Associate Director, External Communications
Calico Open · verified Jul 30, 2026 Leadership Communications role at Calico. South San Francisco · $195,000–$200,000 base.
Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Build communication plans that raise awareness of Calico's science, clinical milestones, and partnerships
- Shape thought leadership through publications, congress presence, executive visibility, and media engagement
- Write press releases, Q&A, talking points, slide decks, website copy, social posts, and videos
- Field media inquiries and manage messaging around data readouts, regulatory milestones, and patient questions
- Coordinate deal communications with partners and lend a hand on internal comms when needed
What you bring
- A bachelor's in communications, journalism, or a life sciences field, advanced degree welcome
- Ten or more years in PR or comms within biotech or pharma, including product communications
- Solid grasp of how a molecule progresses through discovery and development
- A knack for turning dense science into messaging that lands with varied audiences
- Skill juggling several high-stakes projects at once without losing accuracy
Who this fits
This suits a seasoned biotech comms professional who can move between big-picture strategy and hands-on execution while influencing senior leaders. Pre-launch experience with a breakthrough or orphan drug and rare disease exposure are pluses. The role is onsite in South San Francisco at least four days a week. Base pay runs $195,000 to $200,000 with two annual cash bonuses.
From the employer
Who We Are:
Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.
Position Description:
We are seeking an experienced Associate Director, External Communications to join our Corporate Communications team. In this key role, you will develop and execute communication plans that increase awareness of Calico’s scientific advancements, clinical milestones, and partnerships.
Reporting to the Senior Director of Corporate Communications, you will play a key role in maintaining a cohesive brand narrative that reinforces Calico’s overarching mission and translating scientific excellence into compelling external presence as we advance our lead programs toward potential commercialization and patient impact. In addition to subject matter expertise, this position will require strong collaboration and project management skills as you will work with a cross-functional team to shape how our development programs are perceived by the global scientific and medical communities, patients, advocacy groups, media, and our employees.
Responsibilities:
- Drive communication strategies that develop scientific and medical thought leadership, positioning Calico and its leaders as credible voices through publications, congress presence, executive visibility, and media engagement
- Develop compelling, consistent, and effective messaging for corporate communications materials such as press releases, media materials, Q&A, slide decks, talking points, website content, social media, and videos
- Partner with cross-functional team members to drive disease awareness and patient advocacy communications across our clinical programs, particularly our current lead indications
- Effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, external partners, and agencies to ensure high quality and compliant communications that drive clinical trial recruitment and brand awareness across our clinical portfolio
- Serve as a frontline responder for external/media inquiries and manage communications surrounding clinical data readouts, regulatory milestones, and patient/caregiver inquiries
- Work with partners to develop and execute deal communications
- Provide ad-hoc support across internal communications as needed
- Proactively seek out opportunities to maximize the impact of Corporate Communications
Position Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, or life sciences field is required, advanced degree a plus
- 10+ years of experience in public relations or communications within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, including product communications (rare disease experience a plus)
- Direct experience managing pre-launch communications for a breakthrough or orphan drug therapy is highly preferred
- Strong scientific understanding of a how a molecule moves through the discovery and development lifecycle
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with a proven track record of translating complex science for diverse audiences
- Expert at managing multiple high-stakes projects simultaneously without compromising accuracy or quality
- Ability to bridge high-level strategic planning with meticulous tactical execution
- Demonstrated agency and urgency in driving projects forward while remaining thoughtful and inclusive of cross-functional partners
- Confidence to influence and align senior stakeholders to support communication objectives
- Must be willing to work onsite at least four days a week
The estimated base salary range for this role is $195,000 - $200,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.