Job Title

Job Title: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Head of AI — Drug DiscoveryLocation: Remote (U.S. preferred) / India–U.S. hybridCompany Stage: Pre-Series A | Venture-BackedSector: Biotech | AI-driven Drug DiscoveryAbout the CompanyOur client is a venture-backed biotech startup developing a novel oral regenerative drug candidate with a strategic platform approach. Backed by a world-class scientific advisory board (Harvard, UCSD, Helmholtz), they are preparing for IND filing and early-stage clinical development.They are now building the AI engine to power their next generation of drug discovery, inspired by pioneers like Insilico Medicine and Absci, and are seeking a senior CTO or technical co-founder to lead this transformative vision.Role OverviewThe Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Head of AI will lead the development of a cutting-edge, AI-first drug discovery platform, combining generative modeling, predictive analytics, cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and biophysics modeling. This is a high-impact, strategic role ideal for an individual passionate about reimagining the future of medicine discovery.Key ResponsibilitiesArchitect and build the company’s AI/ML infrastructure for target discovery, molecular generation, and therapeutic designLead the development of generative models (e.g., diffusion models, VAEs, GNNs) for novel molecule and protein designIntegrate cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and biophysics modeling tools into the drug discovery workflowPartner with biology and chemistry teams to incorporate wet-lab feedback into model pipelinesEstablish and scale data pipelines, FAIR data systems, and ML model governanceDrive the AI strategy, team building, and long-term platform roadmapRepresent technology leadership in discussions with investors and strategic partnersIdeal Candidate ProfilePhD in Machine Learning, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, or related field6+ years of experience applying AI/ML in life sciences, ideally within drug discoveryProven expertise with generative models and AI tools for drug design (e.g., GNNs, VAEs, LLMs, protein folding)Familiarity with cheminformatics, computational chemistry, or biophysics modeling platformsDemonstrated ability to scale ML projects in biotech or health-tech environmentsExcellent communication skills with investor-facing and partner-facing capabilitiesNice to HaveStartup or co-founder experienceContributions to open-source platforms (e.g., DeepChem, TorchDrug)Knowledge of drug repurposing, phenotypic screening, or multi-omic data fusionWhat’s on OfferCo-founder or executive-level equity opportunityGlobal exposure with a dual India–U.S. operational modelA chance to build a differentiated, AI-powered biotech platform from the ground upBacking from a visionary founder and a world-class scientific advisory board