Associate Director, Research Strategy Development

Takeda; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Scorpion Therapeutics seeks an Associate Director of Research Strategy Development to drive strategic initiatives, structure problems, and translate outputs into actionable recommendations aligned with enterprise goals.

You will help execute major priorities, develop long-range roadmaps, and partner with senior researchers to translate strategy into tangible group actions and governance inputs.

Qualifications

• Advanced life sciences degree required; PhD strongly preferred in drug discovery/relevant research.
• 5+ years pharmaceutical/biotech strategy with drug discovery & development exposure.
• Consulting/internal strategy experience; ability to independently structure/solve complex problems.
• Deep drug discovery & development knowledge (preclinical models, target ID/validation, competitive dynamics).
• Demonstrated strategy-to-execution drive; bias for impact.

Responsibilities

• Structure problems, build analytical frameworks, and translate outputs into actionable recommendations.
• Contribute to execution of Labs of Tomorrow and other priorities to accelerate progress.
• Develop and maintain a multi-year strategic roadmap with scenario planning and prioritization.
• Partner with senior Research leaders to evolve group-level strategies aligned to the vision.
• Translate strategic direction into concrete group implications and surface insights.
• Transition strategy to implementation with operational colleagues and maintain strategic intent.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Strategic problem solving

Education

Advanced life sciences degree

PhD strongly preferred (drug discovery/relevant research)

Tools

AI/data platforms

Lab automation

Tech-enabled research

Job description

Associate Director, Research Strategy Development

Accountabilities

• Support key strategic initiatives by structuring problems, building analytical frameworks, and translating outputs into actionable recommendations aligned with enterprise goals.
• Contribute to execution of Labs of Tomorrow and other priorities to accelerate progress and keep workstreams connected to the overarching vision.
• Help develop and maintain a multi-year strategic roadmap, including scenario planning and prioritization frameworks.
• Partner with senior Research leaders to evolve group-level strategies and priorities aligned to Takeda Research’s vision.
• Bridge group needs and enterprise initiatives by translating strategic direction into concrete group implications and surfacing group insights.
• Partner with operational colleagues to transition strategy to implementation and maintain strategic intent through handoff.
• Produce strategy deliverables (e.g., situation assessments, option analyses, build/buy/partner, roadmaps, executive communications).
• Monitor external landscape (AI, data science, emerging trends, technology-enabled research models) and translate insights into strategy.
• Support governance forums and leadership reviews by distilling complex, multi-workstream content into executive-ready narratives.

Education & Competencies

• Advanced life sciences degree required; PhD strongly preferred (drug discovery/relevant research preferred).
• 5+ years pharmaceutical/biotech strategy with meaningful drug discovery & development exposure.
• Consulting/internal strategy experience; ability to independently structure/solve complex problems.
• Deep drug discovery & development knowledge (preclinical models, target ID/validation, competitive dynamics).
• Demonstrated strategy-to-execution drive; bias for impact.
• Familiarity with AI/data platforms/lab automation/tech-enabled research.
• Strong analytical, communication, and relationship-building skills.

Additional

• Cambridge, MA (hybrid).