Chief Executive Officer

Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 350,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute (NGNRI) in Detroit seeks a CEO who bridges science and business, capable of steering a patient-centric, translational research agenda. The role leads fundraising, external partnerships, governance, and strategic communications to advance NF1 research and related disorders.

The successful candidate will report to the Executive Director and Board, build an entrepreneurial research environment, ensure ethical leadership, and drive organizational

Qualifications

• CEO/CSO or MD/PhD with business experience
• Experience building and leading research-driven organizations
• Proven track record in securing funding from philanthropy and public sources (NIH, etc.)
• Strong ethics, execution skills and ownership of outcomes
• Willing to consider less-than-full-time commitment

Responsibilities

• Forge strategic partnerships and funding relationships
• Establish governance structures and lead the management team
• Act as NGNRI’s external representative and advocate
• Ensure compliance with regulations and ethical standards
• Engage city/state officials and regional stakeholders
• Promote NGNRI guest programs and collaborations with leading institutes
• Oversee administrative operations with the COO
• Attract and recruit top talent

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising & partnerships

External relations

Communication skills

Governance & compliance

Scientific leadership

Education

PhD in biomedical discipline

MBA with biomedical exposure

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional CEO who bridges science and business, either a scientifically trained business executive or a scientist with deep managerial and commercial experience. The ideal candidate brings an outstanding track record of building and leading organizations and delivering against ambitious, high-stakes targets.

This role is responsible for creating and sustaining a world-class, entrepreneurial research environment where scientists can perform at their highest potential and drive transformative discovery. The CEO will serve as the organization’s primary external representative, developing strategic partnerships, funding relationships, and collaborative networks, while reporting to the Executive Director and Board.

Strong experience in drug discovery through preclinical development, alongside demonstrated success in biomedical innovation and product development, is essential. We are looking for a bold, proactive leader with strong ethical standards, exceptional execution capability, and full ownership of organizational success. Less than a full-time commitment may be considered.

About the role

Seeking partnerships and alliances to further the agenda of NGNRI

Nurture interest and secure additional funding from other philanthropic sources and national funding agencies (such as the NIH) to strengthen and further build research efforts focused on NF1 and other neurological disorders.

Build up and promote the NGNRI organization

Establish governance structures and lead the NGNRI management team

Establish and bring to life a communication tree for internal communication as well as outreach and public relations activities to engage the community and public at large

Nurture relations with City and State officials and other regional stakeholders to promote and secure the NGNRI agenda

Together with the NGNRI Chief Scientific Officer, establish programs and activities to engage the NF1 and broader scientific community

Together with the NGNRI Chief Scientific Officer, promote the attractiveness of NGNRI guest programs to the scientists in leading research organizations and establish partnering programs with their institutions

Together with the NGNRI COO, build up and oversee the administrative operations of NGNRI

Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and guidelines as well operations at the highest ethical standards

About you

Visionary, motivated, able to inspire

Excellent communicator whether in writing, speech or oral presentations

Deferential to diversity, equality and inclusion and able to lead diverse multicultural teams

Someone who will embrace a bold vision and remain loyal to its purpose

Able to unite individuals and build a common agenda

Able to serve as an ambassador of NGNRI and with proven diplomatic skills

An individual with the highest integrity and ethical standards.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience leading a team. Ideally, experience as a CEO, CSO, Managing Director or Director of a biomedical research driven enterprise. Research group leaders and PIs with strong experience leading research and with some business experience may also be considered.

A builder rather than a steady-state manager • Ability to provide vision and motivate a team to build an organization and make it flourish

Substantive corroborated experience leading challenging goal-driven research programs or biomedical product development opportunities to success

Experience solving problems and overcoming obstacles, flexibility to consider and adopt alternative strategies when needed

Outstanding interpersonal skills, communication and team-building

Profound understanding and experience in managing an optimal environment for top level research

Proactive, go-getter with a can-do attitude together with the stamina to attend to details along the way

Ability to attract and recruit talent

Experience navigating regulatory and compliance requirements in a professional environment

Experience assuming accountability for projects or research driven initiatives

PhD in a biomedical discipline, or MBA. If an MBA, ideally accompanied by a BSc in a biomedical discipline or experience in biomedical research

About us

The Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute (NGNRI)is a nonprofit organization focused on developing treatments and cures for Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and other neurological disorders and cancers with significant unmet need. Backed by the Gilbert Family Foundation and created in partnership with Michigan State University (MSU) and Henry Ford Health (HFH), NGNRI brings together leading scientific and clinicalexpertiseto accelerate translational discovery. Located within a new,state-of-the-artresearch facility in midtown Detroit, NGNRI offers a highly collaborative environment alongside MSU and HFH. The institute is equipped with advanced platforms—including organoid and stem cell models, AI-driven analysis, FACS, and CRISPR technologies—and provides access to extensive shared core facilities. NGNRI supports both in-house researchers and visiting scientists, creating a dynamic, mission-driven ecosystem designed to advance innovation and deliver impact in an underserved field. As part of Detroit’s rapidly growing medical research campus, NGNRI offers a unique opportunity to contribute tocutting-edgescience within a vibrant and expanding hub.

NGNRI is in an early stage of development and relies on support from its founding organization, the Rocket Family of Companies, for some of its infrastructure, including talent acquisition. Like the institute itself, salary ranges and benefits are still under construction—they will be highly competitive, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

This job description is an outline of the primary responsibilities of this position and may be modified at the discretion of NGNRI at any time. Decisions related to employment are not based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. NGNRI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable state and federal laws. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations in completing the application and/or participating in the application process should contact a member of the Human Resources team, at [e-mail].