Founding AI Lead

JUNA; Greater London; Vor Ort; GBP 130.000 - 200.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

JUNA, in partnership with a leading European investment firm, seeks its first dedicated AI leader in London. This greenfield role offers unrivaled ownership over AI strategy, architecture and solutions across investment sourcing, research and portfolio analysis.

You will work directly with senior investment partners in a small, high-calibre environment to design, deploy and scale AI that drives measurable business outcomes, including improvements in clinical development and decision-making.

Qualifikationen

• Hands-on AI experience deploying AI in real business environments.
• Experience with applied AI, LLMs, data architecture, integrations and automation.
• Ability to identify opportunities to improve performance and decision-making.
• Comfort working with senior, analytical leaders and investors.
• Proven track record delivering AI transformations in venture capital or life sciences.
• Owns problem definition, roadmap, and delivery without an AI team.

Aufgaben

• Develop AI solutions to improve investment sourcing, research, due diligence and portfolio analysis.
• Unlock the value of proprietary investment data, historical decisions and institutional knowledge.
• Build intelligent tools that help investment professionals make better, faster decisions.
• Work with investment partners to identify and prioritise high-impact opportunities.
• Establish AI architecture, data foundations, security and governance.
• Design, build and deploy LLM applications, AI agents, intelligent workflows and automation.
• Transform internal knowledge management, reporting and operational processes.
• Integrate AI into existing systems and workflows, ensuring practical, secure adoption.
• Own the AI roadmap from discovery to production deployment with measurable outcomes.
• Explore AI applications across clinical development, trial execution and patient recruitment.
• Collaborate with scientists and investment professionals to assess emerging opportunities.

Kenntnisse

Hands-on AI expertise

Strong technical foundations

Commercial judgement

Senior stakeholder credibility

Ownership autonomy

Integrity

Low ego, high ambition

Jobbeschreibung

Founding Head of AI | Venture Capital | Life Sciences

A rare opportunity to build and own an AI function from the ground up.

JUNA is partnering with a highly successful European investment firm operating at the intersection of private capital and life sciences to appoint its first dedicated AI leader.

This is a genuinely greenfield opportunity to define, build and embed AI across an established investment business, working directly with senior partners in a small, exceptionally high-calibre environment.

No inherited roadmap. No large technology department. Genuine ownership of the strategy, technology and outcomes.

We’re looking for someone who combines deep technical capability with commercial judgement and the confidence to influence senior investment professionals.

The opportunity

You’ll take ownership of the firm’s AI agenda, identifying where technology can deliver meaningful improvements and personally driving solutions from concept through to implementation.

Your remit will span three core areas:

• Develop AI solutions to improve investment sourcing, research, due diligence and portfolio analysis.
• Unlock the value of proprietary investment data, historical decisions and institutional knowledge.
• Build intelligent tools that help investment professionals make better, faster and more informed decisions.
• Work directly with investment partners to identify and prioritise high-impact opportunities.

2. AI Engineering & Enterprise Transformation

• Establish the firm’s AI architecture, data foundations, security and governance.
• Design, build and deploy LLM applications, AI agents, intelligent workflows and automation.
• Transform internal knowledge management, reporting and operational processes.
• Integrate AI into existing systems and workflows, ensuring solutions are practical, secure and widely adopted.
• Own the AI roadmap from initial discovery through to production deployment and measurable business outcomes.
• Explore opportunities to apply AI across complex scientific and operational challenges.
• Identify applications that could improve clinical development, trial execution and patient recruitment.
• Work alongside highly experienced scientific and investment professionals to assess emerging opportunities.
• Focus on practical, measurable improvements rather than technology for its own sake.

Who we’re looking for

Professional experience in Venture Capital, Private Equity, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology or Life Sciences is essential.

We’re particularly interested in individuals who have built or deployed AI capabilities within these environments, or delivered significant AI transformation programmes for clients operating in these sectors.

Alongside this experience, you’ll bring:

• Hands‑on AI expertise: A proven track record of designing, building and deploying AI solutions into real business environments.
• Strong technical foundations: Experience across applied AI, LLMs, data architecture, integrations, automation and enterprise systems.
• Commercial judgement: The ability to identify opportunities where AI can genuinely improve business performance and decision-making.
• Senior stakeholder credibility: Confidence working directly with highly analytical, commercially sophisticated leaders.
• Ownership and autonomy: Comfortable defining the problems, developing the roadmap and delivering solutions without an established AI team.
• Exceptional integrity: Sound judgement, discretion and the ability to handle highly confidential information.
• Low ego, high ambition: Equally comfortable discussing strategy with senior partners and getting hands‑on with implementation.

Relevant backgrounds could include:

Head of AI, Director of AI, AI Engineering Lead, Principal AI Engineer, Applied AI Lead, AI Solutions Architect, Forward Deployed Engineer or Technical AI Transformation Lead.

You don’t need to have held the title Head of AI. You do need to have delivered meaningful AI solutions within one of the relevant sectors.

Why this opportunity is different

Build something from scratch. This is the organisation’s first dedicated AI appointment, offering genuine freedom to shape its technology direction.

Direct access to decision‑makers. Work closely with senior investment partners in a flat, entrepreneurial environment without layers of corporate bureaucracy.

Strategy meets execution. You’ll have the autonomy to identify opportunities and the responsibility to turn them into working solutions.

An exceptional intellectual environment. Join a small team of highly accomplished investment and scientific professionals who value curiosity, initiative and independent thinking.

Meaningful long‑term impact. Beyond investment operations, there’s an opportunity to explore how AI can improve the development of medicines and ultimately contribute to better patient outcomes.

A genuine long‑term opportunity. Become a central part of an established, successful organisation with a close-knit, high‑trust culture.

Location & Remuneration

Location: Central London, five days per week in the office. This is a fully onsite position.

Base salary: £130,000–£200,000 depending on experience, with flexibility to go higher for an outstanding candidate.

Employment: Permanent, full‑time.

This is a confidential search. Further details about the organisation will be shared with suitably qualified candidates.