Senior Director, AIRx Discovery Biology Lead
Takeda
June 25, 2026
Remote friendly (Boston, MA)
United States
$212,000 - $333,190 USD yearly
Clinical Research and Development
Purpose
Biology is the strategic core of every AIRx program. As Discovery Biology Lead, you will set the mechanistic and translational foundation that determines whether a program advances, guiding the team from target hypothesis to clinical hypothesis.
Responsibilities / Accountabilities
- Own the disease biology and target validation strategy across the AIRx portfolio; ensure mechanistic rationale, clear differentiation, and clinical line of sight.
- Define translational biomarker strategies supporting go/no-go decisions and future clinical development.
- Design and provide strategic oversight of CRO-executed in vitro and in vivo biology studies; critically evaluate data packages for quality and decision-readiness.
- Integrate biology data into AI-enabled DMTA cycles with medicinal/computational chemists, DMPK, safety, and structural biology.
- Challenge scientific assumptions to ensure biological integrity and mechanistic depth.
- Represent biology perspectives in governance forums; contribute to IND-enabling biology packages.
- Stay current with disease biology and the competitive landscape; proactively inform the team.
- Shape biology’s practice in the AIRx model and role model new ways of working.
Qualifications
- PhD in cell biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, or closely related discipline.
- 12–15+ years in drug discovery with strong target validation and disease biology track record.
- Proven contributions to IND filings; experience with IND-enabling biology packages.
- Experience designing/managing CRO biology programs; ability to scope, oversee, and interpret study data.
- Ability to connect target biology to clinical hypothesis and translational strategy.
- AI/ML data integration experience; comfortable with large multi-source datasets.
- Experience in at least one relevant therapeutic area.
- Excellent cross-functional collaboration; able to thrive in a lean, fast-paced team.
Location / Work Model
- Cambridge, MA (hybrid per Takeda’s Hybrid and Remote Work policy).
Application
- Apply via the “Apply” button.
Biology is the strategic core of every AIRx program. As Discovery Biology Lead, you will set the mechanistic and translational foundation that determines whether a program advances, guiding the team from target hypothesis to clinical hypothesis.
Responsibilities / Accountabilities
- Own the disease biology and target validation strategy across the AIRx portfolio; ensure mechanistic rationale, clear differentiation, and clinical line of sight.
- Define translational biomarker strategies supporting go/no-go decisions and future clinical development.
- Design and provide strategic oversight of CRO-executed in vitro and in vivo biology studies; critically evaluate data packages for quality and decision-readiness.
- Integrate biology data into AI-enabled DMTA cycles with medicinal/computational chemists, DMPK, safety, and structural biology.
- Challenge scientific assumptions to ensure biological integrity and mechanistic depth.
- Represent biology perspectives in governance forums; contribute to IND-enabling biology packages.
- Stay current with disease biology and the competitive landscape; proactively inform the team.
- Shape biology’s practice in the AIRx model and role model new ways of working.
Qualifications
- PhD in cell biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, or closely related discipline.
- 12–15+ years in drug discovery with strong target validation and disease biology track record.
- Proven contributions to IND filings; experience with IND-enabling biology packages.
- Experience designing/managing CRO biology programs; ability to scope, oversee, and interpret study data.
- Ability to connect target biology to clinical hypothesis and translational strategy.
- AI/ML data integration experience; comfortable with large multi-source datasets.
- Experience in at least one relevant therapeutic area.
- Excellent cross-functional collaboration; able to thrive in a lean, fast-paced team.
Location / Work Model
- Cambridge, MA (hybrid per Takeda’s Hybrid and Remote Work policy).
Application
- Apply via the “Apply” button.