Head of AI

Protagonist Therapeutics Inc.; Newark (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) Plan

Flexible vacation policy

Wellness program

Job summary

Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. is seeking an executive leader to drive enterprise AI strategy and delivery in a fast-paced biotech environment.

The role requires hands-on design and deployment of AI-enabled products that scale across R&D, Clinical Development, Regulatory, and Manufacturing functions. The successful candidate will lead governance, vendor strategy, and cross-functional engagement, delivering measurable wins while guiding an AI operating model in a lean, clinical-stage company.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred in CS, engineering, data science, or life sciences.
• 10+ years experience spanning technology, data, or digital transformation.
• Experience deploying AI solutions to production and cross‑functional adoption.

Responsibilities

• Define and own AI and digital transformation strategy aligned with priorities across R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Finance, Legal, and HR.
• Lead design, build, and deployment of AI-enabled products and tools that are production-ready and secure.
• Embed AI into workflows across multiple functions and build trust through explainable solutions.
• Partner with internal teams and external vendors to build applications across analytics, automation, and decision support.
• Establish AI governance frameworks addressing model validation, bias, data provenance, regulatory scrutiny, and ethical use.

Skills

AI strategy

Production AI

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory awareness

Executive communication

Governance & ethics

C-suite partnerships

Education

Bachelor's degree

MS/PhD/MBA preferred

Tools

AI/ML tools

Data platforms

Job description

Protagonist Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company built on a proprietary peptide technology platform that has now produced two FDA-approved, first-in-class medicines, generating royalties and milestones from global commercial partnerships with Johnson and Johnson and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. ICOTYDE ™ (icotrokinra), licensed to Johnson & Johnson company Janssen Biotech, Inc., is the first and only targeted oral peptide that precisely blocks the Interleukin-23 receptor. ICOTYDE was launched in the U.S. in March 2026 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age or older and is in Phase 3 development for psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. ICOTYDE was jointly discovered by Protagonist and Johnson & Johnson scientists, with Protagonist having primary responsibility for the development of ICOTYDE through Phase 1, and Johnson & Johnson assuming responsibility for further clinical and regulatory development and commercialization. Protagonist also discovered and led research and development through Phase 3 for MIMRYLO ™ (rusfertide), a first-in-class hepcidin mimetic peptide licensed to Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited for worldwide commercialization. MIMRYLO is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of erythrocytosis in adults with PV. The Company also has a number of clinical and preclinical programs based on clinically and commercially validated targets and addressing unmet medical needs, including an oral IL-17 antagonist peptide, anti-obesity dual and triple agonists, an oral hepcidin functional mimetic, and the recently announced IL-4 and amylin discovery programs.

More information on Protagonist, its pipeline drug candidates, and clinical studies can be found on the Company's website at https://www.protagonist-inc.com .

Position Summary

This role is accountable for delivering production-ready AI solutions that drive measurable business impact, not just strategy or advisory work. The individual will lead the design and deployment of AI-enabled products, platforms, and capabilities that enhance effectiveness and efficiency across R&D, Clinical Development, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Finance, Legal, and Corporate Functions.

This role sits at the intersection of technology, science, operations, and governance. The successful candidate will combine strategic vision with hands on execution, ensuring AI initiatives move beyond experimentation to scalable, durable solutions aligned with the needs of a lean, clinical-stage biotech.

First-year priorities:

• Identify and prioritize 2–3 high-impact AI use cases across the organization
• Launch initial pilots and drive at least one solution into production deployment
• Establish a practical AI operating model, including governance, vendor strategy, and cross-functional engagement
• Build early adoption and trust by delivering clear, measurable wins

We are committed to a thriving in-office culture. This role requires being on-site at our office in Newark, CA 4 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Enterprise AI Strategy & Vision
  • Define and own AI and digital transformation strategy aligned with corporate and scientific priorities
  • Identify high-impact use cases and prioritize based on value, feasibility, and risk
  • Develop a focused, right-sized roadmap balancing speed and scalability
• AI Product Development & Deployment
  • Lead the design, build, and deployment of AI-enabled products and tools
  • Ensure solutions are production-ready, adopted, secure, and maintainable
  • Drive delivery of solutions that improve productivity, speed, and decision-making quality
  • Partner with internal teams and external vendors to build applications across analytics, automation, and decision support
• Cross-Functional Enablement
  • Embed AI into workflows across R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, Quality, Finance, Legal, HR, and IT
  • Translate business and scientific needs into actionable technical requirements
  • Build trust through practical, explainable, and usable solutions
• Data, Infrastructure & Governance
  • Partner with IT, Data, Legal, and Compliance teams to ensure robust data architecture, security, and access controls
  • Establish AI governance frameworks addressing model validation, bias, data provenance, regulatory scrutiny, and ethical use
  • Ensure compliance with global regulations, data privacy laws, and evolving AI-related regulatory expectations
• Leadership, Team & Culture
  • Build and lead a high-performing AI and digital function (internal and/or external), including data scientists, engineers, and product leaders
  • Upskill the broader organization through education, change management, and practical AI literacy
  • Serve as a thought partner to the executive leadership team and Board of Directors on AI-related opportunities and risks
• Measurement & Value Realization
  • Define success metrics and KPIs for AI initiatives, with clear accountability for outcomes
  • Track adoption, performance, ROI, and risk across deployed AI solutions
  • Continuously refine strategy based on results, organizational maturity, and technological advances

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MS, PhD, MBA) strongly preferred in fields such as Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Life Sciences, or related disciplines
• 10+ years of experience spanning technology, data, or digital transformation
• Experience building and deploying AI or advanced analytics solutions into production environments
• Demonstrated ability to drive AI adoption across multiple business functions
• Experience in heavily regulated industries (biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, financial services, or similar) strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of modern AI/ML technologies, data platforms, and product development lifecycles
• Deep appreciation for governance, ethics, security, and regulatory considerations associated with AI
• Executive presence and credibility with C‑suite leaders and Boards of Directors
• Exceptional ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business value
• Pragmatic, outcomes‑oriented mindset with a bias toward execution
• High integrity, sound judgment, and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast‑moving environments

Pay Range

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $250,000 and $310,000/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

A top priority for Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. is to provide a robust and comprehensive health and wellness program for our employees and their families. We offer a variety of high-qualitycoverage and benefitoptions.

• Health Care benefits. Protagonist covers 100% of the premium costfor medical, dental, and vision coverage for all full-time employees and their dependents.
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Healthcare FSA, Dependent Care FSA, Commuter Benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Flexible Vacation Policy
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)