Scientific Business Development Specialist- In Vitro Models

Career Transitions; San Diego (CA); Remote; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biotech firm is seeking a Scientific Business Development Specialist to drive adoption of innovative GI models in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. This role demands a blend of scientific expertise and commercial acumen to address client challenges and foster lasting partnerships. You'll engage with top researchers, influence product development, and attend key scientific conferences, while benefiting from a motivating commission structure and the chance to work alongside industry pioneers.

Benefits

Uncapped commission

Tiered accelerator structure

Direct mentorship from BD leadership

Opportunity to work alongside scientists

Qualifications

• 2–5+ years in preclinical biotech/pharma or scientific CRO business development.
• Ability to interpret experimental design challenges.
• Energized by finding and closing new opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical liaison to scientists evaluating human GI models.
• Lead discovery calls to qualify project needs.
• Own and execute a sales plan focused on biotech and pharma.

Skills

Scientific credibility

Sales capacity

Client relationship management

Technical liaison skills

Market expertise

Education

BS / MS / PhD in biology, pharmacology, toxicology

Job description

Scientific Business Development Specialist

Location : Remote (West Coast strongly preferred)

Territory : United States (excluding Northeast) + Canada

Travel : ~30%, including scientific conferences and client visits

Reports To : Head of Business Development

Seniority Level : Mid-Senior Level (Associate or Senior title based on experience)

Compensation : Base salary + Uncapped Commission + Tiered Accelerator

About the Company

Our organization is a UNC spinout biotech that has redefined preclinical gastrointestinal modeling through its proprietary RepliGut Systems — a human stem cell-derived, physiologically relevant in vitro model of the intestinal epithelium.

Whether in kit form for internal use or offered via contract research services , RepliGut enables drug developers to model intestinal responses without animal models — saving time, cost, and increasing clinical translation. Applications include :

• DMPK : Absorption and permeability assessments for oral drugs
• Toxicology : Detection of GI-specific liabilities often missed in animal studies
• Inflammation : Mechanistic studies and efficacy testing in IBD, IBS, and microbiome-related disease

Role Overview

We are seeking a mission-aligned Scientific Business Development Specialist who can marry scientific credibility with commercial execution. You’ll play a central role in driving adoption of human-relevant GI models in pharma, biotech, and academic research — serving both inbound interest and generating new demand through strategic outreach.

This is not a catalog-sales position — your ability to interpret experimental design challenges and recommend customized solutions will determine your success.

Key Responsibilities :

• Serve as a technical liaison to scientists evaluating human GI models for absorption, metabolism, toxicology, or disease modeling
• Lead discovery calls to qualify project needs, study endpoints, and research timelines
• Translate client objectives into solutions using RepliGut kits or custom CRO service offerings
• Propose study designs in collaboration with Client Services Team (CST), ensuring scientific feasibility and commercial fit
• Create and deliver customized pitch decks, SOWs, and proposals

Account Management & Customer Success

• Cultivate long-term relationships with clients by tracking ongoing study progress and aligning future pipeline opportunities
• Maintain scientific credibility throughout the project lifecycle — from proposal to data delivery
• Champion customer feedback internally to guide product roadmap, assay development, and support materials

Territory & Pipeline Development

• Own and execute a sales plan focused on biotech, pharma, and translational academic labs across your U.S. territory
• Attend 10–12 targeted scientific conferences per year (e.g., AAPS, SOT, DDW, FASEB) to present Company offerings and identify new leads
• Partner with internal marketing to identify passive outreach gaps and co-develop messaging strategies
• Maintain accurate CRM records and forecast reports via HubSpot

Scientific & Market Expertise

• Stay up to date on emerging trends in organ-on-a-chip, human-relevant modeling, 3Rs initiatives, and GI drug development
• Understand competitive landscape including models
• Deliver insights back to internal R&D and manufacturing teams to inform future innovation

The Science You’ll Represent

RepliGut Systems provide a human primary cell-based model of the intestinal epithelium with :

• Tight junction formation and barrier integrity (TEER monitoring)
• Polarized transport mechanisms
• Drug metabolism enzyme expression (e.g., CYP3A4)
• Differentiated enterocyte, goblet, and Paneth cell phenotypes

Use Cases Include :

• Evaluating GI permeability in drug candidates
• Detecting off-target intestinal toxicity earlier in development
• Simulating human inflammatory responses for IBD therapeutics
• Screening drug formulations to reduce adverse GI side effects
• Supporting IND-enabling studies and regulatory submissions

You Might Be a Fit If You :

• Have 2–5+ years in preclinical biotech / pharma or scientific CRO business development
• Hold a BS / MS / PhD in biology, pharmacology, toxicology, or a related discipline
• Can read a paper and pitch the implications to a PI or translational director
• Enjoy “hunter-style” sales — energized by finding and closing new opportunities
• Understand how pharma scientists think, because you used to be one
• Thrive in early-stage environments with evolving processes
• Want to sell a product with scientific integrity, clinical potential, and global relevance
• Uncapped commission structure with accelerator tiers :
• Opportunity to work alongside scientists and founders who are shaping the next generation of preclinical models
• Direct mentorship from BD leadership and cross-functional exposure

Why This Role, Why Now?

You’re not just selling — you’re shaping the future of how drugs are evaluated before they reach patients. Regulatory shifts like the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 are pushing the industry toward human-relevant systems. We are leading the way in GI modeling, and you can lead the charge commercially.

Ready to put your scientific insight back into action — and get rewarded for it?