Director, Pharmaceutical Development

Join Nurix Therapeutics as Director of Pharmaceutical Development in our Brisbane, California headquarters, leading the science and strategy behind next-generation small molecule therapies from bench to patient.

What This Role Involves

As Director of Pharmaceutical Development, you'll spearhead the end-to-end development strategy for oral and topical small molecule drug products. This is a hands-on leadership position that combines technical depth—designing and optimizing formulations for complex compounds—with strategic oversight of vendor partnerships, cross-functional teams, and regulatory submissions. You'll drive programs through all stages: early formulation work, manufacturing scale-up, late-stage clinical supply, and commercial launch. This full-time, on-site role is ideal for a seasoned pharmaceutical scientist ready to make a tangible impact on drug design and manufacturing efficiency.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Design and optimize small molecule formulations using quality-by-design (QbD) principles, with particular expertise in addressing solubility challenges through amorphous solid dispersions, lipid-based systems, and nanoformulation technologies.
• Define quality targets, identify critical material attributes and process parameters, and conduct systematic risk assessments to guide formulation and manufacturing strategy.
• Oversee manufacturing scale-up activities and troubleshoot production deviations, employing root cause analysis and corrective action protocols to ensure consistency across laboratory, pilot, and commercial scales.
• Lead late-stage development initiatives, including clinical supply production, process validation activities, and continued process monitoring through commercialization.
• Author and evaluate chemical, manufacturing, and control (CMC) sections of regulatory filings; interface directly with regulatory agencies on behalf of development programs.
• Manage vendor relationships with contract manufacturing partners, maintaining technical oversight, governance protocols, and accountability for timelines, quality, and budget.
• Mentor and develop a team of scientists and technical staff, providing guidance, professional growth opportunities, and scientific leadership across multiple concurrent programs.
• Collaborate across analytical development, clinical operations, regulatory, quality, supply chain, and commercial functions to align development strategy with business objectives.

What You Bring

• A Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or equivalent discipline, combined with 12+ years of progressive pharmaceutical development experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or CDMO environments.
• Expert-level knowledge of QbD methodologies: Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP) definition, Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) identification, design of experiments, design space development, and control strategy frameworks.
• Proven expertise in small molecule formulation, especially enabled formulation technologies for challenging compounds (BCS Class II/IV materials).
• Substantial experience in Phase 2b/3 development and regulatory submissions (INDs, NDAs, CTDs), including successful resolution of agency questions and post-approval changes.
• Direct experience managing external manufacturing partners: vendor qualification, technical auditing, project governance, and performance management.
• Demonstrated leadership of scientific teams, strategic department planning, budget ownership, and resource allocation across multiple projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to present complex scientific concepts to technical experts, company leadership, and regulatory reviewers.
• Capability to work in GMP and cleanroom environments; readiness for approximately 25% travel to manufacturing sites, regulatory meetings, and industry conferences.

About the Company

Nurix Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical innovator advancing targeted protein degradation as a breakthrough approach to drug design. With proprietary AI-enabled discovery technology and deep expertise in protein ligases, Nurix is translating degradation science into clinical-stage therapies for cancer and inflammatory conditions. The company combines scientific rigor with a collaborative culture that values hands-on problem-solving, cross-functional teamwork, and results-oriented execution.

Ready to Apply?

To apply, complete your application directly on this page, or you'll be redirected to the employer's application platform to finish submitting there.