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Denali Therapeutics
South San Francisco, California

Medical Director, Safety Sciences

Medical AffairsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$272k-$336k

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Denali Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of biotherapeutics designed to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) using its proprietary TransportVehicle™ platform. With the first FDA-approved biologic specifically designed to cross the BBB, a clinically validated delivery platform and a growing portfolio of therapeutic candidates across all stages of development, we are advancing toward our goal of delivering effective medicines to transform the lives of people living with neurodegenerative diseases, lysosomal storage disorders and other serious diseases.

We invite you to consider an opportunity with Denali to help achieve our goal of delivering meaningful therapeutics to patients.

This job provides senior clinical leadership for safety strategy and oversight across multiple development programs or a therapeutic area. Leads complex safety assessments, drives cross-functional safety decision-making, and contributes to portfolio-level benefit–risk evaluation.

Key Accountabilities / Core Job Responsibilities

  • Provides strategic safety leadership across multiple programs or therapeutic area.
  • Leads safety signal detection (including complex cases), evaluation, and risk assessment and management activities across development programs.
  • Owns and drives benefit–risk assessments for assigned products and informs program and portfolio decisions.
  • Oversees preparation and review of aggregate safety reports, regulatory safety submissions, and safety sections of regulatory filings.
  • Provides medical review and causality assessment of individual case safety reports

Provides senior medical safety leadership in safety governance forums, including Safety Review Committees and Data Monitoring Committees.

Partners with Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, and Biostatistics to shape safety monitoring strategies for clinical programs.

Leads development and implementation of risk management strategies, including Risk Management Plans (RMPs) and REMS where applicable.

  • Represents Drug Safety in cross-functional program teams and governance discussions.
  • Mentors and develops Medical Directors and other safety scientists within the function.
  • Contributes to safety process improvements, standards, and best practices across the organization.
  • Participates in regulatory inspections and internal audits.

Qualifications/Skills

MD or MD/PhD required.

10+ years of relevant experience in drug safety, pharmacovigilance, or clinical development with progression to program or multi-program safety leadership.

Deep understanding of global pharmacovigilance regulations, signal detection methodologies, and safety risk management.

  • Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional decisions and lead complex safety discussions.
  • Recognized clinical and scientific credibility.

Salary Range: $272,000.00 to $336,000.00. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. Denali offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k, healthcare coverage, ESPP and a broad range of other benefits. Learn more at denalitherapeutics.com

This compensation and benefits information is based on Denali’s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

Denali is committed to its core company value of unity by creating a diverse and inclusive environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Key Responsibilities

Provides senior clinical leadership for safety strategy and oversight across multiple development programs or therapeutic areas. Leads complex safety assessments, drives cross-functional decision-making, and manages benefit-risk evaluations for the portfolio.

Requirements

Requires an MD or MD/PhD degree with over 10 years of relevant experience in drug safety, pharmacovigilance, or clinical development. Candidates must possess deep knowledge of global regulations and demonstrated ability to lead complex safety discussions.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
10+ years of experience

Key Skills

Benefit-risk assessmentStrategic planningMentorship

Medical Affairs — Physician Career Context

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$304k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $275k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

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Work-life snapshot

median 4.2this job 1.5
Below most Medical Affairs listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 222 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in South San Francisco

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.23M≈ 4.5× annual pay
Typical market rent
$4,027/mo≈ 18% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
26 min
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

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About Denali Therapeutics

Biotechnology Research
South San Francisco, California
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

401k
Healthcare Coverage
ESPP