Associate Director, Discovery DMPK – In Vitro ADME

Associate Director, Discovery DMPK – In Vitro ADME

Salary Range: $120k - $130k

Location: Exton, PA

Pharmaron is a global contract research and manufacturing organization (CRO/CDMO) helping pharma and biotech companies bring new therapies to life. With over 25,000 employees worldwide across 28 locations in the US, UK, China, and Singapore, we support drug discovery through to manufacturing with fully integrated high-quality services.

We're proud of the impact we make and just last year, we supported 887 discovery projects
, 1,100+ CMC programs
, and 1,397 clinical trials across all phases. Our teams are involved in everything from small molecules, ADC's, biologics, and gene therapies and we work with more than 3,300 global customers
. To learn more, visit

Join Pharmaron as an Associate Director, Discovery DMPK – In Vitro ADME and take a key scientific leadership role in advancing our Discovery DMPK capabilities across U.S. Lab Services.

This position will provide scientific and operational leadership for discovery-stage DMPK programs spanning in vitro ADME, in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK), LC-MS/MS bioanalysis, and data interpretation. You will oversee the scientific quality and execution of studies, mentor and develop scientific teams, and partner directly with biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients to translate discovery objectives into high-quality DMPK solutions.

• Provide scientific and operational leadership for Discovery DMPK programs, including in vitro ADME, in vivo PK, bioanalysis, and associated data interpretation.
• Lead the design, execution, scientific review, and delivery of high-quality Discovery DMPK studies across Pharmaron U.S. Lab Services.
• Serve as a senior scientific partner to clients, providing technical guidance and translating discovery objectives into effective DMPK strategies and study designs.
• Partner with Business Development and DMPK leadership to evaluate opportunities, develop scientific solutions, support proposals, and help secure new business.
• Strengthen and expand Discovery DMPK capabilities through the evaluation and implementation of new technologies, models, assays, and scientific approaches aligned with evolving industry needs.
• Lead, mentor, and develop scientists, research associates, and technical staff while fostering scientific excellence, collaboration, accountability, and professional development.
• Provide senior-level scientific review of proposals, quotes, protocols, data, reports, and related documentation to ensure scientific rigor, accurate interpretation, quality, and timely delivery.
• Drive operational excellence by identifying opportunities to improve processes, productivity, efficiency, quality, and consistency while maintaining state-of-the-art scientific practices.
• Ensure appropriate departmental policies, procedures, and practices are established and maintained in accordance with applicable regulations and corporate requirements.
• Support workforce planning and recruitment to ensure appropriate scientific expertise and resources are available to meet current and future business needs.
• Oversee team performance, resource allocation, departmental objectives, and budgetary requirements to support successful delivery and continued growth of the function.

• PhD or advanced degree in pharmacokinetics, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant laboratory experience within a CRO, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical environment.
• Deep expertise in the design, conduct, and interpretation of discovery-stage in vitro ADME studies.
• Strong bioanalytical expertise, including proficiency with LC‑MS/MS platforms and experience supporting diverse molecule types.
• Experience supporting the integration and interpretation of in vitro ADME, bioanalytical, and in vivo PK data within discovery-stage programs.
• 3+ years of scientific management experience, including staff leadership, coaching, development, and performance management.
• Experience with financial and operational responsibilities, including budgets, resource planning, and departmental performance.
• Strong scientific communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex concepts and study results to internal teams and external clients.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a dynamic, client-focused scientific environment.
• Experience leading or collaborating across multiple sites and building cohesive scientific teams.

• Experience developing, implementing, or expanding Discovery DMPK assays, technologies, platforms, or service capabilities.
• CRO experience with direct biotechnology or pharmaceutical client interaction.
• Experience partnering with Business Development teams to develop scientific solutions, support proposals, and pursue new business opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to identify emerging DMPK technologies and translate them into…