Senior Director - Preclinical Programs

We are seeking Senior Director, Preclinical Programs to build and lead the in vivo therapeutic programs for genetically driven diseases and provide scientific leadership to the preclinical development of multiple programs, focusing on rapid progression to IND filing.  Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Preclinical, this role will be committed to bringing in vivo gene editing programs to the clinic by applying strong technical, leadership, and people management skills.

How you'll contribute

• In partnership with the SVP Preclinical and the executive team, develop and execute a hiring plan to support internal and partnered programs
• Successfully attract and retain a talented high, functioning team of scientists at the senior/principal level who will lead individual therapeutic programs 
• Present progress updates to key decision-makers, including partners, research, and management teams
• Provide strategic direction to the executive team and external collaborators regarding the in vivo platform
• Establish scientific standards and set strategic direction and priorities for gene editing strategies
• Collaborate with the Chief Medical Officer to understand and plan for clinical translation and establish pre-clinical criteria for development candidate selection
• Collaborate closely with Discovery and Protein Engineering groups to leverage advances in the gene editing platform for therapeutics
• Provide scientific leadership by proactively advising, sharing knowledge and expert opinions across functions and with senior management
• Work closely with project teams to ensure timely execution and communication of research results with high-quality standards, enabling clear go-no/go decisions and timelines.
• Work with cross-functional leads to create and execute research strategies
• Anticipate scientific barriers and proactively develops strategies to ensure the successful selection of development candidates
• Oversee the development and execution of assays and studies (efficacy and mechanism of action) to enable the in vivo gene delivery platform and support drug candidate nomination and selection.
• Apply experience and expertise in preclinical development of gene editing drugs to guide in vivo study design

What you bring:

• Ph.D. in cell/ molecular biology/pharmacology
• Exceptional leadership skills and at least ten years of experience managing senior-level scientists
• Demonstrated experience in drug discovery in the gene editing or gene therapy space
• Experience leading and managing partnerships with biopharma 
• Experience with rare inherited diseases in the areas of cardiovascular/metabolic disorders, CNS and/or eye diseases
• Experience in pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and animal pharmacology/monitoring animal studies
• Successful experience writing/reviewing regulatory sections of IND
• In-depth experience managing CROs to achieve nonclinical milestones on time and within budget
• Comprehensive knowledge of the drug development process, including cross-functional integration from animal preclinical POC through Phase I
• A transparent, flexible, can-do approach to address issues innovatively and proactively to promote teamwork and a pleasant work environment.
• Outstanding influencing, oral, and written communication skills.

California Pay Transparency Disclosure:

This position is classified as an exempt position under the Federal Labor Standards Act.  The anticipated base salary range for this position will be $250K-$270K.  You will also be eligible to receive equity, bonuses, and a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits depending on the position offered. Please note that individual total compensation for this position will be determined at the Company’s sole discretion and may vary based on location, skill level, years and depth of relevant experience, and education. 

About Metagenomi

Metagenomi is a gene editing company committed to developing potentially curative therapeutics by leveraging a proprietary toolbox of next-generation gene editing systems to accurately edit DNA where current technologies cannot. Our metagenomics-powered discovery platform and analytical expertise reveal novel cellular machinery sourced from otherwise unknown organisms. We adapt and forge these naturally evolved systems into powerful gene editing systems that are ultra-small, extremely efficient, highly specific and have a decreased risk of immune response. These systems fuel our pipeline of novel medicines and can be leveraged by partners. Our goal is to revolutionize gene editing for the benefit of patients around the world. For more inf