ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Preclinical Research Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

CEDENT

Director of Preclinical Research

Durham, NC · On-site +1

With the goal of further increasing the pace of progress towards better treatments, we're hiring a Director of Preclinical Research to help us pursue a growing number of research opportunities ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsPreclinical Research JobsPreclinical Research Director Jobs

Preclinical Research Director information

See salary details

$57.5K

$191.3K

$230.5K

How much do preclinical research director jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for preclinical research director in the United States is $191,320.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $135,500.00 and $229,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Preclinical Research Director vs Preclinical Scientist?

AspectPreclinical Research DirectorPreclinical Scientist
CredentialsAdvanced degrees (PhD, DVM) often required; leadership experienceTypically a PhD or Master's in relevant field
Work EnvironmentOversees teams in labs or R&D departments, strategic planningConducts experiments in laboratory settings, data analysis
Employer & Industry UsagePharmaceutical, biotech companies, CROsResearch institutions, biotech firms, pharma companies
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding leadership roles in preclinical researchDetails on scientific research and experimental work

The Preclinical Research Director focuses on leading research teams, strategic planning, and overseeing multiple projects, while the Preclinical Scientist is primarily involved in conducting experiments and analyzing data. Both roles require advanced scientific credentials, but the director's role emphasizes leadership and management within the preclinical research process.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Preclinical Research Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Preclinical Research Director, you need advanced knowledge in pharmacology, toxicology, and drug development, typically supported by a PhD or equivalent degree and extensive research experience. Familiarity with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), regulatory guidelines like GLP, and data analysis tools is essential. Strong leadership, project management, and communication skills help drive cross-functional teams and ensure alignment with strategic goals. These competencies are crucial for overseeing successful preclinical studies that support regulatory submissions and move drug candidates toward clinical trials.

What does a Preclinical Research Director do?

A Preclinical Research Director oversees the planning, execution, and management of preclinical studies that assess the safety and efficacy of new drug candidates or medical devices before they are tested in humans. This role involves coordinating research teams, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, managing budgets, and facilitating communication between cross-functional teams. They play a critical role in translating scientific discoveries into viable clinical candidates by guiding research strategy and ensuring the integrity and quality of preclinical data.

How does a Preclinical Research Director typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during drug development projects?

A Preclinical Research Director works closely with multidisciplinary teams, including pharmacologists, toxicologists, regulatory affairs, and clinical development professionals. They facilitate communication between scientific staff and management, ensuring that preclinical studies align with project goals and regulatory requirements. Collaboration often involves regular meetings to review data, discuss study designs, and address any scientific or logistical challenges. This role is essential for integrating diverse expertise and driving projects efficiently toward clinical development milestones.
More about Preclinical Research Director jobs
What cities are hiring for Preclinical Research Director jobs? Cities with the most Preclinical Research Director job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Preclinical Research jobs? The most popular types of Preclinical Research jobs are:
What states have the most Preclinical Research Director jobs? States with the most job openings for Preclinical Research Director jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Preclinical Research Director jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Preclinical Research Director jobs are:
Preclinical Research Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Preclinical Research Director job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 12% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $191,320 per year, or $92 per hour.
Director of Preclinical Research

Director of Preclinical Research

CEDENT

Durham, NC • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Posted 19 days ago

Job description

The Client is seeking an experienced and high-agency individual to support the development of new treatments for Client, a rare bone cancer with no approved drug therapies. To date, we’ve developed a suite of research-enabling resources, funded or collaborated with over 120 researchers and companies, and launched our own research lab to support drug discovery and repurposing. Through these collective efforts, we’ve helped bring over 10 therapies into clinical trials for Client. With the goal of further increasing the pace of progress towards better treatments, we’re hiring a Director of Preclinical Research to help us pursue a growing number of research opportunities spanning resource development, target discovery, drug discovery, drug repurposing and translational research. In this position, you’ll play an instrumental role in enabling, supporting and driving research by:
  • Awarding and managing grants, guiding collaborations, and outsourcing internally-conceived projects
  • Developing, acquiring, and distributing research-enabling resources
  • Establishing and maintaining relationships and alliances with investigators, companies, and other stakeholders around the world
Position Overview
  • New, full-time position on the client research team
  • Position is office-based (not lab-based)
  • Travel 4-8 times per year for team meetings, collaborator/grantee visits and conferences
  • Reports to the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)
  • Local or remote candidates are encouraged to apply
  • Preferred start date is August 2025
Responsibilities
Preclinical research grants:
  • Oversee our preclinical grants portfolio and manage the entire lifecycle of grantmaking activities, including RFP development, inviting/recruiting applicants, peer review, grant awards, and progress reporting
  • Review progress reports, attend progress update meetings, record notes, offer scientific feedback
  • Arm grantees with research-enabling resources, help them navigate barriers, identify opportunities for collaboration based on your bird’s eye view of the research ecosystem
Outsourced research projects:
  • Identify appropriate opportunities to outsource projects to contract research vendors to advance our goals
  • Oversee all aspects of the vendor management process including selection, project scoping, ensuring execution on time and on budget, and data analysis
  • Assist CSO with the in vivo evaluation of promising therapeutic concepts in Client mouse models to develop rationale for new clinical trials
Research resource management:
  • Oversee our repositories of models, biospecimens, and data, and manage associated vendors
  • Distribute models, biospecimens, and data in support of global research efforts
  • Identify and import new datasets or models developed by researchers into our repositories to facilitate resource centralization
  • Stimulate the development of new preclinical models to fill gaps in our current repository, including immunocompetent models
Alliance management and ecosystem development:
  • Assist CSO in forging and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders across our various research programs
  • Facilitate effective and efficient preclinical research collaborations with academic investigators and companies
  • Stimulate new research by recruiting investigators with relevant interests and capabilities and educating them about our research-enabling resources
  • Assist CSO in writing grant applications to support internal research
  • Develop new knowledge through attendance at relevant conferences, workshops, symposia, and staying up to date on the scientific literature
  • Help our Development and Engagement teams develop research-related updates for various constituents, donors and funders
  • Update and further develop content and resources on our website for researchers
Required Qualifications
  • PhD, MD, PharmD or equivalent degree in the biological sciences
  • At least 5 years of industry experience in oncology R&D
  • Prior experience building and maintaining strategic relationships with CROs, companies, and academic researchers to achieve research goals
  • Adept at navigating bureaucracies, can effectively persuade and influence external stakeholders
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Experience with research grants (writing, reviewing, and/or managing)
  • Highly organized, can effectively multitask and deliver results across multiple projects
  • High agency, proactive, takes initiative, makes decisions independently, escalates issues when appropriate
  • Must be legally authorized for employment in the U.S. We are not able to sponsor visas at this time
Cedent logo

About Cedent

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

CEDENT strives to attract and retain the best people and provide an environment where they can all develop professionally and build a rewarding career. As a result, we create an inclusive environment that is rich in diversity, acknowledges each individual's uniqueness and promotes respect, personal achievement and stewardship. Our clients are global and so is CEDENT. We build and maintain a global workforce that includes people from different backgrounds, with a vast range of skills and experience all united by a common culture and commitment to help our clients achieve high performance. Cultivating a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment makes business sense. Our peoples varied skills are the talent engine that powers CEDENT, enabling it in turn to deliver the innovative solutions that help our clients outperform competitors.

Industry

It services

Company size

11 - 50 Employees

Headquarters location

Plano, TX, US

Year founded

2008

View All Cedent Jobs

Apply