--- title: 'Director/Senior Director, Immunology at Iambic Therapeutics, Inc' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-senior-director-immunology-iambic-therapeutics-inc-san-diego-pc8aedpavc67' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-09' --- # Director/Senior Director, Immunology at Iambic Therapeutics, Inc - **Company:** Iambic Therapeutics, Inc - **Location:** San Diego, CA - **Employment:** full-time - **Posted:** 2026-09-08 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/iambic-therapeutics/12a04101-8844-4843-90bd-1943c1931768 ## Job description ## JOB SUMMARY Iambic Therapeutics is seeking a scientific leader with deep expertise in immunology and immunopharmacology to join the Biology group as Director or Senior Director. This individual will define and execute biology strategies for small-molecule discovery programs, translating disease and immune biology into robust in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo evidence packages that guide medicinal chemistry from hit identification through development candidate nomination and IND-enabling studies. The successful candidate will lead project teams, set scientific direction, and drive cross-functional decision-making with Chemistry, DMPK, Safety, Translational, and Computational teams. The role will also partner with Iambic's AI/ML scientists to apply computational approaches that accelerate hypothesis generation, data interpretation, and program decisions. Level will be determined by experience and demonstrated scope. This role is based at our San Diego headquarters. ## KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Program and cross-functional leadership: Lead immunology strategy from target validation and hit identification through lead optimization, development candidate nomination, and IND-enabling studies, integrating disease biology with SAR, DMPK/PK/PD, safety, target engagement, and translational biomarkers. - In vitro and ex vivo strategy: Oversee disease-relevant studies using primary human immune cells, whole blood/PBMCs, and tissues to assess mechanism, potency, selectivity, target engagement, and immune function while accounting for donor variability and biological context. - In vivo and translational strategy: Define and oversee efficacy, mechanistic, and PK/PD studies, including model and species selection, endpoints, exposure-response relationships, tissue pharmacology, and translation to human biomarkers; critically interpret results. - Team and partner leadership: Manage and develop scientists and associates, oversee CROs and other partners, and ensure clear goals, timelines, budgets, deliverables, data quality, and appropriate SOP- and GLP-aligned practices while fostering an inclusive, high-trust team. ## QUALIFICATIONS - PhD in immunology or a related field, with substantial immunology training and typically 15+ years of relevant experience, including significant industry experience in small-molecule discovery. - Track record leading cross-functional small-molecule programs from hit identification through development candidate nomination, with ownership of biology strategy, stage gates, and milestones; IND-enabling experience is valued. - Deep expertise in innate and/or adaptive immunology and extensive experience with primary-cell and ex vivo studies, including multiparameter flow cytometry and relevant functional readouts. - Experience designing and interpreting in vivo efficacy, pharmacodynamic, and mechanistic studies, including model selection, PK/PD, species translation, and biomarker strategy. - Experience developing and transferring robust assay cascades to CROs or automation/HTS platforms, using orthogonal assays and counterscreens to confirm on-target activity and control for donor variability and assay artifacts. - Strong people leadership and executive communication skills, including mentoring, performance management, team development, and data-driven recommendations. ## PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Experience using patient-derived samples, translational biomarkers, and high-dimensional data to bridge preclinical and clinical studies. - Familiarity with AI/ML-enabled drug discovery and collaboration with computational biology, data science, or cheminformatics teams. ## ABOUT IAMBIC THERAPEUTICS Iambic is a clinical-stage life-science and technology company developing novel medicines using its AI-driven discovery and development platform. Based in San Diego and founded in 2020, Iambic has assembled a world-class team that unites pioneering AI experts and experienced drug hunters. The Iambic platform has demonstrated delivery of new drug candidates to human clinical trials with unprecedented speed and across multiple target classes and mechanisms of action. Iambic is advancing a pipeline of potential best-in-class and first-in-class clinical assets, both internally and in partnership, to address urgent unmet patient need. Learn more about the Iambic team, platform, pipeline, and partnerships at iambic.ai http://iambic.ai. ## MISSION & CORE VALUES Our mission is to deliver better medicines through innovations in AI-based discovery technologies. The culture and work at Iambic Therapeutics are profoundly strengthened by the diversity of our people and our differences in background, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and life experiences. We are committed to building an inclusive environment where a diverse group of talented humans work together to discover therapeutics and create technologies. ## PAY AND BENEFITS We offer industry-leading competitive pay, company-paid healthcare, flexible spending accounts, voluntary life insurance, 401(k) matching, and uncapped vacation to our team. We are in a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility in beautiful San Diego with an onsite gym, dining, and easy access to great places to live and play. ## About Iambic Therapeutics, Inc ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Iambic Therapeutics is a clinical‑stage biotechnology company that uses an AI‑driven platform to discover and develop novel small‑molecule medicines for oncology and other diseases. - **Entity Type**: Private (late‑stage venture‑backed) - **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, United States - **Founded**: 2020 - **Founders**: Not explicitly named in available sources; leadership includes a Co‑Founder & CEO and a Co‑Founder & CTO. ## Core Business - **Primary industries**: Biotechnology, AI‑powered drug discovery, oncology therapeutics - **Target customers**: B2B partnerships with pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Bayer) and, ultimately, patients through a wholly‑owned pipeline of clinical‑stage candidates - **Mission**: *“Better technology for better medicines”* – using machine learning and automation to transform the creation of new therapeutics ## Products & Services - **Enchant Platform**: A multi‑modal transformer AI that breaks down data barriers between preclinical and clinical R&D, enabling rapid molecular design. - **NeuralPLexer**: A co‑folding AI technology that predicts protein‑ligand structures to guide drug design. - **Automated High‑Throughput Experimentation**: AI‑driven robotics that generate new biological data from novel molecular designs on a weekly cadence. - **IAM1363** (HER2 inhibitor): A highly selective, brain‑penetrant tyrosine kinase inhibitor for HER2‑driven cancers; currently in Phase 1b clinical studies. - **IAM‑C1** (CDK2/4 dual inhibitor): A potential first‑in‑class selective inhibitor for HR+/HER2‑ metastatic breast cancer (preclinical). - **IAM‑K1** (KIF18A inhibitor): A potential best‑in‑class allosteric inhibitor for triple‑negative breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other solid tumors (preclinical). - **Undisclosed programs**: Additional wholly‑owned candidates across multiple target classes and mechanisms. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed - **Key Metric**: **Total funding** – $330.8 M (including a $100 M Series B in Oct 2023, a $50 M Series B extension in Apr 2024 led by EXOR N.V. and Mubadala Capital, and a $127.8 M venture round in Nov 2025) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: EXOR N.V., Mubadala Capital, Nexus Venture, Bayer (collaboration in AI drug discovery), and a Scientific Advisory Board including Nobel Laureate Frances Arnold (Caltech) - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount of **117** (64.5 % year‑over‑year growth) - Active job postings: **18** (+200 % quarterly, +50 % yearly) - Pipeline advanced from program launch to IND in **2 years** (vs. 6‑year industry average for IAM1363) - Broad platform applicability demonstrated across orthosteric, allosteric, and protein‑protein interaction modalities ## Competitive Advantages - **Speed**: AI‑driven platform can deliver development candidates to clinical trials in roughly one‑third the industry average time. - **Selectivity & Differentiated Profiles**: IAM1363 shows > 5000‑fold selectivity against EGFR, avoiding EGFR‑driven toxicity; IAM‑C1 targets CDK2/4 with a novel selectivity profile. - **Broad Platform Applicability**: Platform has produced leads across diverse protein classes and mechanisms (orthosteric, allosteric, PPI modulators). - **Integration of AI and Drug Hunting**: Tightly integrated team of AI experts and seasoned drug hunters, with a culture of “audacity” that tackles hard chemistry problems. ## Strategic Focus - Advancing the clinical pipeline: IAM1363 Phase 1b, preparing IAM‑C1 and IAM‑K1 for IND‑enabling studies. - Expanding platform partnerships (e.g., Bayer collaboration). - Scaling the organization: actively hiring in ML science, computational chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and clinical operations. - Exploring new therapeutic areas and target classes through the Enchant and NeuralPLexer technologies. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values of **Respect**, **Collaboration**, and **Audacity** – cross‑functional teamwork with resilience and optimism; a flat, high‑trust environment. - **Work Model**: Based in La Jolla/San Diego, CA; the company emphasizes on‑site collaboration for drug‑discovery and lab‑based roles; remote/hybrid policy not explicitly stated. - **Team Growth**: Rapidly scaling (headcount +64 % YoY) with a strong pipeline of open roles in ML, computational chemistry, drug product development, and clinical operations. - **Cutting‑Edge Work**: Opportunity to work at the intersection of frontier AI (large multimodal models, agentic data pipelines) and real‑world drug discovery that reaches patients. - **Leadership & Mentorship**: Advisory board includes Nobel laureate and former NVIDIA AI director; close integration of AI and biology. ## Sources 1. [iambic.ai](https://www.iambic.ai/) – Homepage, platform, and corporate overview 2. [iambic.ai/about](https://www.iambic.ai/about) – Leadership, advisory board, investors 3. [iambic.ai/pipeline](https://www.iambic.ai/pipeline) – Pipeline details (IAM1363, IAM‑C1, IAM‑K1) 4. [iambic.ai/careers](https://www.iambic.ai/careers) – Careers page, values, open positions 5. [linkedin.com/company/iambic-ai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/iambic-ai) – Company stats (headcount 117, $3.4M revenue, $330.8M funding, funding rounds, employee growth) ## Other roles at Iambic Therapeutics, Inc - [Sr Manager, FP&A - Discovery R&D](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-manager-fp-a-discovery-r-d-iambic-therapeutics-inc-san-diego-sznt8xkbx741) — San Diego, CA - [Software Engineer — Agentic data pipelines](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-agentic-data-pipelines-iambic-therapeutics-inc-united-states-z1afztyyenvn) — United States - [Principal Medical Writer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-medical-writer-iambic-therapeutics-inc-united-states-p7p8wv9kdmyd) — United States - [Sr Manager, Quality Systems & Compliance](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-manager-quality-systems-compliance-iambic-therapeutics-inc-united-states-vsh166q5vj7e) — United States - [Research Scientist I/II, Bioanalytical Sciences & Assay Development](https://feeny.ai/job/research-scientist-i-ii-bioanalytical-sciences-assay-development-iambic-z1xnw171hxqv) — San Diego, CA - [Machine Learning Scientist – Clinical Prediction](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-scientist-clinical-prediction-iambic-therapeutics-inc-boston-r8b4amskssr5) — Boston, MA - [Machine Learning Scientist — Large Multimodal Models (Post-Training)](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-scientist-large-multimodal-models-post-training-iambic-7rzbhfe24hz9) — United Kingdom - [Machine Learning Scientist — Large Multimodal Models (Post-Training)](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-scientist-large-multimodal-models-post-training-iambic-tq20zrdrpft4) — Boston, MA - [Senior / Executive Director, Analytical Development CMC](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-executive-director-analytical-development-cmc-iambic-therapeutics-inc-xc2n3pav2s88) — United States - [Associate Director / Director, Clinical Pharmacology](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-director-director-clinical-pharmacology-iambic-therapeutics-inc-san-je8hv9zyhrrm) — San Diego, CA