Director, Partnerships and Business Development

BiomeSense; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

PTO

Parental leave

Job summary

BiomeSense, based in Chicago, is looking for a driven business development leader to shape strategic partnerships that enhance their microbiome research efforts. The ideal candidate should possess at least 5 years of experience in life sciences, demonstrating strong relationship-building skills, experience in negotiating study agreements, and a solid understanding of translational research. This pivotal role offers a competitive salary of $150K - $225K, equity options, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in business development roles.
• Experience in life sciences, preferably oncology or biomarker discovery.
• Strong communication skills to convey complex science.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute partnership strategies.
• Lead the CRM and partnership-tracking initiatives.
• Foster relationships with academic and industry partners.

Skills

Business development

Relationship building

Microbiome science

Negotiation

Education

BS or MS degree in life sciences

PhD in relevant field

Tools

CRM software

Partnership tracking tools

Job description

Compensation: $150K - $225K salary commensurate with experience, 0.25% - 0.5% equity

About BiomeSense

BiomeSense is a pioneering life sciences startup focused on harnessing the power of the gut microbiome to revolutionize personalized medicine. With our breakthrough technologies GutLab and MetaBiome, we are setting new standards in microbiome data analysis and interpretation, enabling unprecedented insights to understand & leverage the microbiome for human health. We partner with leading institutions and researchers including UCSF, UCSD, NIH, and the University of Chicago, and are backed by investors such as LabCorp Ventures, Bluestein Ventures, Seerave Foundation, and Emil Capital Partners.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial individual to join our leadership team and build the foundation for our next stage of growth. This is a pivotal role for someone who thrives in early-stage environments and is passionate about translating cutting‑edge microbiome science into high‑impact collaborations with academic and industry partners. In this role, you will design and execute our partnership and business development strategy, building the systems (CRM infrastructure), processes, and relationships needed to accelerate engagement with partners. You’ll support new partners end‑to‑end, establishing BiomeSense as a trusted microbiome partner for clinical and translational research. You’ll work cross‑functionally with our scientific, clinical, and technical teams to ensure alignment between research priorities and partnership goals. This role is an opportunity to shape both the external relationships and the internal systems.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Development

• Conduct comprehensive market analysis to translate emerging opportunities, competitive intelligence, and industry trends into informed strategic planning and resource allocation
• Identify gaps and opportunities with current company positioning & develop solutions
• Collaborate with internal teams to develop and execute short and long‑term partnership strategies and content aligned with business priorities

Operational Leadership

• Lead creation of novel internal and external materials to communicate company value proposition to new partners
• Design and implement a scalable CRM and partnership‑tracking infrastructure to support growth in academic and clinical collaborations

Partner Pipeline Growth

• Serve as the primary liaison for partners, fostering clear communication and long‑term, trust‑based relationships with academic researchers, oncology investigators, and industry partners conducting interventional or translational studies
• Lead negotiation of study agreements, manage IRB approvals, and deliver timely study results, structuring creative partnerships that align incentives and create mutual value. Proven success in partnership and contract negotiation preferred
• Translate microbiome and biomarker breakthroughs into further commercial opportunities and compelling content that builds partner and investor confidence

Qualifications

• BS or MS degree with 5+ years, or PhD with 3+ years, of relevant experience in life sciences business development roles. Start‑up experience preferred
• Demonstrated success developing and managing academic or clinical research partnerships, preferably in oncology, translational medicine, or biomarker discovery
• Proven ability to build systems and processes from scratch, including CRM or partnership‑tracking tools
• Strong understanding of microbiome science, translational research, and academic research ecosystems
• Excellent relationship builder—able to establish credibility and trust with academic investigators and research administrators
• Experience in an early‑stage or growth‑stage biotech, medtech, or diagnostics company strongly preferred
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex science into compelling partnership opportunities
• Self‑starter with a collaborative, confident, humble and adaptable approach to teamwork

Compensation

• Salary: $150K – $225K
• Equity: 0.25% – 0.5% stock options.
• Full benefits suite including health coverage, PTO, and parental leave.