ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

Senior Director, Translational Sciences

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals$245K — $306K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in life sciences or a related field
  • 12+ years of experience in translational sciences within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology environment
  • Deep expertise in neurology drug discovery and preclinical development
  • Experience supporting clinical-stage development programs
  • Hands-on experience with regulatory filings including IND, BLA, or NDA
  • Experience with therapeutic platforms such as small molecules, ASO, and mRNA preferred
  • Proficiency with complex biological datasets and analysis platforms

Responsibilities

  • Develop and lead translational biology strategies for drug MoA and disease biology
  • Design and implement preclinical studies in neurology and neurophysiology
  • Collaborate with R&D teams to test hypotheses for target validation
  • Define MoA strategies and align with clinical biomarker approaches
  • Synthesize biological datasets to inform development decisions
  • Manage CRO relationships to enhance scientific delivery
  • Present strategies and data to senior leadership and governance committees

Benefits

  • Competitive base, bonus, and equity packages
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-paid life, disability, and business travel coverage
  • 401(k) Plan with company match up to 5%
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan with purchase price lock-in
  • 15+ vacation days and 13-15 paid holidays
  • 10 days of paid sick time
  • Paid parental leave
  • Tuition assistance
Full Job Description
Position Summary

The Senior Director, Translational Sciences will lead the design and execution of disease biology and drug mechanism of action (MoA) strategies to advance therapeutics from discovery through clinical development. This role requires deep expertise in translational sciences with hands-on experience in neurology and electrophysiology, along with a strong understanding of the end-to-end drug development process. The ideal candidate brings a proven ability to translate complex biological data into clear, actionable insights and drive cross-functional collaboration to advance programs.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Develop and lead translational biology strategies to interrogate disease biology and drug MoA, driving execution across candidate targets and therapeutic programs

  • Design and implement preclinical neurology and neurophysiology studies to address key MoA questions across the portfolio
  • Partner across research and development teams to develop and test hypotheses supporting target validation and candidate progression
  • Define MoA strategies for preclinical evaluation and align with biomarker strategies for clinical translation
  • Synthesize and integrate complex biological datasets to inform decision-making across development stages
  • Select and manage CROs while building strong collaborations to enhance scientific execution and delivery
  • Present data and program strategies to asset teams, governance committees, and senior leadership
  • Contribute to key regulatory and scientific documents including INDs, NDAs, study protocols, and publications
  • Other duties as assigned


Education/Experience/Skills
  • Bachelor's degree in life sciences or a related field
  • 12+ years of experience in translational sciences within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology environment
  • Deep expertise in neurology drug discovery and preclinical development
  • Experience supporting clinical-stage development programs
  • Hands-on experience with regulatory filings including IND, BLA, or NDA
  • Experience across therapeutic platforms including small molecules, ASO, and mRNA preferred
  • Proficiency working with complex, multifactorial biological datasets and data analysis platforms
  • Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed


Physical Requirements

This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedules or business needs.

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In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.

Salary Range

$245,000-$306,200 USD

What we offer US-based Employees:
  • Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage
  • 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
  • 15+ vacation days
  • 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
  • 10 days of paid sick time
  • Paid parental leave benefit
  • Tuition assistance

About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines to address unmet medical needs in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The company's lead product, Nuplazid (pimavanserin), is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis. ACADIA's pipeline includes product candidates for the treatment of schizophrenia, dementia-related psychosis, and major depressive disorder. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Learn more about ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
Size
500 employees
Market Cap
$2.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$281.5 million
Founded
1993
5 Year Trend
+94.6%
Revenue
$441.7 million
NASDAQ

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