Director, Applied AI

Denali Therapeutics Inc; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 204,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Healthcare coverage

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Broad range of other benefits

Job summary

Denali Therapeutics Inc in South San Francisco is seeking a Director of Applied AI to lead its applied-AI practice, enhancing operational efficiency through innovative AI solutions. You will partner with senior leaders to drive the company’s AI strategy and ensure compliance throughout.

The ideal candidate should have at least 10 years of experience in AI/ML, a technical degree, and a proven track record in the life sciences sector. Denali offers a competitive rewards package and is committed to diversity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in computer science, AI, data science, or engineering required.
• 10+ years of experience in applied AI/ML with hands-on work.
• Direct experience in pharma, biotech, or medical devices.

Responsibilities

• Lead Denali's applied-AI strategy and operations.
• Design and prototype AI solutions swiftly.
• Collaborate with Legal and Regulatory for compliance.
• Drive adoption and scalability of AI solutions.

Skills

Applied AI/ML expertise

Python proficiency

Cross-functional leadership

Experience in regulated life sciences industry

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in technical field

Job description

Director, Applied AI

Denali Therapeutics is seeking a Director of Applied AI to build and lead our applied-AI practice, bringing measurable, AI-driven efficiency to how we operate.

Reporting to the VP of Information Technology, this role partners directly with senior leaders across the company to set strategy and drive execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Denali's recognized expert on the practical application of AI, setting standards and advising teams.


• Own and drive Denali's applied-AI strategy, determining where AI has a role, choosing approaches, and setting priorities.


• Partner with leaders across the company to identify high-volume, workflow-specific problems beyond individual AI tools.


• Design, prototype, and build AI solutions hands-on, moving quickly from idea to production.


• Deliver measurable efficiency gains and use results to guide future AI focus.


• Bring strategy, progress, wins, risks, and tradeoffs to senior leadership to drive investment and prioritization decisions.


• Work with Legal, Quality, and Regulatory to enable a compliant path to production for safe AI use.


• Drive adoption of built solutions and establish repeatable methods and playbooks that allow applied AI to scale.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a technical field such as computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, or engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.


• 10+ years building and delivering solutions, with applied AI/ML at the center of recent hands-on work; fluent in Python and building generative AI/LLM applications (RAG, fine-tuning, agentic workflows) through to production.


• Direct experience in a regulated life sciences industry (pharma, biotech, or medical devices), including GxP, and demonstrated experience driving cross-functional outcomes as a senior individual.

Salary Range: $204,000.00 to $265,000.00. Compensation will depend on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience.

Denali offers a competitive total rewards package, including 401k, healthcare coverage, ESPP, and a broad range of other benefits.

Denali is committed to its core company value of unity by creating a diverse and inclusive environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.