Associate Consultant - Discovery Strategy & Transformation

Medullan; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ZS is a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, helping biotech and life sciences organizations transform ideas into impact. This Associate Consultant role sits in Discovery Strategy & Transformation, solving challenges at the intersection of science, business, technology, and change for patients, caregivers, and consumers worldwide.

You’ll work on AI adoption, process reimagination, transformation orchestration, change enablement, and value

Qualifications

• At least 2.5 years of relevant experience in consulting, life sciences, strategy, transformation, or business advisory.
• Life sciences or biotech exposure to research, discovery, wet lab, dry lab, bioinformatics or R&D environments.
• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in biology, bioinformatics, life sciences, engineering, or related field.
• Experience with change management, change enablement, design thinking, lean/process improvement, corporate strategy, technology transformation, or AI adoption.
• Strong structured problem-solving, analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to connect scientific and technical topics to broader business objectives, value creation, and ROI.
• Fluency in English
• Client-first mentality
• Intense work ethic
• Collaborative problem-solving approach

Responsibilities

• Support strategy and transformation engagements across biotech and life sciences research organizations.
• Help clients adopt new technologies, including AI, by defining change strategies, user needs, value drivers, and impact metrics.
• Apply design thinking, lean principles, and structured problem solving to ambiguous business and operational challenges.
• Reimagine processes and decision-making approaches to improve efficiency, adoption, and business outcomes.
• Develop analyses, recommendations, and client-ready presentations for scientific, business, and technology stakeholders.
• Facilitate discussions and workshops that help organizations align on priorities, operating models, and transformation plans.

Skills

Biotech experience

Structured problem solving

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

English fluency

Client-first mindset

Collaborative spirit

Ability to connect science & business

Education

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in biology, bioinformatics, life sciences, engineering, or related field

Job description

Strategy Insights and Planning Associate Consultant

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client-first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning, bold ideas, courage and passion to drive life-changing impact to ZS.

As an Associate Consultant within Discovery Strategy & Transformation, you’ll help biotech and life sciences organizations solve complex challenges at the intersection of science, business, technology, and change. You’ll work with research and discovery teams on initiatives such as AI adoption, process reimagination, transformation orchestration, change enablement, and value realization.

This role is ideal for someone who understands how scientific organizations operate and can translate technical or research-driven challenges into structured business problems, practical recommendations, and measurable impact.

What you’ll do

• Support strategy and transformation engagements across biotech and life sciences research organizations.
• Help clients adopt new technologies, including AI, by defining change strategies, user needs, value drivers, and impact metrics.
• Apply design thinking, lean principles, and structured problem solving to ambiguous business and operational challenges.
• Reimagine processes and decision-making approaches to improve efficiency, adoption, and business outcomes.
• Develop analyses, recommendations, and client-ready presentations for scientific, business, and technology stakeholders.
• Facilitate discussions and workshops that help organizations align on priorities, operating models, and transformation plans.

What you’ll bring

• At least 2.5 years of relevant experience across consulting, life sciences, strategy, transformation, or business advisory.
• Life sciences or biotech experience is required, ideally with exposure to research, discovery, wet lab, dry lab, bioinformatics, computational biology, or scientific R&D environments.
• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in biology, bioinformatics, life sciences, engineering, or a related scientific field.
• Experience with one or more of the following: change management, change enablement, design thinking, lean/process improvement, corporate strategy, technology transformation, or AI adoption.
• Strong structured problem-solving, analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to connect scientific and technical topics to broader business objectives, value creation, and ROI.
• Fluency in English
• Client-first mentality
• Intense work ethic
• Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach

How you’ll grow

• Cross-functional skills development & custom learning pathways
• Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
• Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions

Perks & Benefits

At ZS, your growth matters. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well‑being, financial future, time away, and professional development. With robust skills‑building programs, multiple career progression paths, internal mobility, and a deeply collaborative culture, you’ll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, expand your capabilities, and thrive as part of a global community. For details on total rewards in United States, visit ZS US office locations | Where we work | ZS.

Hybrid working model

We are committed to giving our employees a flexible and connected way of working. A flexible and connected ZS allows us to combine work from home and on-site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of our week. The magic of ZS culture and innovation thrives in both planned and spontaneous face‑to‑face connections.

Travel

Travel is a requirement at ZS for client facing ZSers; business needs of your project and client are the priority. While some projects may be local, all client-facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed. Travel provides opportunities to strengthen client relationships, gain diverse experiences, and enhance professional growth by working in different environments and cultures.

Considering applying?

At ZS, we honor the visible and invisible elements of our identities, personal experiences, and belief systems—the ones that comprise us as individuals, shape who we are, and make us unique. We believe your personal interests, identities, and desire to learn are integral to your success here. We are committed to building a team that reflects a broad variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Learn more about our inclusion and belonging efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces and obtaining the resources they need to thrive.

ZS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities without regard to any class protected by applicable law.

Work Authorization

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.