Job Title: Director, Behavioral Pharmacology
Employer: Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Location: Irvine, CA
Date: 11-06-2006
Description: Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an Irvine, California-based neuroscience company focused on novel drug therapies for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders, is currently recruiting for a Director, Behavioral Pharmacology. We are seeking an in vivo pharmacologist (PhD) with a strong background in the area of rodent Central Nervous System (CNS) behavioral models. The successful candidate will initiate and/or direct in vivo behavioral pharmacology studies to support drug discovery programs and progression of development candidates in the areas of cognition and neurodegeneration. These studies will be performed internally as well as through contract research organizations (CRO's). The successful candidate will possess effective leadership skills, work well in a team, be objective-driven, and understand the importance of project timelines. Candidates should have experience of discovery-based projects and understand the essential elements of drug development in the neuroscience area
The successful candidate will:
* Establish appropriate cognition and neurodegeneration in vivo behavioral assays to support drug discovery programs
* Interact closely with medicinal chemists and biologists
* Design, initiate, monitor, and report in vivo behavioral assays to support drug discovery efforts and elucidate the desired/undesired pharmacology
* Provide strategic leadership to discovery programs at Cortex
* Develop and maintain connections to cutting research at major academic and pharmaceutical companies within the company's therapeutic areas
* Ensure effective internal and external scientific communications (e.g., report writing, publications, abstracts)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
* A Ph.D. in pharmacology, or related field, with greater than 10 years' experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry in drug discovery research
* Although there will be an emphasis to conduct studies in house, some pharmacological studies may be performed through academic collaborators or CRO's, and therefore the successful candidate must have the ability to initiate, organize, follow through, and communicate with the appropriate individuals
* Requires a high level of initiative and independence. Excellent written and oral communication skills are required. Familiarity with statistics, personal computer and commonly used applications, e.g., Microsoft Excel, Word, Powerpoint are expected
* Work hours may include meetings scheduled outside of normal working hours. Demands during peak times may require work hours outside of normal working hours. A limited amount of domestic and international travel is expected