Lead, Search & Evaluation, AI and Automation Drug Discovery

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Job Description

About the Role

Takeda is seeking an experienced and strategic leader, director level, to identify, evaluate, and advance external innovation opportunities in AI, automation, data, and digital technologies that can accelerate and differentiate our drug discovery capabilities. This individual will bring a deep understanding of the drug discovery landscape together with strong technical fluency in AI/ML, computational sciences, and digital platforms to assess opportunities for partnership, licensing, collaboration, and strategic investment.

This role sits within Strategy and Portfolio Development (SPD) and reports to the Head of External Portfolio Innovation. As part of SPD, this role will connect external innovation opportunities to enterprise portfolio priorities and long-term capability building. The successful candidate will help shape Takeda’s external innovation strategy for AI and Automation in Drug Discovery by proactively scouting emerging capabilities, leading technical diligence, and partnering closely with stakeholders across Research, Data, Digital & Technology (DD&T), and Business Development.

This is a highly visible role for a leader who combines scientific credibility, strategic insight, strong external presence, and the ability to translate emerging technologies into meaningful R&D and business impact.

This position is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and requires the employee to be located within a reasonable commuting distance of the Takeda Cambridge office. Employees are expected to maintain a regular onsite presence of two to three days per week, with a minimum of eight (8) in-office days per month at the Cambridge office.

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, biotechnology companies, technology companies, venture ecosystems, and other relevant external partners.

• Lead or coordinate technical due diligence for external opportunities, engaging internal subject matter experts to assess scientific fit, technical feasibility, strategic alignment, risk, and value potential.

• Synthesize complex diligence findings into clear, actionable recommendations for governance bodies and senior leadership.

• Partner closely with Business Development and cross-functional stakeholders during opportunity assessment and transaction shaping.

• Help define and evolve external innovation priorities aligned to Takeda’s R&D and DD&T strategy.

• Serve as a key external representative of Takeda’s strategic interests in AI and automation for drug discovery.

• Build and maintain a strong network across the biopharma, technology, and venture ecosystem to ensure visibility into emerging trends, capabilities, and partnership opportunities.

• Support evaluation of how external technologies can be deployed to address high-value scientific and operational challenges across drug discovery.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, success will include:

• Building a high-quality pipeline of external opportunities aligned to Takeda’s strategic priorities

• Enabling efficient, rigorous technical diligence and clear decision-making

• Influencing internal strategy for AI- and automation-enabled discovery capabilities

• Strengthening Takeda’s position as a partner of choice in the external innovation ecosystem

• Helping translate emerging technologies into differentiated R&D impact

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or technical field such as Data Science, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, Computational Biology, or a related discipline

• Significant industry experience in pharma, biotech, healthcare, or a closely related innovation environment

• Deep understanding of drug discovery processes, including areas such as target identification and validation, hit identification, optimization, and pre-IND research

• Strong understanding of AI/ML, data, digital technologies, and/or automation platforms relevant to drug discovery

• Demonstrated experience evaluating external technologies, partnerships, or innovation opportunities

• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical assessments clearly and effectively to leadership

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD, MD, or other advanced degree in a relevant scientific or technical discipline

• Experience in search and evaluation, external innovation, business development support, or technology strategy

• Experience spanning computational sciences, AI/ML platforms, lab automation, digital research platforms, or related areas

• Strong network across the biopharma, digital health, AI, and technology ecosystem

• Experience operating successfully in matrixed global organizations and influencing across scientific, technical, and business functions

Leadership Capabilities

• Strategic thinker with strong scientific and technical judgment

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and emerging technology landscapes

• Effective collaborator across research, DD&T, business, and external partner environments

• Able to balance innovation ambition with practical assessment of feasibility, risk, and value

• Skilled at building credibility and influence internally and externally

• Demonstrates initiative, curiosity, sound judgment, and strong decision-making in a fast-paced environment

Travel

• Approximately 20% travel

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary

We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. We are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices. 

For Location:

U.S. Base Salary Range:

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location. 

For information about our benefits, please click here.

EEO Statement

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

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Job Exempt