Director of AI/Machine Learning, Drug Discovery | Pharma/BioTech | Series A - B2B Platform | EU Remote | | Salary Up to £200,000, plus early equity+benefits in Leeds

Our client is a pioneering technology provider that is reshaping how AI is applied within pharmaceutical R&D. They provide a neutral, production-grade infrastructure that enables global pharmaceutical companies to collaborate securely on large-scale AI models without ever sharing their proprietary data. By leveraging federated computing, they power multi-partner data networks across small molecules, antibodies, and protein folding. Unlike traditional biotech firms, they do not develop their own drug assets; instead, they empower their partners' computational teams to accelerate their own discovery programmes.

We are seeking a Director of Computational Drug Discovery to build and lead a high-impact team of application scientists. This is a hands-on, externally facing leadership role requiring deep scientific credibility and the ability to engage directly with senior stakeholders at the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. You will bridge the gap between cutting-edge Machine Learning and real-world drug discovery, ensuring our models and workflows deliver measurable value in practical industrial settings.

Responsibilities:

• Own the scientific direction across various modalities and data types, defining which drug discovery problems and workflows the platform prioritises.
• Act as a peer-level counterpart to pharma R&D leaders, providing authoritative guidance grounded in real-world discovery experience to help get new collaborations over the line.
• Lead an established core team including senior medicinal chemists, machine learning engineers and oversee the recruitment of additional members over the next 6–9 months.
• Partner with internal Product and ML/AI teams to translate customer needs into clear model requirements and enterprise-grade software solutions.
• Represent the organisation within the scientific ecosystem through publications, talks, and direct engagement with the community.

Requirements for the role:

• PhD in computational chemistry, cheminformatics, computational drug discovery, or a closely related field.
• 8+ years of post-PhD industry experience in computational drug discovery, with a proven impact on programmes from hit finding through to lead optimisation.
• Deep, practical knowledge of structure-based and ligand-based design, ADMET modelling, and the integration of biophysical data.
• Exceptional understanding of modern ML approaches and the judgement to know where these technologies materially improve outcomes.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, venture-backed, remote-first environment.
• A clear drive to enable customer discovery programmes rather than running internal pipelines.
• Strong understanding of Co-Folding and OpenFold3.

What can they offer you?

• A high-influence role working closely with the founders to shape company strategy.
• Up to 200,000 Euros or GBP depending on location salary.
• Remote-first working with a dedicated work-from-home budget and co-working stipend.
• Comprehensive suite of benefits, including a wellbeing budget and mental health support.
• Generous holiday allowance.

If you think you would be a good fit, drop over your CV and we will give you a call.