Principal Scientist, DMPK

About the role

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet‑founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity‑driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug‑development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Calico is seeking a Principal Scientist, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics to join the Drug Discovery team. This position is a unique opportunity to shape the DMPK strategy and contribute to the development of innovative therapeutics. The role functions as an individual contributor, collaborating closely with external partners such as pharma companies and CROs.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement the DMPK strategy to support drug discovery and development programs; provide expert DMPK guidance and input to project teams; represent the DMPK function in cross‑functional meetings and interactions with external stakeholders; stay abreast of the latest advancements in DMPK science and regulatory guidelines; collaborate closely with project, biology, and chemistry leads to support and advance programmatic goals.
• Collaboration and Outsourcing: Effectively collaborate with CROs and other external partners to execute DMPK studies; manage CRO relationships, including study design, data analysis, and report writing; oversee the quality and timely delivery of DMPK data from external partners.
• Individual Contribution: Design, coordinate and interpret DMPK studies, including in vitro and in vivo experiments; analyze and interpret DMPK data to support drug candidate selection and development; author and review DMPK reports, regulatory documents, and scientific publications.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in DMPK within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Experience as a DMPK functional representative on drug discovery teams.
• Strong understanding of DMPK principles and their application to drug discovery and development.
• Extensive experience in designing and conducting in vitro and in vivo DMPK studies.
• Proven ability to analyze and interpret DMPK data to inform drug development decisions.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
• Experience in managing CROs and external partnerships.
• Willingness to work onsite 5 days a week.
• Nice to have: Experience with a variety of therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, biologics, and peptides; familiarity with regulatory guidelines and requirements for DMPK studies; prior experience writing regulatory documents; experience with modeling and simulation software such as Phoenix WinNonlin, Gastroplus, SimCYP.

Pay

The estimated base salary range for this role is $197,000 – $235,000. Actual pay will be based on experience and qualifications. The position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.