Director / Sr / Exec Dir - Applied Intelligence for Discovery (AI4D)

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 163,500 - 281,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) and pension

Comprehensive health benefits

Company bonus eligibility

Job summary

Initial Therapeutics, Inc. is looking for an Executive Director of Applied Intelligence for Discovery in San Francisco, California. This role requires strong leadership in AI capabilities that will transform drug discovery research and requires a proven track record in AI/ML.

The ideal candidate will manage a multidisciplinary team while aligning AI capabilities with research priorities to drive measurable impact across therapeutic areas. A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience is required, along with significant education in computer or data science.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in AI/ML or data science.
• Proven track record driving AI/ML from concept to scaled deployment.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a multidisciplinary team spanning data science and ML engineering.
• Set technical vision and roadmap for AI/ML platforms.
• Own the full platform lifecycle.
• Guide architecture decisions for ML workflows.
• Drive adoption of MLOps practices.

Skills

AI/ML expertise

Leadership

Data Science

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field

Master’s degree or PhD

Job description

Organization Overview

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing, and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. In addition to breakthrough medications, we develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.

The Opportunity

We are building something unprecedented—a AI foundation that will fundamentally change how drug discovery research is conducted.

The Executive Director of Applied Intelligence for Discovery (AI4D) will own the technical vision and execution for AI capabilities that enable discovery researchers across therapeutics areas to work in entirely new ways. You will partner with senior leaders across the organization to align these capabilities with research priorities, secure the resources to deliver on the vision, and drive adoption that turns platform potential into scientific impact. You will define the strategic direction for our AI and data science capabilities, ensuring they deliver measurable research acceleration while maintaining the rigor required in regulated drug development.

This role exists to drive a specific transformation: from discovery research that is computationally supported to discovery research that is computationally driven. That means building platforms where AI doesn’t just accelerate existing workflows but enables fundamentally new ones.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and lead a multidisciplinary team spanning data science, ML engineering, and scientific software development.
• Set technical vision and roadmap for AI/ML platforms serving discovery research, aligning capabilities with enterprise priorities.
• Own the full platform lifecycle— from identifying and integrating new AI capabilities to sunsetting legacy solutions, optimizing for overall portfolio performance as research priorities evolve.
• Guide architecture decisions for end-to-end ML workflows: data pipelines, feature engineering, model development, deployment, and monitoring.
• Serve as executive champion for AI capabilities, articulating value to senior partners and influencing resource allocation.
• Identify, establish, and manage strategic partnerships with technology providers and research institutions to expand platform capabilities.
• Drive adoption of MLOps practices that enable reproducible, automated, and compliant AI development at scale.
• Partner with technology and therapeutic area leaders to envision and complete high-impact AI applications and translate research requirements into platform capabilities.
• Work across organizational boundaries in a complex matrixed environment to align platform strategy with scientific priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, Computational Biology, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in AI/ML or data science.

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Proven track record driving AI/ML from concept to scaled deployment in complex matrixed organizations.
• 5+ years leading teams with preference building them to scale.
• Deep expertise in modern ML frameworks, MLOps practices, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Demonstrated track record of driving AI/ML capabilities from concept through scaled deployment in complex, matrixed organizations—with evidence of measurable impact on business outcomes, not just model performance.
• Ability to translate between scientific research questions and technical solutions.
• Experience navigating cross-functional dynamics and influencing without direct authority.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, life sciences, or healthcare industries.
• Track record managing external technology partnerships and vendor relationships.
• Platform architecture background—you think in systems and portfolios, not features and projects.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form: https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation for further assistance.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $163,500 - $281,600. Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well‑being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.