External Scientific Innovation Engagement Specialist

Kelly; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading life sciences firm is looking for an External Scientific Innovation Engagement Specialist to enhance engagement through scientific outreach and relationship building. This role requires a PhD or Master's in a relevant scientific field, along with experience in drug discovery or development. The ideal candidate should possess strong communication skills, program ownership experience, and a proactive attitude for managing various priorities effectively. This position is vital in supporting external partnerships and innovation programs.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in Oncology, Immunology, Neuroscience, Medicinal Chemistry, or a related field.
• 1–2 years of experience in scientific evaluation, external innovation, or related area.
• Practical experience in Public Relations, Marketing, or Communications.

Responsibilities

• Support external scientific innovation and engagement activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with startups and academic investigators.
• Track engagement activities using CRM or related systems.

Skills

Scientific evaluation

External innovation

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Event or program ownership

Public Relations

Education

PhD or Master’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

We are seeking an External Scientific Innovation Engagement Specialist to support external innovation efforts through scientific engagement, relationship‑building, communications, and program execution. This role is ideal for someone with a strong scientific background who can also work effectively across external partnerships, innovation programs, and strategic communications.

The right candidate will be able to evaluate early scientific opportunities, engage with external stakeholders, and help drive awareness and participation through events, programs, and outreach activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Support external scientific innovation and engagement activities across the region
• Help evaluate early‑stage scientific opportunities and identify data gaps or key diligence questions
• Build and maintain relationships with startups, academic investigators, incubators, universities, and other external partners
• Support regional programs, events, and initiatives from planning through execution
• Assist with scientific messaging, communications, marketing materials, and outreach efforts
• Partner cross‑functionally with internal scientific and business teams
• Track engagement activities, opportunity flow, and follow‑up actions using CRM or related systems
• Help represent the organization with professionalism, scientific credibility, and strong communication skills

Required Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline such as Oncology, Immunology, Neuroscience, Medicinal Chemistry, or a related field
• Experience in Drug Discovery or Development
• At least 1–2 years of combined experience in areas such as:
• scientific evaluation
• external innovation
• translational research
• venture/scouting
• scientific program leadership
• or related experience
• Practical experience in Public Relations, Marketing, or Communications
• Strong experience with event or program ownership, including planning, production, and operational execution
• Ability to conduct scientific triage and early technical assessment of external opportunities
• Experience building relationships across startups, academic investigators, incubators, and universities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Highly organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting scientific or technical due diligence in an external innovation, venture, partnering, or technology scouting environment
• Experience working cross‑functionally with scientific teams and governance processes
• Experience using CRM or tracking systems, such as Salesforce, to manage opportunity flow and engagement metrics