Senior Director, Pathology/Toxicology, Non-Clinical Development & Translational Sciences
Kardigan · Princeton, New Jersey, United States, South San Francisco, California, United States · Posted Jul 8, 2026
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About Us
Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.
It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.
Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.
We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.
At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families , we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic —leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn , we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.
These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.
Position Title: Senior Director, Pathology/Toxicology, Non-Clinical Development Translational Sciences
Department: Discovery
Reports To: VP, Discovery Research
Location: Princeton, New Jersey or South San Francisco, CA – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)
Job Overview
The Senior Director of Non-Clinical Development is a strategic role at Kardigan that will oversee the design, execution, and reporting of Kardigan’s nonclinical regulatory strategy. The incumbent will provide strategic leadership and oversight for non-clinical safety and toxicology assessments over the various stages of the drug development process from early discovery (IND planning) to late stages of clinical development up to approval.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee the development and execution of an integrated non-clinical regulatory strategy, serving as lead for key aspects of non-clinical development at Kardigan
Design, execute, and oversee non-clinical toxicology and safety pharmacology strategies, following (or exceeding) established guidelines/requirements.
In collaboration with research and development team leaders, participate in the budgeting, prioritization, staffing, and management of non-clinical programs from late discovery through early development.
Evaluate, select, monitor, and manage Contract Research Organizations (CROs), including risk assessment and management.
Drafting of study protocols, and peer review of studies and reports, until finalization, leading interpretation of data and oral/written communication of results
Support integrated development plans, regulatory submissions, and approvals through the timely provision of data and its analysis. Be accountable for nonclinical sections/contribution to INDs, Investigational Brochures, Regulatory Briefing Documents, and other relevant documentation for assigned programs
Partner with relevant members of research, discovery, CMC, quality assurance, and development to deliver program studies on time and in budget
In alignment with Global Program Heads, ensure consistency of non-clinical content and messages across scientific and non-scientific publications and materials
Hire, manage, and/or supervise a team of non-clinical scientists, consultants, and collaborator
Serve as representative of the non-clinical function, and/or assign adequate designates, to project teams, and/or regulatory meetings
Support the evaluation of safety assessment candidates, and the selection of development candidates
Provide technical support to various departments within the company with respect to non-clinical development, including safety pharmacology and toxicology. Partner with relevant groups and departments to incorporate innovative technology and state-of-the art scientific knowledge/tools, including imaging, biomarkers, genetic, and multi-omic analyses (to name a few), to leverage non-clinical studies to accelerate the translational understanding of diseases and mechanisms of action for agents under development.
Assist in the development, adherence, and optimization of departmental, project, and corporate budgets.
Develop relevant Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs)
Qualifications and Preferred Skills
DVM, MD and/or PhD in a relevant discipline, with a minimu…