Remote | Preclinical Drug Discovery & Development Scientist — $50–$90/hour

We are sharing a specialised part-time consulting opportunity for experienced preclinical R&D professionals with hands-on industry experience advancing drug programmes from discovery toward the clinic.

This role supports a research initiative focused on improving how advanced computational systems reason about real-world pharmaceutical R&D. Selected experts will review scientific materials and development data, evaluate model outputs, contribute practical judgement on drug-development decisions, and help define high-quality data structures grounded in authentic preclinical workflows.

Key Responsibilities

Preclinical R&D Review

• Review technical materials and real-world scientific data from drug discovery and development workflows
• Evaluate whether analyses and conclusions reflect realistic preclinical R&D practice
• Identify missing assumptions, weak reasoning, and biologically or chemically implausible outputs
• Apply hands-on industry judgement to complex scientific scenarios
• Assess trade-offs across efficacy, safety, developability, and programme risk

Scientific Data Evaluation

• Label, classify, and annotate scientific data and model-generated outputs
• Identify meaningful experimental signals, development decisions, and failure modes
• Evaluate the quality and relevance of data used in downstream research workflows
• Help establish consistent standards for scientific annotation and review
• Translate practical R&D knowledge into structured, usable data

Drug Discovery & Lead Optimisation

• Apply experience across target selection, modality choice, hit-to-lead, and lead optimisation workflows
• Evaluate decisions involving potency, selectivity, pharmacology, PK/PD, and developability
• Review programme trade-offs and scientific risks
• Assess whether proposed optimisation strategies reflect realistic drug-development constraints
• Contribute expertise from programmes progressing toward IND-enabling development

Modality-Specific Development

• Apply hands-on experience with one or more therapeutic modalities, such as:
  • Small molecules
  • Monoclonal antibodies
  • Peptides
  • Antibody-drug conjugates
  • Bispecifics
  • mRNA
  • siRNA and ASOs
  • PROTACs and molecular glues
  • Cell therapies
  • Gene therapies
  • Radioligand therapies
• Evaluate modality-specific scientific and development considerations
• Identify challenges related to delivery, stability, efficacy, safety, or manufacturability

Core R&D Functions

• Contribute expertise from areas such as:
  • Discovery biology
  • Medicinal chemistry
  • Protein or antibody engineering
  • Computational drug discovery
  • In vivo and translational research
  • Pharmacology and PK/PD
  • Toxicology
  • CMC and formulation
• Apply cross-functional judgement to development decisions
• Evaluate how findings from different disciplines affect programme progression

Dataset & Research Development

• Help define structure and quality standards for scientific data pipelines
• Identify which experimental signals and development decisions should be captured
• Surface workflow details that are often missed outside hands-on industry R&D
• Participate in expert discussions, interviews, and research engagements
• Provide practical perspective on how preclinical drug-development teams operate

Ideal Profile

• 5+ years of relevant pharmaceutical or biotechnology R&D experience, with flexibility for candidates demonstrating exceptional depth
• Hands-on, non-administrative preclinical R&D experience within a company developing its own therapeutic assets
• Experience at an organisation that has advanced internal drug programmes toward or into clinical development
• Current or recent work in a core R&D function such as discovery biology, medicinal chemistry, protein engineering, computational discovery, translational science, pharmacology, PK/PD, toxicology, or CMC
• Hands-on experience with at least one therapeutic modality
• Experience advancing a programme through lead optimisation, IND-enabling studies, or preclinical development is highly valued
• Experience within mid-sized, emerging, or resource-constrained biotechnology environments is advantageous
• Seniority may range from experienced individual contributor through Director level
• Strong scientific judgement and ability to explain technical decisions clearly
• This opportunity is best suited to hands-on drug-development professionals rather than backgrounds focused primarily on CRO/CDMO services, academic-only research, QC/analytical functions, clinical development, diagnostics, regulatory affairs, or medical writing

Engagement Details

• Part-time independent contractor engagement
• Fully remote
• Expected commitment of approximately 10 hours per week
• Ongoing engagement based on project needs
• Compensation: $50–$90/hour
• Contributors will interact directly with the assigned research team
• Projects may be extended, shortened, or concluded based on project needs and performance
• Work must be completed without using confidential or proprietary information belonging to any employer, client, institution, or other third party
• H1-B and STEM OPT support is unavailable for this engagement

About the Platform

This opportunity is available through 24-MAG LLC. We connect experienced professionals with remote consulting opportunities across technical, evaluation, and project-based workstreams.

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