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Drug Discovery Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

$169K - $254K/yr

Drug Discovery - Transcriptomics We are looking for an experienced and motivated Drug Hunter with a ... You will be part of an interdisciplinary and cross-continental team of scientists within the R&D ...

... modern drug discovery. We are now building the next-generation platform for predicting drug ... Our mission is to reduce failure rates, accelerate drug development, and eliminate unnecessary ...

... modern drug discovery. We are now building the next-generation platform for predicting drug ... Our mission is to reduce failure rates, accelerate drug development, and eliminate unnecessary ...

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Drug Discovery Development information

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$33K

$77.4K

$133K

How much do drug discovery development jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for drug discovery development in the United States is $77,438.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,500.00 and $90,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in Drug Discovery Development, and why are they important?

To thrive in Drug Discovery Development, you need a solid background in biochemistry, pharmacology, or related life sciences, typically with an advanced degree such as a PhD or MS. Proficiency in laboratory techniques, data analysis software (e.g., Prism, ChemDraw), and familiarity with regulatory standards are essential. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective teamwork set outstanding professionals apart in this field. These skills and qualities are critical for efficiently developing safe, effective drugs and successfully advancing compounds through the discovery pipeline.

What is drug discovery and development?

Drug discovery and development is the process of identifying new candidate medications and bringing them to market. It involves several stages, including target identification, screening of compounds, preclinical studies, clinical trials, and regulatory approval. The goal is to find safe and effective drugs that can treat or prevent diseases. This process is complex, time-consuming, and requires collaboration among scientists, clinicians, and regulatory agencies. Successful drug development can take many years and significant financial investment.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in Drug Discovery Development when transitioning from early-stage research to clinical trials?

One common challenge in Drug Discovery Development is ensuring that promising compounds identified during early-stage research demonstrate both efficacy and safety in preclinical and clinical settings. This transition requires close collaboration between multidisciplinary teams, including chemists, biologists, toxicologists, and regulatory experts. Navigating regulatory requirements, securing funding, and managing timelines are also significant challenges. Professionals must be adept at adapting project strategies based on new data and feedback from regulatory agencies to keep development on track.

What is the difference between Drug Discovery Development vs Drug Regulatory Affairs?

AspectDrug Discovery DevelopmentDrug Regulatory Affairs
Primary FocusIdentifying and developing new drug candidates through research and laboratory workEnsuring compliance with regulations and obtaining approvals for drugs
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, research facilities, early-stage development teamsRegulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies, compliance departments
Required CredentialsDegree in life sciences, chemistry, or related fields; often PhDs or advanced degreesDegree in life sciences, pharmacy, or related fields; regulatory certifications beneficial

Drug Discovery Development focuses on creating new drugs through research, while Drug Regulatory Affairs ensures these drugs meet legal standards for market approval. Both roles are essential in the pharmaceutical industry but differ in their core responsibilities and work environments.

Infographic showing various Drug Discovery Development job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 20% Full Time, and 80% Part Time. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $77,438 per year, or $37.2 per hour.
Senior Director, AI and Data Science (Drug Discovery and R&D Enablement)

Senior Director, AI and Data Science (Drug Discovery and R&D Enablement)

Lexeo Therapeutics

New York, NY โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 22 days ago


Job description

Role Summaryย 

Lexeoย is at an inflection point where AI and advanced analytics can materially accelerate decision-making across discovery, development, and operational execution. This Sr. Director will set direction and deliver applied AI/ML solutions across internal workflows and externally facing outputs,ย ranging from R&D insights to partner-ready analyses,ย while partnering closely with scientific teams and, when needed, external vendors/partners to solve real problems. This role is intentionally hands-on and outcome-driven: a leader who can build,ย validate, and operationalize models using real-world biopharma dataย toย raise the signal-to-noise ratio in small orย unstructuredย datasets (including synthetic control arm approaches whereย appropriate).ย 

Key Responsibilities

AI/ML Strategy + Deliveryย ย 

  • Define and execute Lexeo's applied AI/ML roadmap across discovery and development, prioritizing use cases that improve speed, quality, and decision confidence.ย 
  • Deliver solutions that are internal-only (e.g., scientific decision support, operational forecasting) and those that are generated internally but external-facing (e.g., partner-ready analyses (regulatory dossiers, briefing books, protocols etc.), validated dashboards, and decision materials).
  • Establish best practices for model lifecycle management (validation, documentation, monitoring, retraining), especially where outputs influence scientific decisions or regulated workflows.ย 

Advanced Analytics + Predictive Modelingย 

  • Lead development and selection of appropriate ML approaches (e.g., XGBoost, Random Forest, SVMs, and other advanced models) based on problem framing, data constraints, interpretability needs, and deployment context.
  • Build and oversee predictive analytics using real-world data, including robust evaluation design, bias/variance trade-offs, and performance monitoring.ย 

Small Data Excellence + Synthetic Controls ย 

  • Apply techniques to amplify signal-to-noise in smaller datasets (e.g., regularization, Bayesian methods, hierarchical modeling, augmentation, multimodal integration, careful feature engineering, uncertainty quantification).
  • Guide strategy for synthetic control arms and comparable approaches (as appropriate), ensuring methodological rigor, transparency, and fit-for-purpose use in decision-making.ย 

Drug Discovery / Translational Partnershipย 

  • Translate drug discovery and translational questions into testable analytical hypotheses; partner with bench scientists to design data capture that enables strong modeling.
  • Serve as a bridge between scientific teams and data/engineering,ย ensuring solutions are scientifically credible and operationally adoptable.ย 

Cross-functional Enablement + Platform Integrationย 

  • Partner with stakeholders across R&D, CMC, Clinical, Safety, and IT/Security to implement scalable data pipelines and AI-enabled workflows.
  • Contribute leadership to current and emerging initiatives such as AI workflow automation/database buildouts and analytics agents that leverage enterprise platforms (examples already in motion include CMC AI automation, MaxisAI clinical database/AI efforts, and AI work to ingest historical data into Dataverse/Fabric for agent-based analysis; integration work such as a Benchling AI API initiative may also be in scope depending on priorities).ย 

External Partner/Vendor Leadershipย 

  • Liaise with external partners to evaluate tools, define statements of work, and deliver solutions-while ensuring knowledge transfer and sustainable internal ownership.ย ย 

Operational Excellenceย 

  • Improve internal processes through automation and analytics, focusing on measurable impact (cycle time, error reduction, throughput, decision latency).
  • Establish practical governance for data quality, documentation, and fit-for-use standards aligned with the realities of biopharma environments (including where regulated practices apply).ย 
What Success Looks like (First 6-12 Months)
  • A prioritized AI/analytics roadmap tied to measurable R&D outcomes; clear ownership and delivery cadence.
  • 2-4 production-grade analytics solutions adopted by teams (internal and/or external-facing outputs as needed).
  • A repeatable approach for small datasets and high-noise signals; documented modeling standards and review practices.
  • Strong partner engagement model: vendors/partners used strategically, with internal capability building and durable outcomes.ย 
ย 
Required Skills and Qualifications
  • Advanced degree in a quantitative or scientific discipline (PhD strongly preferred; MS with exceptional experience considered).
  • 10+ years of relevant experience across applied data science/ML in life sciences/biopharma (or adjacent domain with direct drug discovery translation), including 5+ years leading teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
  • Deep familiarity with advanced ML methods (including XGBoost, Random Forest, SVMs) and the judgment to select and justify the right tool for the job.
  • Demonstrated experience building predictive models with real-world, imperfect datasets and delivering them into production or decision workflows.
  • Proven ability to improve processes and operationalize analytics-moving beyond prototypes to adoption.
  • Strong cross-functional communication: can partner with scientists, engineers, and executives; can explain model performance and limitations clearly.ย 
Preferred Skills and Qualifications
  • Direct experience in drug discovery, translational research, and/or R&D decision support (target ID/validation, MoA, biomarker strategy, preclinical data integration).
  • Experience with small data strategies, causality-aware thinking, and synthetic control arms or closely related methodologies.
  • Experience operating in regulated/quality-sensitive environments and building documentation practices that scale (particularly relevant where validation and traceability are required).
  • Familiarity with enterprise data platforms and modern analytics stacks (lakehouse/warehouse patterns, feature stores, MLOps, model monitoring).
$255,000 - $302,000 a year

Compensation is dependent on qualifications and experience

About Lexeo
ย 
Lexeo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage genetic medicine company headquartered in New York City, pioneering cardiac genetic medicine candidates to treat the root causes of inherited cardiovascular diseases. Our lead program, LX2006, targets cardiomyopathy associated with Friedreich's Ataxia and anchors a broader pipeline addressing genetically defined conditions such as hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies. Backed by a strong financial foundation, Lexeo is positioned to translate groundbreaking science into durable clinical impact.ย ย 
ย 
Our work culture is a hybrid model with 2 days/week in the New York City office and 3 days working from home.
ย 
Lexeo Therapeutics is an EEO employer committed to an exciting, diverse, and enriching work environment.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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