Head of Discovery Scale-Up and Optimization

Takeda•Boston, MA

11d•$177,000 - $278,080•Hybrid

About The Position

Takeda is seeking an experienced scientific leader to serve as Head of Discovery Scale-Up and Optimization on the Global Chemistry Leadership Team. The role owns chemistry optimization and scale-up for the discovery organization, ensuring advanced leads and candidates can be made safely, reliably, and in quantities needed to support lead optimization, candidate selection, and transition into development. The position leads approximately 10 scientists across Boston and Shonan, partners with Pharm Sci, medicinal chemistry, biology, DMPK, and toxicology, and oversees external partners, including CROs, to deliver high-quality material on time. The successful candidate will set the vision and operating model for discovery scale-up and optimization; design and optimize scalable, efficient, and cost-effective synthetic routes; coordinate gram-to-kilogram compound and intermediate supplies; and support development readiness and technology transfer. The role also develops the team, manages CRO partnerships and the group's budget, contributes to portfolio and program decisions, and introduces technologies to accelerate route development and reduce cycle time. This position is classified as hybrid under Takeda’s Hybrid and Remote Work policy and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Requirements

PhD in Organic Chemistry or a related discipline with 10+ years of relevant experience, or MS with 16+ years, or BS with 18+ years in process chemistry, route optimization, or scale-up.
Significant leadership experience.
Proven track record of delivering scalable routes and gram-to-kilogram supply for preclinical or clinical candidates.
Experience leading and developing high-performing teams; distributed-team experience is relevant.
Deep expertise in synthetic route design, reaction optimization, impurity control, and process safety.
Working knowledge of solid-form characterization and supporting analytical methods.
Experience managing external partners for scale-up and manufacturing, including vendor oversight, budget and resource management, and data quality.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to prioritize across multiple programs, adapt to changing priorities, and make sound decisions with incomplete or evolving data.
Ability and willingness to travel between Boston and Shonan.

Nice To Haves

Leadership experience within a large pharmaceutical or biotechnology company, including managing multi-site or global teams.
Experience across small-molecule modalities, including complex or macrocyclic structures, peptides, or degraders.
Track record of enabling a program's transition from discovery into IND-enabling development.

Responsibilities

Set the vision, priorities, and operating model for discovery scale-up and optimization in alignment with Global Chemistry priorities.
Lead design and optimization of scalable, efficient, and cost-effective synthetic routes for advanced leads and candidates, applying route scouting and process safety.
Deliver or coordinate gram-to-kilogram supplies of compounds and key intermediates for medicinal chemistry optimization, in vivo pharmacology, toxicology, and formulation studies while meeting agreed purity and timeline commitments.
Partner with medicinal chemistry teams early in lead optimization to assess synthetic tractability and recommend structural or route changes that improve scalability.
Partner with Pharmaceutical Sciences, Analytical, and CMC colleagues to prepare for technology transfer and sourcing strategies.
Lead, mentor, and develop approximately 10 scientists across Boston and Shonan, building a cohesive and collaborative team across sites and time zones.
Select, manage, and hold CROs accountable, including technical oversight, budget and timeline management, data-integrity standards, and intellectual property protection.
Contribute to program strategy, risk assessment, resource planning, and portfolio decisions alongside biology, DMPK, toxicology, and project leadership.
Manage the group's budget.
Introduce enabling technologies, such as flow chemistry, biocatalysis, high-throughput experimentation, and automation, to accelerate route development and reduce cycle time.
Travel between Boston and Shonan.