Director, Neuroscience (In Vitro Cellular Biology)

Recursion•Salt Lake City, UT

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

Recursion is seeking a Director of Neuroscience to lead the development and application of human iPSC-derived cellular models for neurodegenerative disease drug discovery. This role combines scientific leadership with hands-on execution to advance programs from target identification through lead optimization. You will partner cross-functionally and with external collaborators to deliver high-quality, data-driven insights that accelerate therapeutic discovery.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, or related field, with postdoctoral training
5-7+ years of successful leadership, mentorship, and management of drug discovery teams
5+ years of industry experience in neuroscience drug discovery
Experience with CRISPR editing and/or viral systems, familiarity with multi-omics data integration (e.g., RNA-seq, proteomics)
Prior experience working on partnered programs with external collaborators
Experience leading cross-functional drug discovery programs
Expertise in cell-based assays, high-content imaging, and quantitative data analysis
Strong communication skills and ability to influence across disciplines
Deep expertise in human cellular disease models, particularly iPSC-derived systems relevant to neurodegeneration
Proven track record of advancing neuroscience drug discovery programs from target ID through lead optimization
Thrives in cross-functional, highly collaborative teams and has experience working with external partners or large pharma
Embraces innovative approaches, including AI/ML-enabled discovery and scalable data generation

Responsibilities

Lead design and development of human iPSC-derived cellular models and mechanistic assays for neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS)
Drive neuroscience programs from early discovery through lead optimization, establishing robust in vitro assay cascades to enable SAR and decision-making
Design and oversee cellular and molecular assays using high-content imaging and quantitative approaches to interrogate disease biology and mechanism of action
Collaborate closely with chemistry, pharmacology, data science, screening, toxicology, and DMPK teams to advance targets and molecules
Contribute to target validation and translational strategies by integrating phenotypic, genomic, and proteomic datasets
Lead and mentor scientists, fostering a high-performance, collaborative team environment
Present scientific findings and strategic recommendations to internal leadership and external partners