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Drug Development Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

NewLimit

Scientist, Drug Product Analytical

South San Francisco, CA · On-site

$130K - $170K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Work closely with the cross-functional teams to support RNA and LNP analysis for drug development from early discovery to GLP/GMP stages. Act as a technical expert for our CRO/CDMO partners on drug ...

Almac Group

Business Development Manager

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$150K - $170K/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Good working knowledge of the drug development and clinical trial process What can Almac Group offer you? * 20 days PTO per year , accrued monthly following start date * Medical , Vision amp; Dental ...

Almac Group

Business Development Manager

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Good working knowledge of the drug development and clinical trial process What can Almac Group offer you? * 20 days PTO per year , accrued monthly following start date * Medical , Vision & Dental ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsDrug Development JobsDrug Development Jobs in California

Drug Development information

See California salary details

$32.6K

$76.4K

$131.3K

How much do drug development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average yearly pay for drug development in California is $76,424.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,700.00 and $89,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is drug development?

Drug development is the process of bringing a new pharmaceutical drug to market. It involves several stages, including drug discovery, preclinical research, clinical trials, and regulatory approval. Each stage is designed to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of the drug before it can be made available to patients. The entire process can take several years and requires collaboration between scientists, clinicians, regulatory agencies, and pharmaceutical companies.

What are the typical stages of collaboration between different teams in a drug development role?

In drug development, professionals regularly collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, including research scientists, clinical trial coordinators, regulatory affairs specialists, and manufacturing experts. Early stages involve close work with research and discovery teams to identify promising compounds, followed by coordination with clinical teams during trial phases, and finally with regulatory and production teams as the drug moves toward approval and commercialization. Effective communication and cross-functional teamwork are essential, as each stage relies on timely data sharing and joint problem-solving to navigate complex challenges.

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

To thrive in Drug Development, you need a strong background in pharmaceutical sciences, biology, or chemistry, often supported by an advanced degree (e.g., PhD, PharmD, or MSc). Familiarity with regulatory compliance, clinical trial management systems, and data analysis software such as SAS or R is typically required. Excellent problem-solving, project management, and cross-functional communication skills help professionals excel in this multidisciplinary field. These competencies ensure that new drugs are developed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with regulatory standards.

What is the difference between Drug Development vs Pharmacologist?

AspectDrug DevelopmentPharmacologist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or related fields; often requires experience in clinical trialsDegree in Pharmacology, Pharmacy, or related fields; may require licensing or certification for clinical practice
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, clinical trial sitesResearch labs, hospitals, academic institutions, regulatory agencies
Industry UsageDeveloping new drugs, overseeing clinical trials, regulatory submissionsStudying drug effects, mechanisms, safety, and efficacy; advising on drug use

While both roles are integral to the pharmaceutical industry, Drug Development focuses on creating and bringing new drugs to market through research, testing, and regulatory processes. Pharmacologists primarily study how drugs interact with biological systems, often working in research or clinical settings to understand drug effects and safety. The two roles often collaborate but differ in their core responsibilities and career focus.

How much do drug development professionals make?

Drug development professionals, including roles such as research scientists and clinical trial managers, typically earn salaries ranging from $70,000 to over $130,000 annually, depending on experience, education, and location. Senior positions or those with specialized skills and certifications can earn higher salaries, especially in biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Is drug development a good career?

Drug development is a challenging and rewarding career that involves research, clinical trials, and regulatory processes to bring new medications to market. It requires strong scientific knowledge, attention to detail, and often collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. The field offers opportunities for growth, innovation, and contributing to public health, but can also involve long hours and high responsibility.

What career develops drugs?

A career in drug development typically involves roles such as pharmacologist, medicinal chemist, clinical researcher, or regulatory affairs specialist. These professionals work in laboratories, research facilities, or pharmaceutical companies to discover, test, and bring new drugs to market, often requiring knowledge of biology, chemistry, and regulatory processes.

What are popular job titles related to Drug Development jobs in California?

For Drug Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Drug Development jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Drug Development jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Drug Development jobs?

Cities in California with the most Drug Development job openings:

Drug Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Drug Development job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, and 11% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $76,424 per year, or $36.7 per hour.

Scientist, Drug Product Analytical

NewLimit

South San Francisco, CA • On-site

$130K - $170K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

About NewLimit
NewLimit is a biotechnology company working to radically extend human healthspan. We're developing medicines to treat age-related diseases by reprogramming the epigenome, a new therapeutic mechanism to restore regenerative potential in aged and diseased cells. We leverage functional genomics, pooled perturbation screening, and machine learning models to unravel the biology of epigenetic aging and disease using experiments of unprecedented scale.
Position
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Scientist to join our Delivery Sciences team. In this role, you will focus on building the analytical methods to characterize Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) to enable our nucleic acid delivery technologies and support the drug product development.
Expertise in developing and implementing analytical methods to characterize RNA drug substances and LNP drug products, with experience managing method qualification, validation, and tech-transfer processes.
What you'll do
In your role as a Scientist, you will:
  • Design and execute analytical methods to assess the identity, integrity and purity of RNA drug substances and LNP drug products and LNP-conjugates
  • Perform deep-dive analysis into mRNA integrity, identity, lipid content and identity analysis to support drug product stability studies
  • Work closely with the cross-functional teams to support RNA and LNP analysis for drug development from early discovery to GLP/GMP stages. Act as a technical expert for our CRO/CDMO partners on drug substance and drug product analytical method development, validation phases and PK/PD assay developments
  • Interpret data from various analytical assays, reports and prepare data packages
  • Author high-quality technical reports, SOPs, and validation protocols to support regulatory filings
Requirements
  • Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field with 1-3 years of industry experience with direct experience working with mRNA-LNP delivery systems
  • IP-RP LC-UV/FLR: Expertise in Ion-Pair Reversed-Phase Chromatography for determining RNA purity, integrity and content
  • LC-CAD: Expertise in method development for lipid purity, content and lipid adducts analysis.
  • Capillary Electrophoresis (CE): Experience developing RNA integrity analysis in both Drug Substance (DS) and LNP Drug Product (DP)
  • DLS/MALS/Cryo-TEM: Expertise in particle size, polydispersity and particle distribution analysis
Nice to have
  • Understanding of ICH guidelines regarding method qualification and validation ICH Q2 (R1) and Q14
  • Proven success in tech-transferring analytical methods to Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations.
  • DoE, data visualization and statistical analysis (JMP, Python, R)
Benefits
NewLimit offers generous benefits to ensure our team can focus on our mission:
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Paid parental leave
  • Industry-leading paid time off (PTO) - 20 days/year for all employees + holidays
  • Meals and snacks on-site

Salary Range: $130,000 to $170,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. NewLimit offers a competitive benefits package, which includes a 401k, healthcare coverage, and 20 days of PTO. Learn more at: https://www.newlimit.com/careers *This compensation and benefits information is based on Company's good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

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