or if field sales staff, a sales-based incentive plan. Exelixis also offers employees the opportunity to purchase company stock, and receive long-term incentives, 15 accrued vacation days in their first year, 17 paid holidays including a company-wide winter shutdown in December, and up to 10 sick days throughout the calendar year.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the recruiting process, please email us at: ApplicantAccommodations@exelixis.com .

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Our office is a modern space that fosters collaboration and creativity. Teams work closely together, sharing ideas and solutions in a supportive atmosphere. We provide all necessary equipment, including dual monitors and ergonomic chairs, to ensure a comfortable workspace.

DISCLAIMER: 

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

Job details

Seniority
Director
Function
Clinical Development
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Alameda, United States
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Clinical Development role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 274 comparable Director Clinical Development roles across 51 biopharma companies.

274Comparable roles tracked
262Currently active
51Companies hiring similar roles
20Countries represented

Salary context

137 of 274 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject $183,000/yr – $260,000/yr
Lowest disclosed · Sr. Principal Associate - QA Clinical Trial Packaging Engineer · Lilly $65,250/yr – $169,400/yr
Peer group range $117,325 – $392,100 (median $264,000)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 274 comparable roles

United States209
United Kingdom15
India10
Spain7
Switzerland7
Sweden3

+ 14 more countries

Seniority mix

274 of 274 peers have a known seniority level

Director199
Senior Director44
Principal31

Therapeutic area mix

92 of 274 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology46
Immunology17
Neuroscience12
Respiratory6
Cardiovascular / CVRM4
Ophthalmology4
Rare Disease1
Dermatology & Aesthetics1
Vaccines & Infectious Disease1

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How we calculate "similar"

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Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

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Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.