Accelerating impact through partnerships

Inceptive; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Inceptive is seeking an Alliance Manager to lead and grow strategic partnerships in siRNA therapeutics, combining biology with AI-driven discovery. You will serve as the primary interface between Inceptive and external partners, spanning pharma, academia, and technology providers, ensuring collaborations align scientifically and commercially.

The role involves establishing governance bodies, managing day-to-day alliance operations, coordinating cross-functional teams across Biology, AI/ML,

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MS in life sciences; MBA a plus.
• 5+ years in alliance management, BD, or strategic partnerships in biopharma.
• Experience managing multi-party collaborations from initiation to delivery.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow strategic partnerships in oligonucleotide therapeutics.
• Serve as primary liaison with partners including pharma, academia, and tech providers.
• Establish JSCs/JRCs and governance, with agendas and minutes.
• Monitor milestones and timelines, escalating issues when needed.
• Coordinate internal teams to fulfill partner obligations and advance programs.
• Prepare senior management materials to drive deal decisions.
• Travel to industry events and scientific/business meetings.

Skills

Alliance management

Business development

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Ph.D. or MS in Life Sciences

Tools

Linear

Notion

Job description

At Inceptive, you will drive development forward that could help billions of people. To accomplish this, you will be part of a collaborative, antedisciplinary team building our biological software.

We are looking for an exceptional and motivated individual to join our business development team.

You will be joining a dynamic and agile team, set to execute on our mission and capitalize on scientific, business, and strategic opportunities. We are seeking an Alliance Manager to lead and grow our strategic partnerships in oligonucleotide therapeutics, with a primary focus on small interfering RNA (siRNA) drug discovery. As a key member of our Business Development team, you will serve as the primary interface between our company and our external partners — spanning pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and technology providers — ensuring alliances are structured for scientific success and commercial value.

This role sits at the intersection of cutting-edge AI-driven biology and next-generation RNA therapeutics. You will leverage our proprietary AI platform to identify, establish, and manage high-impact collaborations that accelerate the development of siRNA-based medicines.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it

• Embody our vision of an antedisciplinary environment and embrace learning about areas outside of your traditional area of expertise


• Serve as the primary point of contact for existing siRNA and oligonucleotide partnerships, managing day-to-day alliance operations and escalation pathways


• Establish and lead Joint Steering Committees (JSCs), Joint Research Committees (JRCs), and other governance bodies, preparing agendas, minutes, and action tracking


• Monitor contractual milestones, deliverables, and timelines; proactively identify and resolve issues that could jeopardize partnership success


• Coordinate cross-functional internal teams (Biology, Chemistry, AI/ML, Regulatory, Legal, Finance) to fulfill partner obligations and advance shared programs


• Drive successful execution of partnered programs against scientific and operational milestones and enable expansion opportunities across strategic partnerships


• Prepare documents and presentations to senior management to help drive decision-making through the deal process


• Travel to industry events, scientific or business oriented

Scientific & Strategic Engagement

• Develop a deep understanding of partner pipelines, strategic priorities, and siRNA platform capabilities to align collaboration goals


• Translate AI platform outputs and siRNA design insights into compelling partnership narratives for both scientific and business audiences


• Collaborate with internal discovery teams to ensure partner-facing scientific deliverables meet alliance commitments


• Stay current on competitive landscape in RNAi therapeutics, GalNAc-siRNA conjugates, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery, and AI-driven target discovery

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related life sciences field; MBA a plus


• 5+ years of experience in alliance management, business development, or strategic partnerships within the biopharmaceutical or biotech industry


• Working knowledge of oligonucleotide therapeutics — particularly siRNA biology, mechanism of action, and drug development challenges


• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-party research or licensing collaborations from initiation through program delivery


• Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills; ability to influence without direct authority across internal and external stakeholders


• Strong project management skills with proficiency in tools such as Linear, Notion, or equivalent platforms


• Familiarity with AI/ML applications in drug discovery, including sequence-based target identification or predictive ADME/toxicity modeling


• Prior experience negotiating term sheets, CDAs, MTAs, or master research collaboration agreements


• Existing network within the oligonucleotide therapeutics ecosystem (pharma, biotech, CRO, and academic partners)


• Availability to accommodate working with team members across different time zones, with one or two meetings per week starting at 7am PT or finishing at 7pm CET


• Readiness to travel several times a year for company retreats and business events


• We value the benefits of in-person collaboration and expect candidates to primarily work at our office locations