Drug Discovery Program leader

Aqemia; City of London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A next-gen pharmatech company is seeking a Drug Discovery Program Leader in London. This role involves managing drug discovery projects, leading interdisciplinary teams, and leveraging innovative technology. The ideal candidate has a strong project management background, scientific expertise, and is committed to advancing drug development. This position allows for remote work flexibility, with a focus on critical therapeutic areas and strong collaboration with partners.

Benefits

Flexibility of 2 remote days per week

Strong financial backing

International work environment

Qualifications

• 4+ years of consulting experience or 6+ years of project management experience.
• Experience in fast-growing environments.
• Strong scientific background in engineering, machine-learning, chemistry, or biology.

Responsibilities

• Be the owner of project objectives and progress.
• Clarify initial objectives and set up a work plan.
• Manage a project team day-to-day, providing feedback and leadership.
• Drive relationships with external partners.

Skills

Project management

Scientific knowledge

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Education

Master’s degree in a science field

Job description

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About AQEMIA

AQEMIA is a next‑gen pharmatech company generating one of the world’s fastest‑growing drug discovery pipelines.

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 optimisation.

About The Team You’ll Join

Within Aqemia’s drug discovery portfolio team, Program Leaders play a critical role as they drive our drug discovery projects.

The objective of such projects is to invent therapeutic molecules (hits / leads) against a given target protein and related disease, leveraging our unique technology combining new physics and machine‑learning algorithms.

Projects can be in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies or within Aqemia’s internal project portfolio.

A project is run by a core team— a drug hunter, a project leader, plus part of a chemist and biologist—and relies on the technology and ways of working developed by Aqemia’s platform.

Projects typically last several months and a Project Leader can manage up to 2‑3 projects at a time.

Your role as a Program Leader at Aqemia

• Be the owner of project objectives and progress towards those objectives, including potential recommendations to stop the project if progress is not good enough.
• Clarify initial objectives, set up a work plan and ways of working.
• Run the project by applying the baseline technology and ways of working developed by Aqemia’s platform and ensure feedback from the project is given to the platform in a structured and constructive way.
• Manage on a day‑to‑day basis the evolution of the project: challenge team members to reach objectives in time and provide thought leadership.
• Manage the project team (3+ people), including giving regular feedback (good and bad) and coaching the team to improve.
• Drive proactively the relationship with external partners (Pharma and/or CRO), at operational and management levels.
• Be the guardian of Aqemia’s ways of working in the team (how to run meetings, take decisions, etc.).
• Coordinate proactively with other Project Leaders and the Aqemia Technology platform to share best practices and suggest further technological developments to grow Aqemia.

The competencies we are looking for

• Hands‑on experience in project management: 4+ years of consulting experience and/or 6+ years of project management experience in a fast‑growing environment.
• Scientific background (Master’s degree in a science field), in any discipline such as engineering, machine‑learning, chemistry, biology.
• Objective‑driven mindset and a high degree of organization, commitment and drive.

Preferred Mindset

• Eager to play an active role in contributing to Aqemia’s strategy to develop drugs for patients.
• Brings wealth of knowledge to inspire and coach brilliant people from diverse backgrounds.
• Keen to solve tough problems on issues that truly matter, with a proactive and can‑do attitude.
• Thrives on working collaboratively in a fast‑paced, interdisciplinary environment that keeps everyone on track.

Our recruitment process

• Screening interview with Talent Acquisition.
• Hiring Manager interview.
• Business Case.
• Cultural fit interview with Emmanuelle, co‑founder and COO.
• 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.

Interdisciplinary Team: Brilliant talent from tech and life sciences.

DeepTech Recognition: Part of French Tech 120 and France 2030.

Prime Location: Based in central Paris and London (King’s Cross) with the possibility of 2 remote days per week.

International Environment: The work language is English—relocation support and French lessons granted if needed.

Strong Financial Backing: $100M raised from leading European and international investors.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analysing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgement. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.