Director of Computational Drug Discovery

Dean of Research, Stanford, California, United States

Research

Post Date Aug 26, 2024

Requisition # 104379

Sarafan ChEM-H is a new interdisciplinary institute focused on connecting Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health. The institute was founded as a joint venture of the Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Humanities and Sciences. The proximity of world-class biologists, chemists, engineers, and clinicians at Stanford presents a unique opportunity to study human biology at a molecular level, to translate this knowledge into groundbreaking products and services that promote healthy living, and to educate a new cadre of “physician-scientist-engineers” who will lead a rapidly evolving industry.

The Innovative Medicines Accelerator (IMA) emerged out of Stanford’s Long Range Vision, and seeks to accelerate the translation of Stanford research discoveries into new medicines while expanding our knowledge of human biology. Sarafan ChEM-H has partnered with the Stanford School of Medicine to manage the IMA on behalf of the University.

Our VPDoR Diversity Journey:

• We create a hub of innovation through the power of diversity of disciplines and people.

• We provide equitable access and opportunity to all members of the community in order to do their best work, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

• We listen to and value all colleagues who bring diverse perspectives to the advancement and development of a respectful community.

• We promote a culture of belonging, equity, and safety.

• We embed these values in excellence of education, research, and operation.

Position Summary

Stanford University is seeking a highly motivated scientist to serve as the Director of Computational Drug Discovery for the Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator (IMA) a partnership between Sarafan ChEM-H and Stanford Medicine, for a 3-year fixed term. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and implementing cutting-edge computational approaches to accelerate the identification and optimization of novel drug candidates across a range of therapeutic modalities and indications. Candidates must have extensive relevant industrial experience including evidence for scientific leadership of cross-functional teams including biologists, chemists, and clinicians to design and execute computational drug discovery projects. The Director will implement and optimize computational workflows for molecular dynamics, protein modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, and structure-activity relationship analysis. The Director will stay current with the latest advancements in AI/ML technologies and approaches and contribute to the continuous improvement of our drug discovery pipeline. Candidates should be self-starters, comfortable with autonomy, and embrace opportunities to tackle new problems and challenges as part of a dynamic team in a start-up-like environment within the University.

The Director of Computational Drug Discovery will be a member of the scientific leadership team of the IMA, which also includes experts in protein engineering, high-throughput screening, medicinal chemistry, cell and gene therapies, pharmacology and experimental human biology. The candidate will apply industry experience in AI/ML drug discovery to support a portfolio of competitively selected projects from Stanford’s faculty laboratories across the small molecule, protein, and cell/gene/microbiome therapy portfolios of the IMA. The role will require hands-on mentorship of faculty, students, and technical staff to advance program projects.

Core duties

• Provide strategy and vision; make decisions that establish objectives for the overall direction or operation of a significant project(s) or area(s).

• Manage staff of a large science, engineering, and/or technical research area, which includes recruiting, hiring, developing, evaluating and setting priorities; manage business, technical, and educational activities for direct reports including managers and technical experts.

• Identify, clarify, and resolve issues with strategic impact and substantial significance, which span multiple areas, using advanced technical and professional knowledge requiring broad discretion and judgment.

• Collaborate with others on the direction of activities relevant to long-term objectives. Develop strategies to ensure effective achievement of objectives

• Develop policies and procedures as they relate to academic or program activities.

• Implement, evaluate and maintain quality control standards to ensure program success.

• Establish, oversee and manage financials and schedule for large programs and/or multiple projects.

• Recommend the adoption of emerging technologies and the development of new methods and approaches.

• Negotiate with internal departments and external agencies with authority to commit resources and effort.

• Serve as a liaison to senior management, cross-functional areas, schools and external organizations such as sponsors and government agencies.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computational Chemistry, Bioinformatics, or a relevant scientific field.

• Eight years of relevant experience in academia or industry, with a focus in drug discovery.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience leading complex scientific, engineering or technical research projects or programs.

• Detailed understanding of relevant business and technical knowledge and problem resolution.

• Ability to synthesize and articulate technical and scientific methodologies, specifications, and information.

• Knowledge of emerging technologies, trends, methodologies, and resource management principles.

• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with others.

• Exceptional customer relationship and consensus building skills.

• Ability to influence and establish effective working relationships in a diverse environment.

• Ability to resolve complex issues quickly and make decisions that meet university objectives in a collaborative culture.

Desired Qualifications

• 5+ years of biopharmaceutical industry experience in computational drug discovery.

• Strong background in machine learning, deep learning, and statistical modeling with demonstrated experience in applying these techniques to drug discovery.

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or C++, and familiarity with relevant libraries and frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).

• Experience implementing and optimizing computational workflows for virtual screening, molecular docking, and structure-activity relationship analysis.

• Experience with machine learning models for drug target identification, lead optimization, and predictive toxicology assessment.

• Experience utilizing advanced data analysis techniques to extract meaningful insights from large-scale biological and chemical datasets.

• Experience working with complex biological and chemical datasets (e.g. molecular structures, protein sequences, large proteomic or genomic datasets, and high-throughput screening results) to study molecular dynamics, structural modeling, virtual screening, protein and molecular docking, and structure activity relationship analysis.

• Experience with bioinformatics, such as next gen sequencing and transcriptomics analysis (e.g. bulk and single cell RNA-seq analysis and interpretation, longread DNA sequence analysis and interpretation for viral vector characterization, whole genome sequencing analysis)

• Prior experience in technical and nontechnical writing.

• Capacity to write and synthesize materials and communicate information in a manner easily understood.

The expected pay range for this position is $230,000 to $290,000 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

Why Stanford is for You

Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enrich the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:

• Freedom to grow . We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or course auditing. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.

• A caring culture . We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.

• A healthier you . Climb our rock wall or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits.

• Discovery and fun . Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.

• Enviable resources . Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more!

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting acontact form.

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Additional Information

• Schedule: Full-time

• Job Code: 5578

• Employee Status: Fixed-Term

• Grade: R99

• Requisition ID: 104379

• Work Arrangement : Hybrid Eligible