Pharmaceutical Sciences, Technology & Innovation Lead (Sr. Director)

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Job Description

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE:

• This is a senior scientific, strategic, and technology leadership role within Pharmaceutical Sciences (PharmSci), R&D, accountable for shaping and advancing an integrated PharmSci technology and innovation strategy with particular emphasis on AI/ML, computational, and in silico-first approaches for CMC applications.
• The role identifies, prioritizes, and accelerates opportunities where advanced analytics, predictive modeling, AI/ML, and digital capabilities can improve CMC decision-making, development speed, robustness, scalability, and lifecycle outcomes across PharmSci.
• The role serves as a key PharmSci ambassador for external collaborations and strategic partnerships, representing PharmSci's data, digital, and AI/ML priorities in joint steering committees, alliance governance forums, and scientific partnership engagements.
• Working closely with senior internal stakeholders and external collaborators, the role ensures that innovation strategies are grounded in strong CMC fundamentals, aligned to business priorities, and translated into scalable, compliant, and value-generating capabilities.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Define and maintain the integrated PharmSci technology and innovation strategy, with specific focus on AI/ML, data-driven, and in silico-first capabilities that enable CMC advancement across development, industrialization, manufacturing readiness, and lifecycle management.
• Identify and prioritize high-value use cases where AI/ML, predictive modeling, simulation, and computational approaches can improve CMC outcomes, including speed, robustness, control strategy, process understanding, risk reduction, and right-first-time execution.
• Serve as a senior scientific and strategic leader connecting CMC domain needs with digital, data science, and computational capabilities to ensure that innovation investments are grounded in practical business value and lifecycle applicability.
• Act as a primary PharmSci representative and ambassador in external collaborations, alliances, and partnership governance, including participation in joint steering committee (JSC) and related forums focused on data/digital, AI/ML, and in silico innovation.
• Build, manage, and grow a strong external ecosystem across biotech partners, technology companies, academia, consortia, and other collaborators to expand PharmSci access to emerging computational, AI/ML, and digital capabilities relevant to CMC.
• Translate external partnership opportunities into actionable internal strategies, pilots, and capabilities by connecting external innovation with PharmSci priorities, scientific needs, governance requirements, and implementation pathways.
• Partner across PharmSci technical functions, DD&T, data science, and other enterprise enabling teams to ensure AI/ML and digital solutions are scalable, compliant, sustainable, and aligned to enterprise architecture and operating models.
• Provide leadership for the evaluation, piloting, adoption, and scaling of digital and computational capabilities, ensuring they are supported by appropriate governance, data foundations, change management, and measurable value realization.
• Ensure that AI/ML and in silico-first approaches are applied with appropriate scientific rigor, CMC context, and regulatory/compliance awareness, supporting inspection readiness, lifecycle robustness, and operational feasibility.
• Drive performance management across the technology and innovation portfolio by defining success metrics, monitoring value realization, and communicating progress, risks, and opportunities to senior stakeholders.

CORE ELEMENTS RELATED TO THIS ROLE:

• AI/ML and in silico-first leadership in CMC: differentiates this role through the ability to identify and apply advanced computational approaches to real CMC challenges and opportunities.
• External ambassador and partnership leadership: acts as a visible PharmSci representative in strategic external engagements, including JSC and alliance settings, particularly for data/digital and AI/ML collaborations.
• Strong CMC credibility: brings deep CMC understanding and can translate between computational innovation and practical development, industrialization, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory realities.
• Bridge between science and digital innovation: connects CMC subject matter expertise, business priorities, and modern AI/ML capabilities into scalable, high-value solutions.

DIMENSIONS AND ASPECTS:

Technical/Functional (Line) Expertise:

• Strong end-to-end understanding of the CMC lifecycle, spanning development, scale-up, tech transfer, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory implications.
• Deep expertise in the application of AI/ML, advanced analytics, modelling, simulation, and/or in silico approaches to scientific or CMC-related problems.
• Strong understanding of how digital, data, and computational capabilities can be translated into practical CMC use cases and scalable business value in a regulated environment.
• Strong computational fluency, including familiarity with modern AI/ML methods, model development and deployment considerations, and the data requirements needed to enable successful use in practice.
• Ability to evaluate emerging AI/ML and computational technologies critically, including their scientific fit, maturity, scalability, and potential value for PharmSci.
• Strong understanding of CMC technology strategy and the interplay between scientific innovation, data foundations, digital platforms, implementation pathways, and lifecycle readiness.

Leadership:

• Sets direction and aligns senior stakeholders around a coherent technology and innovation agenda with strong emphasis on AI/ML and in silico-first capability building for CMC.
• Demonstrates credible leadership across scientific, computational, technical, and strategic environments.
• Leads across influence networks, connecting PharmSci, enterprise enablers, and external collaborators around shared priorities and high-impact opportunities.
• Represents PharmSci with credibility in both internal and external forums, including senior governance and partnership settings.
• Drives change through vision, prioritization, communication, and adoption support.

Interaction:

• Extensive engagement with PharmSci functional leaders, DD&T, data science, quality/compliance, regulatory, manufacturing, procurement/external partnerships, and finance.
• Serves as a key interface between PharmSci and external collaborators focused on AI/ML, digital, computational science, and CMC-relevant innovation.
• Represents PharmSci in selected internal and external governance forums, including alliance and joint steering committee structures where appropriate.

Innovation:

• Applies a structured approach to identifying and advancing AI/ML and in silico opportunities that are scientifically meaningful, operationally feasible, and aligned to business priorities.
• Evaluates and shapes external innovation opportunities in partnership with collaborators and internal stakeholders.
• Promotes adoption of new computational approaches, digital capabilities, and ways of working that improve CMC performance and decision quality.

Complexity:

• Operates at the intersection of CMC science, digital innovation, data strategy, and external partnership management.
• Balances innovation speed and experimentation with scientific rigor, compliance expectations, and lifecycle scalability.
• Integrates internal business needs, technical constraints, external partner opportunities, and evolving AI/ML capabilities into clear strategic choices.

EDUCATION, BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• Bachelor's degree 22 - 25+ years relevant industry experience Master's degree 19 - 21+ years relevant industry experience PhD and 13 - 15+ years relevant industry
• Mandatory: strong CMC background with deep understanding of end-to-end lifecycle considerations from development through manufacturing, quality, and regulatory.
• Mandatory: demonstrated expertise in applying AI/ML, computational, modeling, simulation, and/or in silico approaches to scientific, technical, or CMC-relevant problems.
• Mandatory: demonstrated ability to identify, shape, and translate data/digital or AI/ML opportunities into practical solutions with measurable business and scientific value.
• Mandatory: proven ability to represent an organization effectively in external collaborations, alliance governance, and/or joint steering committee environments.
• Mandatory: strong ability to bridge technical and scientific communities, including CMC experts, data scientists, digital teams, and external collaborators.
• Strong computational literacy and fluency with current AI/ML concepts, methods, and emerging technology trends, including ability to assess applicability and limitations in regulated environments.
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in complex matrix organizations with strong stakeholder management, prioritization, and influence skills.
• Proven ability to build and sustain external partnership networks across industry, academia, and technology ecosystems.
• Strong business case framing and decision-making skills across value, risk, feasibility, compliance, readiness, and long-term scalability.
• Demonstrated change leadership and experience supporting adoption of new capabilities, tools, and ways of working at scale.

This position is currently classified as "hybrid" in accordance with Takeda's Hybrid and Remote Work policy.

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:
Boston, MA

U.S. Base Salary Range:
$212,000.00 - $333,190.00

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.

U.S. based employees may be eligible for short-term and/ or long-term incentives. U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others. U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

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.

Locations
Boston, MA

Worker Type
Employee

Worker Sub-Type
Regular

Time Type
Full time

Job Exempt
Yes

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.