Recursion Pharmaceuticals
Posted: 9 days ago
Executive Director, Chemical Biology/Drug Design Remote Opportunity - United States; Salt Lake City, Utah The Impact You'll Make Recursion is seeking an Executive Director of Chemical Biology/ Drug Design to develop and lead chemical biology efforts that bridge multiomic discovery with target ID, including chemical probe design, as we expand our platform into new modalities beyond traditional small molecules (e.g. targeted protein degradation, molecular glues, and other emerging modalities). This is a senior scientific leadership role responsible for setting chemical biology strategy, managing a team of designers, and driving programs that bridge multiomic discovery to target ID and designing our chemical probe library to facilitate target discovery. . You will lead multidisciplinary project teams: partnering closely internally with biology, multiomics platform (high content imaging, RNA etc), computational biologists and data scientists to translate novel target and ligand insights into potent, selective, and developable chemical matter. You'll bring hands-on chemical biology expertise together with the strategic judgment to prioritize programs, manage internal and external (CRO) teams, and build the new capabilities needed to establish new modalities within the portfolio. Recursion's AI/ML-driven Design Platform is a core tool your team will draw on, and you'll play an active role in shaping how computational and generative design approaches are integrated into chemical biology decision-making. This role blends deep technical credibility with people and program leadership. The Team You'll Join You will lead within the Drug Design team as part of the Discovery function in building Recursion's next generation of therapeutic modalities, working alongside computational drug design, medicinal chemistry, biology, data science and platform technology groups that integrate proprietary AI-driven technology with advanced molecular design. The team tackles structurally enabled and non-structurally enabled targets across a diverse range of therapeutic areas, with a growing focus on proximity (e.g. protein degradation, molecular glues), and PPI blockers (e.g. macrocycles). As a leader, you will help define how chemical biology strategy and capability is built out and scaled to impact our portfolio. In This Role, You Will: Set chemical biology strategy for Recursion based on our multiomics platform, with a focus on linking our proprietary maps of biology to targets using modern chemical biology methods and work with teams to establish the right drug modalities (e.g. degraders, molecular glues) alongside traditional small molecule work Build, manage, and mentor a team of multiomics chemists, fostering a coaching-driven environment for growth Establish and manage internal and external (CRO) chemistry teams and networks to execute screening, synthesis, and validation campaigns Partner closely with biology, target ID teams, structural biology, and computational drug design to align chemical biology strategy with target validation and platform capabilities Define and align program strategy and go/no-go criteria with senior leadership, factoring in competitive landscape and portfolio priorities Represent the team in portfolio reviews and governance meetings, and lead technical discussions on molecular design with external collaborators and partners Contribute to IP strategy and business development activities related to novel chemical matter and new modalities The Experience You'll Need PhD in chemical biology, chemistry, or related field, with 10+ years of relevant industry experience and demonstrated people leadership Deep, hands-on track record in chemical probe design — selective inhibitors, proximity approaches such as molecular glue degraders/PROTACs, covalent or activity-based/photoaffinity chemistry Proven ability to deconvolute phenotypic hits to mechanism via chemoproteomics or equivalent target ID methods Track record building and scaling a chemical biology function — hiring, mentoring, and developing multiple scientists/managers Experience setting multi-year technical strategy (e.g. chemical library architecture, probe portfolio direction) rather than executing a single program's plan Comfortable operating with high ambiguity — translating open biological questions into executable chemistry strategy without a pre-defined target Executive-level communication: able to represent chemical biology strategy directly to C-suite/board and influence cross-functional senior leaders Prior experience managing, mentoring, or leading chemists and cross-functional project teams, including internal/external (CRO) team management Nice to have Direct experience with phenomics, high-content imaging (e.g., Cell Painting), or other image-based screening platforms Familiarity with how AI/ML-derived phenotypic signatures inform compound prioritization or target nomination External scientific visibility — publications, conference leadership, or partner/BD-facing technical credibility Experience contributing to IP strategy or licensing diligence involving novel chemical matter Working Location & Compensation: This is a remote position based in the United States. We are also open to candidates local to or interested in moving to be in office in Salt Lake City, Utah; employees are expected to work in the office at least 50% of the time. At Recursion, we believe that every employee should be compensated fairly. Based on the skills, experience, and qualifications needed for this role, the estimated annual base salary range is: $237,600–$284,900. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package. #LI-DB1 #LI-Remote
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology & Life Sciences
Recursion Pharmaceuticals
Posted: 2 months ago
VP, Business Development and Licensing New York, New York The Impact You’ll Make Recursion is at the forefront of reimagining drug discovery. We are building an AI-native platform spanning biology, chemistry, and clinical development; we've signed validating collaborations with partners across biopharma and tech; and we've built a robust internal pipeline with multiple clinical trials underway. You will lead business development and licensing activities pertaining to our portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class molecules. You will work closely with our internal asset leadership teams to identify licensing and co-development opportunities, conduct rigorous technical and commercial due diligence, structure and negotiate high-impact transactions that drive value and validate our underlying platform technology. You'll interact daily with colleagues across Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Development, Safety, CMC, Data Science, Legal, and Finance to drive alignment and deliver with speed. In this role, you will: Initiate and build enduring relationships with senior business development and licensing counterparts at pharma and biotech organizations Identify value-maximizing development and commercialization partners for Recursion’s existing clinical and preclinical assets Partner with search and evaluation teams and cross-functional department leads to identify, prioritize, and diligence in-licensing and asset acquisition opportunities in Recursion’s key therapeutic areas (oncology, I&I) Structure, negotiate, and execute a diverse array of agreements (licensing, acquisition, co-development/co-commercialization, spin-out) that align with Recursion's strategic objectives and values Consolidate industry-wide feedback and advise internal teams on critical data-package deliverables Represent Recursion's platform and acquisition strategy to senior scientific and business leaders across the industry The Team You'll Join You will be an essential member of Recursion's Corporate Development team, reporting to our Chief Business Officer. The team is an empowered, execution-minded group of business development and alliance management professionals responsible for building Recursion's clinical- and preclinical-stage portfolio through strategic acquisitions, licensing deals, and partnerships. You will work seamlessly with our asset leadership team that focuses on market intelligence, screening, and technical assessment of potential targets. In this collaborative environment, you will need self-initiative, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels. The Experience You'll Need BS/BA in life sciences (biology, chemistry, pharmacy, medical) Advanced degree (JD, MBA, PhD, PharmD) strongly preferred 12-15+ years of experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, with a focus on oncology and I&I 7+ years of direct business development and licensing experience with a strong track record of success in both buy-side and sell-side transactions Strong network of senior relationships across biotechnology and large pharma Deep knowledge of the drug development process from early discovery through clinical development and commercialization Track record of leading complex, multi-stakeholder negotiations and closing high-value transactions Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects efficiently with a high degree of independence Exceptional cross-functional collaboration skills and ability to communicate complex technical and commercial concepts to diverse audiences Demonstrated interest in AI-enabled drug discovery space Working Location & Compensation: This is an office-based role in our New York City office, with flexibility to work remotely as needed. Travel to conferences and partnering events is expected every 4-6 weeks. At Recursion, we believe that every employee should be compensated fairly. Based on the skills, experience, and qualifications needed for this role, the estimated annual base salary range is: $336,380–$404,140. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package. #LI-DB1
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology & Life Sciences
