Senior Advisor, Clinical Science

Organization and Position Overview

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.

We are seeking a Senior Advisor, Clinical Science to serve as the scientific partner to the study team and medical monitor in the execution and interpretation of primarily late-stage (Phase 2-3) clinical trials for our Orexin-targeted programs in sleep/wake indications. This individual will perform at the Associate Director level to bring clinical and scientific expertise to day-to-day study conduct, ensuring that studies are run in line with the protocol, compliant with internal processes, GCP/ICH and regulatory requirements, and in alignment with the broader clinical development strategy.

Responsibilities

• Serve as clinical scientist on one or more late-stage (Phase 2-3) global clinical trials for Orexin-targeted programs in sleep/wake indications.
• Support the creation of and/or review of clinical slides for internal and external meetings (e.g. Investigator Meetings, SIVs, IDMCs, Advisory Boards, etc.)
• Assist in authoring key clinical study documents, including Protocols, Clinical Study Reports, Investigator Brochures, Development Safety Update Reports etc.
• Serve as study scientific expert from study start-up through clinical study report completion, including CRF design, enrollment monitoring, and patient profile review.
• Primary liaison for internal Clinical Operations for site selection, site start-up activities, study management and closeout activities.
• Primary point of contact for clinical inquiries from sites, CRO and site monitors, and health authority responses; answer or triage questions as appropriate.
• Perform ongoing clinical data review to monitor safety, data integrity, protocol compliance, and study performance throughout trial execution.
• Serve as a core scientific leader on cross-functional program/study teams, partnering closely with Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistics, and Safety/Pharmacovigilance.
• Drive alignment and execution across functions to support high-quality, timely study delivery.
• Proactively identify and address scientific, operational, and strategic risks and gaps.
• Develop clear scientific insights and recommendations to inform clinical development strategy and decision-making.
• Partner with biostatistics in the development and review of the SAP, and responsible for review and interpretation of final clinical study TLFs.
• Support preparation of abstracts, posters, manuscripts, and presentations for scientific meetings and publications.
• Provide scientific leadership in interactions with investigators, CROs, vendors, and external experts to support high-quality trial execution.
• Represent clinical science in interactions with key opinion leaders and scientific advisory boards in disorders of sleep/wake.
• Ensure strong organization, follow-through, and proactive management of deliverables across assigned studies and workstreams.

Basic Requirements

• Advanced scientific/clinical degree (PhD or PharmD) with 2+ years drug development experience in the biotech/pharma industry. OR BS/MS in a scientific discipline with 8+ years drug development experience in the biotech/pharma industry.
• Strong scientific foundation in neuroscience/neurology required.
• Understanding of clinical trial design, clinical data analysis, and drug development principles.
• Demonstrated accountability for delivery on clinical studies.
• Proven experience in the development and authorship of clinical and regulatory documents (e.g., protocols, IBs, CSRs, briefing documents).

Additional Preferences

• Familiarity with Orexin biology or related sleep/wake and neurocircuitry mechanisms.
• Detail oriented with exceptional organizational skills.
• Effective communicator with strong verbal and written skills.
• Ability to identify issues, analyze situations and provide effective solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced biotech environment.

Work Location

The Senior Advisor, Clinical Science role is a remote role based in the US, with occasional travel.