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Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work® in 2026.
Description of Role
Senior Director, DMPK Project Leader ensures delivery of all DMPK related activities working collaboratively as part of a cross-functional program team. These include nonclinical PK experiments, in vitro ADME, biotransformation studies, bioanalytical and toxicokinetic analysis. This role supports understanding pharmacokinetic, toxicokinetic, and ADME principles to enable progression of drug candidates across the portfolio. A qualified candidate will have previous experience in PK modeling ideally for CNS drug candidates and a basic understanding of vital ADME properties for CNS drug candidate progression. Furthermore, a qualified candidate will have end-to-end experience in drug discovery and development including NDA submission; will be able to partner with both discovery and development teams to enable the identification of lead candidates with optimal DMPK properties for progression into nonclinical development and the progression of lead candidates into clinical development.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the filing of NDAs for DMPK
Deliver high-quality DMPK input and data to projects within established timelines
Utilize knowledge of DMPK to support/influence compound profiling, project progression and project strategy
Proactively calculate PK and toxicokinetic parameters, estimate safety margins and report results and interpretations to project teams and internal governance bodies
Lead, coordinate, and engage with DMPK colleagues, clinical pharmacologists, and toxicologists in project related activities
Prepare clear presentations related to the above for internal governance bodies
Qualifications
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology or a related field
Minimum of 10 years of industry experience in a biotech or pharmaceutical setting
Expert in DMPK sciences with knowledge of drug discovery and development processes
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Experience in DMPK project leadership
Previous work in the discovery and/or development of CNS drug candidates
Experience with regulatory submissions including NDAs for small molecules
Knowledge, experience, and proficiency in supporting GLP-compliant studies
Good knowledge of all DMPK assays including the use of in silico tools for PK prediction
Proficiency with Phoenix WinNonlin and other software for NCA and PK modeling in small molecule drug discovery and development
Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and communicate scientific findings clearly and effectively
Collaborative mindset and operates with a sense of urgency
Strong, proactive communication skills
Work Location
The Senior Director, DMPK Project Lead role based in the US, with occasional travel.
Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.
Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$177,000 - $338,800Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.
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Skills Required
- Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, or a related field
- Minimum of 10 years of industry experience in a biotechnology or pharmaceutical setting
- Expertise in DMPK sciences and knowledge of drug discovery and development processes
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Experience in DMPK project leadership
- Previous experience with discovery or development of CNS drug candidates
- Experience with regulatory submissions, including NDAs for small molecules
- Knowledge and experience supporting GLP-compliant studies
- Knowledge of DMPK assays and in silico tools for PK prediction
- Proficiency with Phoenix WinNonlin and other software for NCA and PK modeling in small-molecule drug discovery and development
- Ability to work cross-functionally and communicate scientific findings clearly and effectively
- Collaborative mindset and sense of urgency
- Strong, proactive communication skills
Eli Lilly and Company Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Eli Lilly and Company and has not been reviewed or approved by Eli Lilly and Company.
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Retirement Support — Feedback suggests long-term savings are bolstered by a defined-benefit pension alongside a company 401(k) match and retiree health options. These elements make total compensation feel strong beyond base salary.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Feedback suggests paid time off is expansive, with substantial vacation, company shutdown days, and milestone time. This breadth of leave is viewed as a meaningful part of overall rewards.
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Parental & Family Support — Feedback suggests family-building and caregiving support are robust, including paid parental leave, adoption or surrogacy assistance, and backup care. These programs enhance the perceived value of benefits across life stages.
Eli Lilly and Company Insights
What We Do
Eli Lilly and Company engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of products in pharmaceutical products business segment. For more than a century, we have stayed true to a core set of values – excellence, integrity, and respect for people – that guide us in all we do: discovering medicines that meet real needs, improving the understanding and management of disease, and giving back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.
