The Role
The Head of Program Lead will lead key programs development, drive strategic assessments, manage teams, and ensure operational impact within a growing biotech company.
Summary Generated by Built In
About AQEMIA
AQEMIA is a drug invention company dedicated to creating entirely new medicines to address major unmet medical needs. At the core of our mission is QEMI, our proprietary molecule-invention platform, which uniquely combines cutting-edge science with advanced technology. Powered by physics-based modeling, statistical mechanics, and generative AI, QEMI allows our teams to design novel drug candidates from first principles.
What makes AQEMIA different is our commitment to true innovation: our research is dedicated to the invention of new molecular entities, not the refinement of existing ones. We focus on inventing never-before-seen molecules, without relying on experimental data, and advancing them into a growing pipeline of proprietary programs and strategic partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies.
Our most advanced preclinical programs are currently in vivo optimization, targeting diseases still waiting for effective treatments, offering our teams the opportunity to work on science that can make a real difference in people’s lives.
For more information, visit AQEMIA.com, our WTTJ Page, and our LinkedIn.
About our Team
AQEMIA brings together a diverse, multidisciplinary team of 80+ professionals based in Paris and London. Our scientists and engineers, including chemists, physicists, machine learning experts, and software engineers, work side by side to push the boundaries of early-stage drug discovery.
This close collaboration across disciplines is central to our approach, enabling us to tackle complex scientific challenges from first principles and translate cutting-edge ideas into novel therapeutic candidates. At AQEMIA, team members are encouraged to contribute their expertise, learn from one another, and play an active role in shaping the future of drug invention.
Responsibilities
- Ensure programs remain relevant, focused, and outcome-oriented through their lifecycle,
- Critically challenge scientific reasoning and technological applications to ensure rigor and relevance,
- Smoothen tech usage and change management
- Conduct regular 360° program assessments, incorporating KPIs, Program Leaders team and stakeholder inputs, and market insights.
- Recommend program continuation, acceleration, or discontinuation based on robust, data-driven evaluation.
- Lead resource allocation discussions, ensuring optimal deployment of talent, capital, and time.
- Provide structured progress reporting to leadership to support effective decision-making and prioritization.
- Support the design, harmonization, and implementation of standardized methodologies for program governance, planning, and execution.
- Champion best practices and continuous improvement across all programs.
- Ensure programs comply with internal processes and external regulatory/industry requirements where applicable.
- Lead, federate, mentor and grow a high-performing team of Program Leaders.
- Define role expectations, support development plans, and foster a strong culture of accountability and collaboration.
- Drive talent acquisition to build and scale the program management team in line with organizational needs.
Challenge and drive program purpose & progress
Strategic program assessment & governance
Transversal program methodology
Team management
Qualifications
- Scientific background PhD (Chemistry, Biology) preferred, MD, PharmD or Engineer
- Experience in consulting in lifesciences (past or current experience) with a focus on asset positioning or R&D portfolio management
- Strategic thinker with strong analytical depth
- Experience in startup biotech or CRO is a plus
- Excellent leadership and people management capabilities, including experience managing, hiring and developing talent
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Comfortable at navigating ambiguity.
- Curious, quick learner and problem solver
- Passionate about contributing to a mission-driven biotech company changing how drugs are discovered.
- Motivated by solving hard problems and making strategic decisions in uncertain environments.
- Eager to coach, mentor, and collaborate across disciplines.
- Highly organized and adaptable in a fast-paced, evolving setting.
Our recruitment process
- 1 - First discussion with our Talent Acquisition
- 2 - Hiring Manager’s interview : you’ll meet directly with your future manager
- 3 - Technical assessment of your skills through a Business Case
- 4 - Cultural fit interview with our co-founder and COO Emmanuelle
- 5 - Final interview with our co-founder and CEO Maximilien
Why Join Us ?
At AQEMIA, we work for a mission: joining us means having your own impact on changing the way drugs are discovered, and helping to shape the direction of our fast-growing company and team.
Expanding Drug Discovery Pipeline : Focused on critical therapeutic areas like Oncology, CNS, Immuno-inflammation... with in vivo proof of concept/patent stage programs. Collaborations with top Pharma, including a $140M Sanofi deal.
World-Class Interdisciplinary Team : work alongside exceptional talent at the intersection of technology and life sciences. Our teams combine deep expertise in AI, physics-based modeling, biology, and medicinal chemistry to push the boundaries of innovation.
DeepTech Recognition: AQEMIA is proud to be part of the French Tech 120 and France 2030, highlighting our role as a key player in Europe’s DeepTech ecosystem.
Prime Location with Flexibility : Our offices are located in the heart of Paris and London (King’s Cross), with flexible work arrangements including up to two remote days per week.
Strong Financial Backing : $100M raised from leading European and International investors
Skills Required
- PhD in Chemistry, Biology, MD, PharmD or Engineering
- Experience in consulting in life sciences
- Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills
- Leadership and people management capabilities
- Experience in startup biotech or CRO
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The Company
What We Do
AQEMIA is a next-gen pharmatech company generating one of the world's fastest-growing drug discovery pipeline. Our mission is to design fast innovative drug candidates for dozens of critical diseases, such as immuno-oncology. Our unique approach leverages quantum-inspired physics algorithms to power generative AI in designing novel drug candidates—without relying on experimental data. We already delivered several drug discovery successes within our internal pipeline and through collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. Our most advanced programs are currently in vivo optimization. We are growing and hiring! Check our career website: https://jobs.lever.co/aqemia.com Discover the roles and behind-the-scenes at AQEMIA on our Welcome To The Jungle page: https://www.welcometothejungle.com/fr/companies/aqemia
