Senior Director, DMPK

About GondolaBio

GondolaBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation therapeutics for genetic diseases. Originally launched as BridgeBioX, a subsidiary of BridgeBio, GondolaBio secured $300M in private financing from external investors in 2024 and became an independent company within the BridgeBio ecosystem. The company aims to leverage cutting-edge biological research to create breakthrough medicines addressing high unmet needs across multiple therapeutic areas, including neurology, pulmonology, cardiology, nephrology, and endocrinology. Located on the Stanford Life Sciences campus, GondolaBio fosters a unique hybrid environment where top scientists from around the world collaborate with senior leadership and advisors, blending industry expertise with academic innovation.

About BridgeBio

BridgeBio is a biopharmaceutical company founded to discover, create, test, and deliver transformative medicines to treat patients who suffer from genetic diseases with clear genetic drivers. We bridge the gap between remarkable advancements in genetic science in academic institutions and the delivery of meaningful medicines to patients. Founded in 2015, the company has built a portfolio of 30+ drug development programs ranging from preclinical to late-stage development in multiple therapeutic areas including genetic dermatology, precision oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, pulmonology, and renal disease, with three approved drugs. 

Who You Are

We are looking for an accomplished DMPK scientist and strategic leader who can drive drug-metabolism and pharmacokinetic strategy from lead optimization through early clinical development across GondolaBio’s small-molecule portfolio. You bring hands-on industry experience designing and interpreting in vitro and in vivo ADME/PK studies, projecting human pharmacokinetics, and shepherding multiple IND-enabling packages to successful regulatory submission. You thrive in cross-functional discovery teams, translating complex PK/PD data into clear go/no-go decisions for medicinal chemists, toxicologists, and clinicians. Self-directed, analytical, and energized by a fast-moving start-up environment, you inspire excellence in others while rolling up your sleeves to solve problems at the bench, the modeler’s workstation, or the strategy table.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute DMPK strategy for multiple discovery and lead-optimization programs, aligning ADME/PK study designs with target product profiles and development timelines
• Design, oversee, and interpret in vitro (metabolic stability, permeability, metabolic enzyme phenotyping, transporter assays) and in vivo (rodent and non-rodent PK, mass-balance, QWBA) studies; integrate modeling & simulation (compartmental, PBPK) to predict human dose and regimen
• Manage external CRO partners and academic collaborators to deliver high-quality data on time and within budget
• Drive translational PK/PD thinking, partnering closely with Medicinal Chemistry, Biology, Toxicology, CMC, and Clinical Pharmacology to enable clear go/no-go decisions and robust IND packages
• Assess and mitigate developability risks, including drug–drug interaction potential, bioactivation–mediated liabilities, and brain/blood-barrier penetration for CNS candidates
• Present crisp conclusions to senior leadership, investment committees, and regulatory authorities; author the ADME, pharmacokinetic/toxicokinetic, PK/PD, and biopharmaceutics sections of regulatory filings (IND/CTA, IB, briefing books)

Education, Experience & Skills Requirements

• PhD, PharmD, or equivalent in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drug Metabolism, Pharmacokinetics, Medicinal Chemistry, or related discipline
• 10–15+ years’ industry experience in small-molecule DMPK, with at least five years in a leadership or project-team representative role
• Demonstrated success advancing multiple compounds from lead optimization into first-in-human studies; authored or co-authored IND-enabling DMPK sections and peer-reviewed publications
• Deep technical expertise in ADME methodologies, preclinical PK/PD study design and modeling, toxicokinetics, human PK projection, and DDI risk assessment; familiarity with bioanalytical assay development, metabolite identification, and translational biology
• Desirable: experience designing prodrugs, optimizing CNS exposure, or applying PBPK modeling to support regulatory interactions
• Experience in managing vendors, especially CROs
• Excellent communication, people-leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills in a small biotech setting

What We Offer

• Patient Days, where we are fortunate to hear directly from individuals living with the conditions we are seeking to impact throughout the year and learn how we can improve our efforts
• A culture inspired by our values: put patients first, think independently, be radically transparent, every minute counts, and let the science speak
• An unyielding commitment to always putting patients first. Learn more about how we do this here
• A de-centralized model that enables our program teams to focus on advancing science and helping patients. Our affiliate structure is designed to eliminate bureaucracy and put decision-making power in the hands of those closest to the science
• A place where you own the vision – both for your program and your own career path
• A collaborative, fast-paced, data-driven environment where we inspire ourselves and each other to always perform at the top of our game
• Access to learning and development resources to help you get in the best professional shape of your life
• Robust and market-competitive compensation & benefits package (Base, Performance Bonus, Equity, health, welfare & retirement programs)
• Flexible PTO
• Rapid career advancement for strong performers
• Potential ability to work on multiple GondolaBio programs across multiple therapeutic areas over time 
• Partnerships with leading institutions
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion