Skip to main content

Executive Director and Head of Structural Biology

Boston, Massachusetts
Apply Now
  • Job Level: Senior
  • Travel: Minimal (if any)

At Takeda, we strive to provide transformational opportunities for every member of our team, and we empower our people to take charge of their futures. In an environment that fosters lifelong learning and a growth mindset, you’ll have the support you need to thrive — at work and beyond.

Job ID R0129741 Date posted 07/29/2024 Location Boston, Massachusetts

By clicking the “Apply” button, I understand that my employment application process with Takeda will commence and that the information I provide in my application will be processed in line with Takeda’sPrivacy Noticeand Terms of Use. I further attest that all information I submit in my employment application is true to the best of my knowledge.

Job Description

Objective / Purpose:

Takeda is looking for a well-established transformative leader in the field of structural Biology to build and lead a state of art, future focused structural biology organization to support Takeda’s pipeline in three therapeutic areas of interest: Oncology, Gastroenterology & Immunology, and Neuroscience. The structural biology group will support drug discovery encompassing three core modalities in small molecule, biologics and cell therapies. The successful candidate will lead a team responsible for all structural studies at Takeda involving X-Ray crystallography, Cryo Electron Microscopy, structural modeling and AI driven approaches. Proven track record of team building and leadership along with in depth knowledge of the structural biology field is essential for this role.

Accountabilities:

Scientific Leadership:

  • Build, lead and manage a team of structural biologists, protein scientists, and computational modeling experts.

  • Drive scientific excellence in protein structure determination, molecular modeling, and drug-target interaction validation.

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (including teams in Global Biologics, Global Chemistry, therapeutic areas, and preclinical development) to advance drug discovery projects.

Protein Structure Determination:

  • Oversee the design, execution, and interpretation of structural biology experiments (X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, etc.).

  • Ensure high-quality protein production for structural studies.

  • Apply cutting-edge techniques to elucidate protein-ligand interactions and conformational dynamics.

Computational Modeling:

  • Work closely with computational scientists to develop and apply molecular modeling approaches.

  • Utilize structural information to guide drug design and optimization.

Collaboration and Communication:

  • Collaborate extensively with internal Takeda stakeholders

  • Collaborate with external academic institutions, CROs, and research partners.

  • Present findings at scientific conferences and contribute to publications.

Strategic Planning:

  • Define the strategic direction for the Structural Biology department.

  • Align research goals with corporate objectives and therapeutic areas of interest.

Mentoring: Mentor and develop future leaders, junior scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence.

Program leadership: Experience in leading discovery programs to development with be desirable

Education & Competencies (Technical and Behavioral):

Ph.D. in Structural Biology, Biochemistry, or related field. 15+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry. Proven track record of building and leading successful structural biology  teams . Track record of supporting biologics, as well as small molecule programs. Deep and diverse knowledge in multiple areas of structural biology including X-Ray crystallography, CryoEM, computational antibody, protein – ligand modeling and protein chemistry.

Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead a teams, projects and collaborate effectively across disciplines.

Demonstrate enterprise leadership with an ability to influence without authority.

Established leader in the field as demonstrated by publications and conference presentations

Well versed on emerging technologies including realistic implementation of AI/ML

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:

205,100.00 - 322,300.00

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-termincentives. 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
Apply Now
Glassdoor Reviews and Company Rating

Where you fit in

Our team at Takeda is tackling some of the most challenging problems in drug discovery and development. As the newest member of our Research team, you’ll conduct purposeful, meaningful work on groundbreaking modalities that may lead to breakthrough drugs.

With our deep investment in next-generation technologies, you’ll have the resources and support to do your best work. As a part of our team, you’ll connect with brilliant minds inside and outside of Takeda. We are committed to collaborating with academia and emerging biotech companies to expand our reach and impact in cell therapy, gene therapy and data sciences.

Our team’s wide-ranging expertise includes medicinal chemistry, genomics datasets, immunofluorescence, high content imaging, flow cytometry, transcriptional profiling, multi-step synthesis, multimodal genetics, pharmacokinetics and much more. Whatever area inspires you, your work will support the progression of an innovative, industry-leading discovery pipeline and make an impact that matters to patients and society.

A career in Research at Takeda will give you everything you need to succeed professionally — and make a difference to patients, people and the planet.

  • Design and carry out experiments

  • Manage multiple projects

  • Document data

  • Mentor other scientists

Along with incredibly passionate colleagues, there’s a clear commitment to invest in the best facilities and the right equipment needed to successfully perform world-class science.

Christina Alves - Head of Biotherapeutics Process Development

I feel especially lucky to be able to work with colleagues across the industry to meet a unified goal.Takeda is paving the way for how research will be conducted in the future.

Daniel Scheibe - Senior Manager Operations, Systems Engineering, Drug Discovery Sciences

Our pipeline

Our internal research capabilities and external partnerships contribute to an R&D engine that has produced exciting new molecular entities (NMEs) across our core Therapeutic Areas. Check out our pipeline and see how we’ll continue delivering a steady stream of next-generation therapies.

Learn more

What we believe in

Our values of Takeda-ism are Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance, with Integrity as the core. These are brought to life through actions based on Patient, Trust, Reputation and Business, in that order.

Our belief in putting people first extends beyond our patients — it includes their families and communities, as well as our Takeda colleagues and their families.

We are committed to embracing our differences, valuing different perspectives, and fostering a culture of respect, inclusiveness and empowerment.

Our embedded Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy enables us to attract and retain exceptional talent, drives innovation, and helps address systemic inequalities in our communities.

  • Integrity

  • Fairness

  • Honesty

  • Perseverance

Working at Takeda

  • Inclusion

    Here, you will feel welcomed, respected, and valued as a vital contributor to our global team.

  • Collaboration

    A strong, borderless team, we strive together towards our priorities and inspiring mission.

  • Innovation

    Bold initiatives, continuous improvement, and creativity are at the heart of how we bring scientific breakthroughs from the lab to patients.

  • Top Workplace

    Recognized for our culture and way of working, we’re one of only 17 companies to receive Top Global Employer® status for 2024.

  • Work-Life

    Our people-first mission extends beyond patients to include their families, communities, and our own Takeda family.

  • Empowerment

    Through trust and respect, you will have genuine support from leaders, managers, and colleagues to do your best work.

We're Steadfast In Our Commitment to Four Key Imperatives

Patient


Responsibly translate science into highly innovative medicines and accelerate access to improve lives worldwide.

People


Create an exceptional people experience.

Planet


Protect our planet.

Data & Digital


Transform Takeda into the most trusted, data-driven, outcomes-based biopharmaceutical company.

Related Content

Jobs for you

View More Jobs
Exterior of Takeda Building

About our location

Boston, Massachusetts


View Map of Boston, Massachusetts

Join our talent community

Get customized job alerts sent right to your inbox. Plus, get the latest in company news and other important resources by signing up for our talent community.

Learn about job updates