Lead, Search & Evaluation, AI and Automation Drug Discovery
Takeda
August 14, 2026
Remote friendly (Cambridge, MA)
United States
$177,000 - $278,080 USD yearly
Clinical Research and Development
Key Responsibilities:
- Proactively scout and evaluate external innovation opportunities across AI, automation, computational sciences, and digital technologies relevant to drug discovery.
- Identify and assess partnership, licensing, collaboration, and strategic investment opportunities across academia, biotech, technology companies, venture ecosystems, and other external partners.
- Lead/coordinate technical due diligence for opportunities, engaging subject matter experts to assess scientific fit, feasibility, alignment, risk, and value.
- Synthesize diligence into clear, actionable recommendations for governance bodies and senior leadership.
- Partner with Business Development and cross-functional stakeholders to shape assessments and transactions.
- Define/evolve external innovation priorities aligned to R&D and DD&T strategy.
- Serve as an external representative for Takeda’s AI/automation strategic interests.
- Build/maintain external networks to track trends, capabilities, and partnership opportunities.
- Support evaluation of how external technologies can address high-value scientific and operational challenges.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a scientific/technical field (Data Science, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, Computational Biology, or related).
- Significant industry experience in pharma/biotech/healthcare or similar innovation environment.
- Deep understanding of drug discovery (target identification/validation, hit identification, optimization, pre-IND research).
- Strong understanding of AI/ML, data, digital technologies, and/or automation platforms for drug discovery.
- Demonstrated experience evaluating external technologies/partnerships/innovation opportunities.
- Ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communication.
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD/MD or advanced degree; experience in external innovation/search/evaluation, AI/ML platforms, lab automation, digital research platforms; strong network; experience in matrixed global orgs.
Leadership Capabilities:
- Strategic judgment; comfort with ambiguity; effective collaborator; balance innovation with feasibility/risk/value; build credibility and influence.
Travel:
- ~20%.
Application instructions:
- Apply via the “Apply” button.
- Proactively scout and evaluate external innovation opportunities across AI, automation, computational sciences, and digital technologies relevant to drug discovery.
- Identify and assess partnership, licensing, collaboration, and strategic investment opportunities across academia, biotech, technology companies, venture ecosystems, and other external partners.
- Lead/coordinate technical due diligence for opportunities, engaging subject matter experts to assess scientific fit, feasibility, alignment, risk, and value.
- Synthesize diligence into clear, actionable recommendations for governance bodies and senior leadership.
- Partner with Business Development and cross-functional stakeholders to shape assessments and transactions.
- Define/evolve external innovation priorities aligned to R&D and DD&T strategy.
- Serve as an external representative for Takeda’s AI/automation strategic interests.
- Build/maintain external networks to track trends, capabilities, and partnership opportunities.
- Support evaluation of how external technologies can address high-value scientific and operational challenges.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a scientific/technical field (Data Science, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, Computational Biology, or related).
- Significant industry experience in pharma/biotech/healthcare or similar innovation environment.
- Deep understanding of drug discovery (target identification/validation, hit identification, optimization, pre-IND research).
- Strong understanding of AI/ML, data, digital technologies, and/or automation platforms for drug discovery.
- Demonstrated experience evaluating external technologies/partnerships/innovation opportunities.
- Ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communication.
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD/MD or advanced degree; experience in external innovation/search/evaluation, AI/ML platforms, lab automation, digital research platforms; strong network; experience in matrixed global orgs.
Leadership Capabilities:
- Strategic judgment; comfort with ambiguity; effective collaborator; balance innovation with feasibility/risk/value; build credibility and influence.
Travel:
- ~20%.
Application instructions:
- Apply via the “Apply” button.