Director/Senior Director, Preclinical Pharmacology/Toxicology

Viking Therapeutics is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Director or Senior Director, Preclinical Pharmacology/Toxicology, to support the advancement of innovative therapies for metabolic disease and obesity. The successful candidate will play a key role in the design, execution, interpretation, and strategic integration of preclinical pharmacology and toxicology studies supporting peptide and small-molecule drug candidates from discovery through IND and early clinical development. This individual will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including DMPK, CMC, Clinical Pharmacology, Regulatory, and external CRO partners. Essential Duties and Responsibilities The main responsibilities of this role include:• Lead nonclinical in vitro and in vivo pharmacology and toxicology strategies for obesity and metabolic disease programs.• Design, monitor, and interpret GLP and non-GLP toxicology studies, safety pharmacology studies, exploratory mechanistic studies, and juvenile and reproductive toxicology programs, as applicable.• Serve as the scientific lead for CRO interactions, study oversight, and data review.• Integrate pharmacology, pharmacokinetic, toxicokinetic, pathology, and biomarker data to support lead selection, optimization, and development decisions.• Contribute to INDs, Investigator’s Brochures, briefing books, NDAs, and other regulatory submissions.• Collaborate with clinical and translational teams to support dose selection and risk assessment.• Evaluate emerging literature and the competitive landscape in obesity and metabolic disease therapeutics.• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to building scientific capabilities across the organization.• Support strategic planning for combination and next-generation metabolic therapies.• Other duties as assigned.