Program Lead

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.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $110,000-$130,000 per year
• 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