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Director Preclinical Development Jobs in San Rafael, CA

Mercor

ADC Expert - Preclinical R&D

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$60 - $100/hr

Preclinical R&D Expert - ADC & Bispecifics Type: Contract Compensation: $60-$100/hour Location ... Direct experience with ADCs and/or bispecific (or multispecific) antibodies . * Work in a core R&D ...

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Director Preclinical Development information

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How much do director preclinical development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for director preclinical development in San Rafael, CA is $102,983.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $78,000.00 and $120,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a director preclinical development?

A Director of Preclinical Development oversees the early-stage research and testing of drug candidates before they enter clinical trials. They manage preclinical studies, ensuring regulatory compliance, safety, and efficacy assessments. This role involves coordinating with cross-functional teams, external partners, and regulatory agencies to advance promising compounds. Strong expertise in toxicology, pharmacology, and regulatory guidelines is essential. The director plays a key role in shaping the preclinical strategy to support successful drug development.

What are the typical responsibilities and team dynamics for a director preclinical development?

A Director of Preclinical Development is responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and management of preclinical research programs, ensuring that studies meet scientific, regulatory, and project milestones. You will typically work with cross-functional teams including toxicologists, pharmacologists, regulatory affairs professionals, and external partners, fostering collaboration throughout the drug development process. The role often involves reviewing study designs and data, preparing regulatory submissions, and providing strategic direction to advance compounds toward clinical testing. Working closely with upper management, you'll play a key part in shaping research priorities and resource allocation. This position offers significant influence over drug development strategies and opportunities for advancement to higher executive or scientific leadership roles.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the director preclinical development position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Preclinical Development, you need deep expertise in pharmaceutical or biotechnology research, strong project management abilities, and an advanced degree (Ph.D., Pharm.D., or equivalent) in a life sciences field. Familiarity with regulatory guidelines (such as GLP), experience using data management and statistical analysis software, and prior leadership roles in preclinical studies are essential. Exceptional communication, problem-solving, and team leadership skills set candidates apart in managing multidisciplinary teams and collaborative projects. These competencies are crucial for successfully guiding drug candidates through preclinical stages while ensuring regulatory compliance and timely project delivery.

What job categories do people searching Director Preclinical Development jobs in San Rafael, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Preclinical Development jobs in San Rafael, CA are:

What cities near San Rafael, CA are hiring for Director Preclinical Development jobs?

Cities near San Rafael, CA with the most Director Preclinical Development job openings:

Director Preclinical Development jobs near you

ADC Expert - Preclinical R&D

San Francisco, CA • On-site, Remote

Mercor
See more jobs at Mercorexternal

$60 - $100/hr

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago

Job description

About the job

Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.

Position: Preclinical R&D Expert – ADC & Bispecifics
Type: Contract
Compensation: $60–$100/hour
Location: Remote
Commitment: 10 hours/week

Role Responsibilities

  • Review technical materials and real-world R&D data across ADC and/or bispecific programs.
  • Label, classify, and annotate scientific data and model outputs to improve model performance.
  • Provide expert perspective on key scientific and development decisions, including target/modality selection, optimization, and risk assessment.
  • Help define structure and quality standards for the client's dataset pipeline.
  • Participate in expert discussions, interviews, and research engagements.

Qualifications

Must-Have

  • Hands-on, non-administrative preclinical R&D experience at a company that develops its own drug assets in-house and has taken programs to the clinic.
  • Direct experience with ADCs and/or bispecific (or multispecific) antibodies.
  • Work in a core R&D function: discovery biology, medicinal chemistry, protein/antibody engineering, computational, in vivo/translational, pharmacology/PK-PD, toxicology, or CMC/formulation.
  • 5+ years of relevant industry R&D experience.

Preferred

  • Experience taking a program through lead optimization or IND-enabling/preclinical development.
  • Experience at mid-sized, emerging, or resource-constrained biotech, ideally outside the top-20 pharmaceutical companies.

Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)

  • Upload resume
  • AI interview based on your resume
  • Submit form

Resources & Support

  • For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
  • For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com

PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.