Assoc Director or Director, Process Development & Manufacturing

Erasca is a clinical-stage precision oncology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing medicines for the benefit of patients with cancer. Our programs take novel approaches to shutting down one of cancer’s most commonly mutated signaling cascades, the RAS/MAPK pathway, which affects approximately 5.5 million lives each year worldwide. The name “Erasca” has an important embedded meaning: it is a contraction of our audacious hope to “erase cancer” that drives our mission and everything that we do on behalf of patients with cancer.

Position Summary:  

Reporting to the Executive Director, Process Development and Manufacturing, the Director/ Associate Director, Process Development and Manufacturing is responsible for the design and execution of experiments to support process development and for providing technical oversight of contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) for small-molecule programs ranging from research through clinical development and eventual commercial production. 

The Director/ Associate Director serves as the drug substance lead for one or more programs and independently manages projects across internal and external teams. This is a hybrid role, based in our South San Francisco, CA location. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Design, develop, and implement robust chemical synthesis processes for starting materials, intermediates, and APIs to support research and development programs 
• Lead phase-appropriate process R&D activities to support early- and late-stage programs 
• Support technical transfer of starting material, intermediate, and API processes between internal and external sites as needed 
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry teams during lead optimization and candidate selection 
• Serve as drug substance lead on one or more programs, providing technical leadership and project oversight 
• Conduct fate and purge studies, evaluate mutagenic impurities, and establish control strategies for drug substance processes with a long-term commercial vision 
• Work cross-functionally to ensure seamless transitions between drug substance and drug product programs and vendors 
• Critically review proposals from CMOs and CROs and perform appropriate technical due diligence to ensure suitability and capability 
• Oversee and support PAR studies, pre-validation, and validation activities for drug substance manufacturing 
• Author and review relevant CMC sections for U.S. and ex-U.S. regulatory submissions 
• Travel up to 25% for scientific project management, CDMO oversight, and monitoring of critical project activities 
• Perform all duties in alignment with Erasca’s core values, policies, and applicable regulations 

Required Education, Experience and Attributes:  

• Advanced degree (PhD or MS) in organic chemistry or a related field, with extensive industry experience (typically 10+ years) in synthetic organic chemistry and small-molecule drug development 
• Hands-on laboratory experience in synthetic organic chemistry and small-molecule process development 
• Experience in chemical development involving synthesis and crystallization of chiral molecules preferred 
• Strong understanding of synthetic and analytical techniques for polymorph screening, optimization, and patent protection 
• Thorough knowledge of cGMP, ISO, and ICH guidelines and industry best practices 
• Experience applying Design of Experiments (DOE) and Quality by Design (QbD) principles 
• Demonstrated experience managing and overseeing development and manufacturing activities at CDMOs 
• Ability to build strong, effective relationships with colleagues across diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise 
• Proven ability to function at a high level as a manager, technical lead, or individual contributor in a team-based environment 
• Track record of achieving high-performance goals and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced setting 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; collaborative, solutions-oriented, and willing to contribute where needed 
• Strong learning orientation, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to science and improving patient outcomes 

The anticipated salary range for this position is $200,000 to $225,000. The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and length of experience within the job, type and length of experience within the industry, education, etcetera. In addition to base salary, the hired applicant will be eligible to receive an annual bonus and an equity grant at hire and annually in the form of the option to purchase stock in the future for a specified price.   

Along with our casual, collaborative, and fun work and the chance to make your mark in our mission to erase cancer, Erasca offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes: Paid Time Off, Holiday, and Sick Leave, Medical, Dental and Vision Plans, Short- and Long-Term Disability, Basic and Voluntary Life/AD&D Coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA, HSA, and Commute), Critical Illness and Accident Coverage, Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k) Plan with Erasca contribution, and the opportunity to participate in an Employee Stock Purchase Program. 

Erasca, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer and takes pride in maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of sex , race, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military and veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation.