Director/Senior Director, Program Leadership

EVOZYNE INC • Chicago, IL

3d • $175,000 - $250,000 • Remote

About The Position

Evozyne is an AI-native biotech company building a new way to design therapeutic proteins. Our generative AI platform was purpose-built to create entirely novel proteins that expand what’s possible beyond traditional drug discovery. We are applying this platform to develop transformative therapies for serious diseases with significant unmet need, working at the intersection of AI, biology, and protein engineering to solve complex scientific problems that conventional approaches cannot easily address.

As the Director/Senior Director, Program Leadership, you will own the operations and execution of advancing assets through IND-enabling studies, CMC, and regulatory submission across multiple programs. You will play a central role in moving programs efficiently toward the clinic while helping shape how program leadership operates and scales within the company.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will bring deep experience in preclinical program leadership, strong strategic and operational judgment, and clear communication to ensure programs progress effectively across complex, interdependent workstreams.

Requirements

• Direct operational ownership of multiple IND programs in biologics, with at least one specifically in functional protein therapeutics
• Advanced degree in biochemical, pharmacology, toxicology or related field such as biology and life sciences
• 8+ years (Ph.D.) to 12+ years (Master’s) of relevant industry experience
• Demonstrated success leading programs through CROs and CDMOs, including global vendors.
• Deep understanding of the drug development process from discovery through IND filing
• Strong familiarity with GxP, ICH guidelines, and FDA preclinical requirements
• Proven ability to align and influence stakeholders across functions and organizations

Nice To Haves

• Strong strategic and operational judgment
• Clear, concise communicator who can simplify complex programs
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to anticipate challenges
• Hands-on leader who is comfortable owning outcomes directly
• Effective at influencing without formal authority
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, evolving environment

Responsibilities

• Own the full program lifecycle from candidate nomination through IND clearance and Phase 1 enablement across multiple assets in parallel
• Drive the critical path, including timelines, budgets, dependencies, and decision points
• Build and maintain integrated development plans spanning nonclinical, CMC, analytical, formulation, and regulatory workstreams
• Translate program progress into clear, actionable updates and recommendations for leadership
• Own external partnerships with CROs and CDMOs, including vendor selection, scope definition, and ongoing performance management
• Negotiate scope, cost, timelines, and deliverables and hold partners accountable to outcomes
• Coordinate across multiple vendors simultaneously, managing handoffs, data flow, and interdependencies
• Partner with internal technical experts to design studies and translate program needs into effective external workstreams
• Oversee development of study protocols, incorporating cross-functional input and aligning stakeholders
• Build the internal playbooks, processes, and operating structures needed to scale program execution across the pipeline

Benefits

• Opportunity to drive multiple programs from early development through IND and into the clinic in a highly integrated, fast-moving environment
• Ability to work at the intersection of AI, biology, and experimental science on problems where the path forward is not always clear
• Significant ownership and influence on how programs are executed, prioritized, and scaled as the pipeline grows
• Exposure to both strategic decisions and hands-on execution in a lean team where your work directly impacts program outcomes

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior