Demo

VP / Head of Clinical Development

Engine Biosciences
San Francisco, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 3/8/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/6/2025

Why Engine Bio?

Engine Biosciences is a venture-backed company discovering and developing impactful precision medicines by deciphering complex biology with integrated computation and experimentation, with particular depth in oncology gained over several years of substantial investment and focus. Having pinpointed many promising drug targets, tumor vulnerabilities, and biomarkers predicting patients most likely to benefit from therapies, Engine is advancing its pipeline of oncology therapeutics towards the clinic internally and with collaborators, and in other disease areas through partnerships. Engine’s team is motivated by opportunities to address significant unmet needs with more selective and effective precision medicines. For more information, please visit

We are a fast-paced, innovative company. We are excited to have passionate and talented staff join our team in California (SF Bay Area) or Singapore. We offer excellent career growth opportunities, and a chance to work closely with experienced business and scientific leaders.

Job Description :

Engine Biosciences is seeking a highly experienced and dynamic Head of Clinical Development to lead the transition of our novel oncology therapeutics from preclinical development into clinical trials. This key leadership role will be responsible for designing and executing clinical strategies, overseeing clinical operations, and ensuring the successful advancement of our programs. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in oncology drug development, a strong strategic mindset, and the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and external partners.

Responsibilities :

  • Lead the clinical development strategy and execution for Engine Biosciences’ oncology pipeline, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and corporate objectives.
  • Oversee the design, implementation, and management of early-phase clinical trials, including protocol development, site selection, and patient recruitment strategies.
  • Work cross-functionally with preclinical, regulatory, and translational science teams to optimize clinical development plans and biomarker-driven patient selection approaches.
  • Serve as the primary clinical expert, interfacing with regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, etc), key opinion leaders (KOLs), and strategic partners.
  • Establish and maintain strong relationships with clinical investigators, CROs, and external collaborators to ensure high-quality clinical trial execution.
  • Drive data analysis and interpretation, contributing to regulatory submissions, investor presentations, and scientific publications.
  • Provide leadership and mentorship to the clinical development team, fostering a high-performance culture within a fast-paced biotech environment.
  • Participate in development of clinical budgets, working with clinical operations and finance teams to budget and ensure cost-effective execution of clinical trials while maintaining high-quality and regulatory compliance.
  • Contribute to strategic decision-making on portfolio prioritization, risk assessment, and long-term development planning.
  • Support financing and business development efforts by effectively communicating clinical strategy, progress, and impact to investors and potential partners.

Qualifications and Experience :

  • MD or MD / PhD with board certification in oncology, or a related field.
  • 10 years of experience in clinical development within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, with a strong focus on oncology.
  • Proven track record of leading early-phase clinical trials and successfully advancing therapeutics from IND-enabling studies to clinical proof-of-concept.
  • Expertise in precision medicine approaches, biomarker-driven clinical development, clinical trial design, and regulatory interactions.
  • Strong leadership, communication, and strategic-thinking skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
  • Experience managing relationships with external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, investigators, and corporate partners.
  • Hands-on experience in biotech in early-phase trial settings, with ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial setting and drive clinical programs efficiently.
  • Strong business acumen, with experience in supporting investor and business development communications.
  • Location :

    California (SF Bay Area) or Singapore

    If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
    Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

    What is the career path for a VP / Head of Clinical Development?

    Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the VP / Head of Clinical Development career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
    Income Estimation: 
    $320,451 - $462,745
    Income Estimation: 
    $432,829 - $693,033
    Income Estimation: 
    $272,340 - $371,244
    Income Estimation: 
    $327,104 - $451,316
    Income Estimation: 
    $327,104 - $451,316
    Income Estimation: 
    $338,814 - $572,009
    Income Estimation: 
    $77,000 - $101,611
    Income Estimation: 
    $106,109 - $140,344
    Income Estimation: 
    $121,487 - $157,064
    Income Estimation: 
    $183,731 - $240,665
    Income Estimation: 
    $215,042 - $285,725
    View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

    Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other VP / Head of Clinical Development jobs in the San Francisco, CA area that may be a better fit.

    VP / Head of Clinical Operations

    Engine Biosciences, San Francisco, CA

    VP of Clinical Development

    Top Ten Talent, San Francisco, CA

    AI Assistant is available now!

    Feel free to start your new journey!