Director, Small Molecule In Vitro Pharmacology (IVP)

Role Summary

Director, Small Molecule In Vitro Pharmacology (IVP) drives in vitro pharmacology research for small molecule drug discovery, identifying bona fide hit molecules and providing deep insights into in vitro profiles in collaboration with medicinal chemists. The role oversees external CRO programs, designing and managing assays, and accelerating DMTA cycles conducted at CROs to impact Takeda’s pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Lead in vitro pharmacology efforts for proprietary small molecule asset generation across neuroscience, oncology, and GI/inflammatory diseases. Design and implement in vitro screening cascades, conduct HTS and hit validation, perform SAR screenings, and analyze hit/lead series to provide scientific insights.
• Leverage external CRO capabilities by integrating internal and external expertise to establish an efficient operational framework and sustain support for multiple projects.
• Act as an In Vitro Pharmacology representative to initiate new projects with insights into asset generation strategies and drafting tactical research plans with robust screening cascades; lead hit generation activities after project initiation.
• Build and foster internal and external collaborations with internal biology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, computational sciences, and structural biology teams; collaborate within matrixed research teams to advance discovery programs.
• Serve as a global subject matter expert in Small Molecule In Vitro Pharmacology, promoting innovation and scientific excellence via cutting-edge technologies and approaches.
• Mentor and develop talent within Global Chemistry and the broader in vitro pharmacology community; ensure sustainable evolution and model ethical decision-making in compliance with regulations.

Qualifications

• PhD in a molecular biology-related field with 10+ years of pharma experience.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry with a track record supporting cross-functional teams to generate validated hit/lead molecules progressing to candidates; IVP leadership experience for multiple hit/lead cycles including HTS and validation.
• Deep knowledge of in vitro assays (biophysical, biochemical, cell-based) and small molecule screenings; proficient in data processing and archiving for future cheminformatics use.
• Proven experience managing CROs for hit/lead generation and optimization; familiarity with external communities such as SLAS.
• Interest in advancing in vitro pharmacology capabilities and drug discovery pipelines, including exploration of new techniques, software, hardware/cloud capabilities, and AI/ML methods.
• Outstanding leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; ability to lead global hit generation teams, collaborate across disciplines, and influence without formal authority; commitment to inclusive culture.

Skills

• In vitro pharmacology expertise
• HTS and hit validation
• Assay design and analysis
• Cross-functional collaboration
• CRO management
• Data processing and cheminformatics readiness
• Leadership and mentoring

Education

• PhD in a scientific discipline related to molecular biology or a closely related field