Position Summary

Arkana is seeking an experienced biotech scientist to lead its appetite suppression programs. The Program Lead will drive program strategy, experimental design, study execution, data interpretation, and decision-making across internal teams and external CROs.

The ideal candidate has drug discovery and preclinical development experience, with demonstrated ability to lead preclinical programs to successfully identify development candidates in a fast-moving biotech environment. Experience in small molecule discovery and development, metabolic disease biology, and cell-based assays is strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead appetite suppression programs from experimental strategy through execution, interpretation, and next-step recommendations.
• Design and interpret studies supporting pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, safety, mechanism of action, and preclinical proof of concept.
• Develop, optimize, and apply cell-based assays that inform program decisions, including hands-on bench work as the programs require.
• Build, lead, and mentor the internal scientific team, including day-to-day direction and performance management.
• Identify, select, and manage CROs and external subject matter experts and collaborators, including protocol review, study oversight, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
• Integrate cell biology, pharmacology, PK/PD, efficacy, and safety data into clear program plans and go/no-go recommendations.
• Communicate program status, key data, risks, and priorities clearly to company leadership and, as appropriate, help present program results at scientific conferences, partnering discussions, and business development meetings.
• Work closely with the scientific team to support hands-on problem solving, rapid decision-making, and effective coordination of lab-based activities.

Required Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent advanced scientific training in biology, pharmacology, physiology, metabolism, cell biology, molecular biology, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of Biotech or pharmaceutical industry experience beyond graduate school or postdoctoral training.
• Experience leading drug discovery and preclinical development programs successfully to development candidate selection.
• Experience designing and interpreting PK, PD, efficacy, and safety studies.
• Experience managing internal scientific contributors and external CROs.
• Strong scientific judgment and ability to design studies that answer program-relevant questions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in small molecule discovery and development.
• Hands-on experience designing, developing, optimizing, and interpreting cell-based assays.
• Experience in metabolic disease biology, including obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, liver metabolism, adipose biology, muscle metabolism, inflammation, or related cardiometabolic pathways.
• Experience with small molecule sustained release formulations.
• Experience in an early-stage biotech or startup environment.
• Experience building assays, model systems, or preclinical study plans in resource-constrained settings.

Personal Attributes

• Scientifically rigorous, practical, and execution-oriented.
• Self-motivated and comfortable operating with limited structure.
• Confident, collaborative, and team-oriented; actively seeks diverse perspectives and keeps the focus on program success rather than personal visibility.
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on problem solving.
• Energized by the pace, ambiguity, and opportunity of an early-stage startup.
• Comfortable in a dynamic, lab-focused environment where priorities evolve quickly and close team interaction matters.

Benefits

• Equity: Meaningful stock option grant with significant long-term upside
• Healthcare Benefit: Monthly reimbursement to help cover medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums
• Paid time off: 15 days PTO plus 11 holidays