Associate Director, Discovery Pharmacology Cambridge, MA

Associate Director, Discovery Pharmacology

Cambridge, MA

Amylyx has an audacious mission to usher in a new era for treating diseases with high unmet needs. Where others see challenges, we see opportunities that we pursue with urgency, rigorous science, and unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. We are a clinical-stage company currently focused on post-bariatric hypoglycemia (PBH), Wolfram syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Our mission is powered by our people. Our core values – be audacious, be curious, be authentic, be engaged, and be accountable – create a culture of caring. Amylyx has assembled an experienced team ready to take action because the communities we serve have no time to wait. If you share our passion and are determined to tackle some of medicine’s toughest problems, we encourage you to read the opportunity below and apply.

• Lead discovery pharmacology strategy and execution from target concept through candidate nomination and IND-enabling entry, with modality‑informed approaches for small molecules, peptides, small biologics, and antisense oligonucleotides.
• Design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret biochemical, biophysical, cell‑based, functional, and mechanism‑of‑action assays that establish potency, efficacy, selectivity, target engagement, drug‑like properties, and biological relevance using a 100% external model with CROs and academic collaborators.
• Own the pharmacology work needed to link exposure, target engagement, pharmacodynamic response, tolerability, early look at translational biomarkers, and early regulatory expectations into a clear rationale for advancing discovery programs.
• Mentor and develop scientific talent while fostering a culture of rigorous experimental design, cross‑functional collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

We anticipate hiring the Associate Director, Discovery Pharmacology role in September 2026

• Generate, analyze, and synthesize pharmacology datasets to characterize drug‑like properties, establish proof of concept, define liabilities and/or optimization opportunities, and recommend next experiments, using a 100% externalized model.
• Support or lead early in‑vivo or ex‑vivo proof‑of‑concept studies when needed, ensuring that study design is tied to the pharmacology hypothesis and stage‑appropriate decision criteria.
• Apply experience across therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, peptides, small biologics, and antisense oligonucleotides, to select appropriate assay formats and interpretation frameworks.
• Conduct deep scientific diligence on new targets to develop target rationale and experimental paradigm.
• Partner closely with toxicology, bioanalytical, translational biology, and clinical pharmacology colleagues to connect pharmacology readouts with exposure, target engagement, and early develop ability considerations.
• Manage and direct CROs, academic collaborators, and external partners.
• Prepare concise scientific updates, program/project/study summaries, decision memos, and recommendations for project teams and leadership, with emphasis on data‑driven early discovery choices.
• Mentor junior scientists and research associates while remaining directly engaged in experimental strategy, data review, and problem solving.

• PhD in Toxicology, Pharmacology, Molecular or Cell Biology, or a related science with 4 years industry experience; or Master’s with 6 years industry experience; or BSci with 10 years industry experience.
• Must have at least 2 years working in small biotech to be considered, previous remote work is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing pharmacology and early proof‑of‑concept studies to support drug discovery, candidate selection, IND‑enabling studies, regulatory submissions, and clinical development.
• Experience authoring, reviewing, and contributing to scientific publications and scientific experimental summary documents.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex biology, physiology, and biochemical data into a drug‑product specific mechanism of action.
• Experienced leading external CROs, consultants, and sponsored…