Vice President, Biology

With a broad portfolio of cortisol modulators moving through discovery and development, we are looking for a leader to own non-clinical biology end to end.

The Vice President of Biology sets non-clinical biology strategy, directs the discovery biology for our small-molecule pipeline, and serves as the scientific bridge between discovery and clinical development.

Corcept operates a lean, externally executed research model. The Vice President leads a small internal team and an external network of contract research organizations and academic collaborators.

This is a hybrid role based at our Redwood City, California headquarters, typically requiring on-site presence at least three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Own non-clinical biology strategy across the portfolio and translate it into a research plan with defined deliverables, timelines, and budget
• Serve as the CSO's primary partner on biology and as a senior internal authority on cortisol modulator pharmacology
• Ensure the biology team has the expertise and capacity the growing portfolio requires, through internal development, new hires, or external partners
• Direct the design of screening cascades for new cortisol modulators, including assay selection, with particular emphasis on oncology and neurology
• Collaborate with clinical pharmacology on exposure-response, biomarker, and translational modeling questions
• Oversee the planning, execution, and interpretation of in vitro and in vivo pharmacology studies supporting lead optimization, candidate selection, and IND-enabling work
• Work with clinical development to understand clinical priorities and to design and advance the non-clinical studies required to support them
• Serve as the scientific point of contact for translational scientists and ongoing non-clinical studies
• Support medical affairs on scientific questions, data interpretation, and the accuracy of scientific communications
• Author and approve non-clinical pharmacology sections of regulatory submissions, investigator brochures, briefing documents, and responses to health authority questions
• Source, select, contract, and manage contract research vendors, including third-party staff; hold vendors to agreed quality and timelines; and allocate and oversee the non-clinical research budget
• Manage existing academic collaborations as appropriate and identify new partnerships that could enhance Corcept's understanding of cortisol biology
• Maintain a single view of the external research program so that findings from one collaborator reach the internal team and, where appropriate, other collaborators
• Contribute to scientific publications and patents, and represent Corcept science externally

Preferred Skills, Qualifications and Technical Proficiencies

• 15+ years in pharmaceutical or biotechnology non-clinical research, including at least five years leading a function, department, or major research group
• Demonstrated record of advancing small molecules from lead optimization through candidate selection and into clinical development; this is a small-molecule company, and the role will not suit a candidate whose experience is predominantly in biologics
• Direct oncology experience. Neurology, endocrinology, or metabolic disease experience is also an advantage
• Ownership of screening cascade design in a discovery setting
• Proven ability to plan and deliver a research program executed primarily through CROs, including vendor selection, contracting, and budget accountability
• A record of hiring, developing, and retaining scientific staff to build and scale a research function
• Ability to present complex non-clinical data to clinical, regulatory, and executive audiences, and to work effectively in a matrixed environment
• Experience interacting with medical affairs and regulatory functions
• Contribution to successful IND or NDA submissions in a non-clinical leadership capacity

Preferred Education and Experience

• Ph.D. in biology, pharmacology, biochemistry, or a related discipline