Principal Scientist, Clinical Sciences

Company introduction:

Compass Pathways plc (Nasdaq: CMPS) is a biotechnology company dedicated to accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health. The Company is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in New York City in the US. We focus on developing novel treatments that have the potential to improve the lives of those who are suffering with mental health conditions and who are not helped by current treatments.  

We are pioneering a new paradigm for treating mental health conditions focused on rapid and durable responses through the development of our investigational COMP360 synthetic psilocybin treatment, potentially a first in class treatment. COMP360 has Breakthrough Therapy designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has received Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) designation in the UK for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) due to the pressing unmet need in this area.

We are currently in phase 3 for TRD, have completed phase 2 studies for both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anorexia nervosa and are planning a further late-stage study in PTSD. We envision a world where mental health means not just the absence of illness but the ability to thrive. - Compass Pathways.

Job overview:  

The Principal Scientist, Clinical Sciences is accountable for the scientific leadership and operational excellence of studies across assigned assets, ensuring robust clinical rationale, endpoint strategy, and patient-centred design aligned with regulatory and launch objectives.

The role partners closely with Clinical Operations, Statistics & Data Management, Clinical Safety, Regulatory Sciences, and HEOR to deliver high-quality studies, enabling timely, compliant, and insight-driven decision making.

Location: Hybrid in our New York City office or remote on the East Coast in the United States.

Reports to: Vice President, Clinical Development.

Duration: 9-month contract.

Roles and responsibilities 
(Include but are not limited to): 

• Maintain scientific oversight during study execution, supporting medical monitoring, protocol deviations/clarifications, Clinical Study Report quality, and interpretation of clinical signals across programs
• Accountable for compliance with ethical and scientific standards, regulatory requirements, and the Compass Quality Management System, ensuring participant safety, data integrity, and accuracy throughout the trial process
• Lead SOPs, templates, and scalable processes that implement quality and velocity across the development portfolio
• Contribute to cross-functional readiness for key milestones (database lock, regulatory interactions), establishing operating rhythms and documentation standards consistent with Compass values and governance
• Lead authorship and scientific integrity of clinical protocols, synopses, amendments, and key trial documents, integrating disease biology, patient journey insights, and regulatory feedback for psychiatric indications
• Define study objectives, endpoints, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and statistical considerations in partnership with Statistics, aligning with target product profile and pivotal-readiness standards
• Drive cross-functional protocol development forums, ensuring timely input from all relevant functions, and resolving scientific and operational trade-offs with clear decision logs
• Ensure evidence plans anticipate payer and access needs by partnering with HEOR/RWE to harmonize endpoints, PROs, and real-world relevance from protocol inception
• Champion patient-centric design, incorporating feasibility data, KOL feedback, and ethical considerations into procedures, visit schedules, and burden-reduction strategies

Candidate Profile:

• PhD in neuroscience, pharmacology, or related life sciences field, or MD/PharmD with equivalent clinical development experience
• Required industry experience in biopharma/biotech clinical development with demonstrated leadership in protocol authorship and late-stage study design; CNS experience strongly preferred
• Proven capability to translate biology and patient insights into clear study objectives, endpoints, and operationally feasible designs
• Strong cross-functional collaboration; skilled at guiding teams through complex scientific choices and change
• Excellent scientific writing, data interpretation, and communication skills, with a track record of high-quality clinical documents and timely milestone delivery
• Mission-aligned, inclusive contributor who reflects Compass values and a wellbeing-first, stigma free culture

Benefits & Compensation:

For an overview of our benefits package and compensation information, please visit  "Working at Compass".  

Equal opportunities: 

Reasonable accommodation

We are committed to building a workplace where everyone’s wellbeing matters. If you need reasonable accommodation during the interview process to be at your best, please let our recruiting team know. 

UK applicants

We are proud of our commitment to diversity and equality (pursuant to the Equality Act 2010). We do not discriminate based upon race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability.

US applicants

Compass Pathways is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military service, genetic information, familial or marital status, or any other status, category, or characteristic protected by applicable law.

Sponsorship:

Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor employment visas and can only accept applications if you have employment rights in the country to which you are applying.

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