Centessa Pharmaceuticals · 6 days ago
Executive Director, Head of Toxicology
United States
Full-time
Remote
Director/Executive
$320K/yr - $350K/yr
18+ years expCentessa Pharmaceuticals is a new kind of pharmaceutical company with a focus on data driven decision making. They are seeking an Executive Director/Head of Toxicology to provide scientific and strategic leadership for nonclinical safety across discovery and development programs, particularly for small-molecule therapeutics.
BiotechnologyLife SciencePharmaceuticalClinical Trials
No H1B
Responsibilities
Lead and mentor a team of toxicologists and technical/operational staff, fostering scientific excellence and professional growth
Define and execute nonclinical safety strategies across discovery, preclinical, and clinical stages
Provide expert toxicology and safety pharmacology input to cross‑functional development teams
Lead nonclinical sub‑teams as an integrated development head, providing cross‑functional oversight across Toxicology, DMPK, Bioanalytical Sciences, and Clinical Pharmacology to ensure aligned, program‑ready nonclinical strategies
Serve as the primary nonclinical representative on Program Development Teams (PDTs) and at internal governance and external forums, effectively championing program strategy, presenting to regulatory authorities, and holding scientific ground with senior leadership, partners, CROs, and health authorities
Design, oversee, and interpret GLP, non‑GLP, investigative, and in vitro toxicology studies
Develop safety strategies for new targets, lead optimization programs, and platform technologies
Oversee toxicology and safety pharmacology studies conducted internally and at CROs
Ensure high scientific quality, compliance, and timely delivery of nonclinical study outputs
Author and critically review toxicology sections of regulatory documents (e.g., pre‑IND, IND, IBs)
Partner with biology, DMPK, pathology, pharmacology, clinical, and regulatory colleagues to drive integrated decision‑making
Present nonclinical safety data and risk assessments to project teams and senior R&D leadership
Serve as the primary nonclinical safety representative in regulatory agency interactions
Support product defense and regulatory submissions through robust scientific rationale
Provide strategic guidance on safety issue resolution and investigational toxicology approaches
Contribute to portfolio‑level planning and prioritization of nonclinical safety resources
Build scalable toxicology capabilities to support a growing and diverse pipeline
Qualification
Required
PhD in Toxicology, Pharmacology, Pathology, DVM, or related discipline; board certification (e.g., DABT, ERT) - required
18+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology R&D with a strong track record in nonclinical and regulatory toxicology
Proven ability to function as an upward‑facing nonclinical leader and generalist, with the credibility and judgment to represent project development team agenda at decisional governance meetings, engage confidently with regulatory agencies, and serve as a trusted development partner to senior leadership
Deep expertise supporting small‑molecule programs across discovery, IND‑enabling, and early clinical development
Strong working knowledge of national and international GLP guidelines
Demonstrated experience defining and executing nonclinical safety strategies to support diverse pipelines and novel biology
Proven leadership experience building, managing, and mentoring toxicology teams within a collaborative, matrixed environment
Extensive experience preparing and reviewing nonclinical sections of global regulatory submissions and engaging with health authorities (FDA, EMA)
Strong ability to integrate complex nonclinical datasets across toxicology, pathology, DMPK, and pharmacology to inform development decisions
Experience overseeing outsourced toxicology and safety pharmacology studies and managing CRO partnerships
Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to partner effectively across Early Development, Research, and Regulatory functions in a fast‑paced environment
Benefits
Discretionary annual bonus
401(k) plan
Company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
Generous paid time off
Health and wellness program
Company
Centessa Pharmaceuticals
Centessa Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company that focuses on drug development to address significant medical needs.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1.12BKey Investors
Oberland CapitalGeneral Atlantic,Janus Henderson Investors,Vida Ventures
2026-03-31Acquired
2025-11-11Post Ipo Equity· $250M
2024-09-11Post Ipo Equity· $225M
Leadership Team
John Crowley
Chief Financial Officer
Gregory Weinhoff
Chief Business Officer
Recent News
Foresite Capital
2026-07-03
2026-06-26
Company data provided by crunchbase