Lead, Search & Evaluation, AI and Automation Drug Discovery
Takeda
July 01, 2026
On-site
Cambridge, MA
$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 with academia, biotech, technology companies, and venture ecosystems.
- Lead or coordinate technical due diligence for external opportunities (assess scientific fit, technical feasibility, strategic alignment, risk, and value).
- Synthesize diligence findings into actionable recommendations for governance bodies and senior leadership.
- Partner with Business Development and cross-functional stakeholders to shape opportunities and transactions.
- Define and evolve external innovation priorities aligned to Takeda’s R&D and DD&T strategy.
- Represent Takeda externally for AI and automation in drug discovery.
- Build and maintain a network across biopharma, technology, and venture ecosystems.
What Success Looks Like:
- Build a high-quality pipeline aligned to strategic priorities.
- Enable efficient, rigorous technical diligence and clear decision-making.
- Influence internal AI/automation-enabled discovery strategy.
- Translate emerging technologies into differentiated R&D impact.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a scientific/technical field (e.g., Data Science, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, Computational Biology, or related).
- Significant industry experience in pharma/biotech/healthcare (or closely related).
- 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.
- Ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communication for presenting technical assessments to leadership.
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD, MD, or other advanced degree.
- Experience in external innovation, business development support, or technology strategy.
- Experience across computational sciences, AI/ML platforms, lab automation, and digital research platforms.
- Strong network and experience in matrixed global organizations.
Leadership Capabilities:
- Strategic thinker with scientific/technical judgment; comfortable with ambiguity.
- Effective collaborator across research, DD&T, business, and external partners.
- Balances innovation with feasibility, risk, and value assessment.
Travel:
- Approximately 20%.
Location/Onsite Expectations:
- Cambridge, MA; commute to the Cambridge office; onsite 2–3 days/week (minimum 8 in-office days/month).
Application Instructions:
- By clicking the “Apply” button, the employment application process with Takeda will commence and submitted information will be processed per Takeda’s Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.
- 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 with academia, biotech, technology companies, and venture ecosystems.
- Lead or coordinate technical due diligence for external opportunities (assess scientific fit, technical feasibility, strategic alignment, risk, and value).
- Synthesize diligence findings into actionable recommendations for governance bodies and senior leadership.
- Partner with Business Development and cross-functional stakeholders to shape opportunities and transactions.
- Define and evolve external innovation priorities aligned to Takeda’s R&D and DD&T strategy.
- Represent Takeda externally for AI and automation in drug discovery.
- Build and maintain a network across biopharma, technology, and venture ecosystems.
What Success Looks Like:
- Build a high-quality pipeline aligned to strategic priorities.
- Enable efficient, rigorous technical diligence and clear decision-making.
- Influence internal AI/automation-enabled discovery strategy.
- Translate emerging technologies into differentiated R&D impact.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a scientific/technical field (e.g., Data Science, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, Computational Biology, or related).
- Significant industry experience in pharma/biotech/healthcare (or closely related).
- 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.
- Ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communication for presenting technical assessments to leadership.
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD, MD, or other advanced degree.
- Experience in external innovation, business development support, or technology strategy.
- Experience across computational sciences, AI/ML platforms, lab automation, and digital research platforms.
- Strong network and experience in matrixed global organizations.
Leadership Capabilities:
- Strategic thinker with scientific/technical judgment; comfortable with ambiguity.
- Effective collaborator across research, DD&T, business, and external partners.
- Balances innovation with feasibility, risk, and value assessment.
Travel:
- Approximately 20%.
Location/Onsite Expectations:
- Cambridge, MA; commute to the Cambridge office; onsite 2–3 days/week (minimum 8 in-office days/month).
Application Instructions:
- By clicking the “Apply” button, the employment application process with Takeda will commence and submitted information will be processed per Takeda’s Privacy Notice and Terms of Use.