Senior Vice President, Translational Science

5AM Ventures

. Define and lead translational strategy for corrector and potentiator programs from development candidate nomination through Phase 1/2 .

Posted 11/3/2026full-timeBerkeley • California • United StatesSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Expertise in translational strategy for drug development, with a strong focus on moving molecules from discovery to clinical phases. Proven leadership in managing teams and external partnerships, alongside effective communication with senior stakeholders and regulatory agencies.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Ph.D. Or M.D./Ph.D. In A Relevant Scientific Discipline15+ Years Of Drug Development ExperienceDeep Small Molecule Drug Development ExperienceExperience Leading Regulatory InteractionsTrack Record Of Building And Managing Teams

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Translational Strategy DevelopmentDrug DevelopmentPharmacokineticsPharmacologyToxicologyClinical Study DesignBiomarker StrategyIND Pathway KnowledgeProgram AccelerationTherapeutic Area Expertise

Soft Skills

Strong Scientific JudgmentExcellent Communication SkillsThought PartnershipDecision-MakingTeam Development

Industry Keywords

BiotechPharmaPreclinical DevelopmentPhase 1 StudiesPhase 2 StudiesCRO ManagementRare DiseasesGenetic DiseasesChronic DiseasesProtein Folding Correctors

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Define and lead translational strategy for corrector and potentiator programs from development candidate nomination through Phase 1/2
Guide go/no-go decisions across biology, translational and related strategies
Own the translational strategy for moving molecules from discovery into clinical development
Partner with the Chief Discovery Officer and Chief Medical Officer on dose selection, endpoints and related readouts
Contribute to regulatory strategy and represent the science in pre-IND and other interactions with the FDA and other agencies
Lead and continuously develop the translational science team
Serve as a thought partner to the CSO, CDO, CEO, senior leadership and Board
Communicate program strategy and data to investors, partners and the Board

Requirements

What you’ll need

Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline
15+ years of drug development experience in biotech or pharma
Proven record as a seasoned drug developer
Demonstrated success taking multiple programs or proofs of concept from preclinical development into Phase 1 or Phase 2 studies in patients
Successfully accelerated at least one program to the clinic
Deep small molecule drug development experience, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, toxicology and the path to IND
Experience spanning multiple therapeutic areas
Track record of building, managing and developing teams, and managing external partners such as CROs
Strong scientific judgment and ability to make clear decisions on incomplete data
Excellent communication skills with scientific, executive, Board and investor audiences
Experience serving as a trusted thought partner to senior leadership teams
Preferred: experience in rare, genetic or chronic diseases
Preferred: biomarker strategy experience, including imaging biomarkers or regulatory biomarker qualifications
Preferred: direct experience leading regulatory interactions, including pre-IND meetings with FDA
Preferred: hands-on experience designing and running Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies with clinical teams
Preferred: experience with protein folding correctors, potentiators or ion channel drugs
Preferred: experience building a function at an early-stage, venture-backed company

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equal opportunity employer
Inclusive and balanced team culture