Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist – AI for Life Sciences (CDD/FTC)

Owkin

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Owkin is an AI company focused on solving biological complexity by building a Biology Super Intelligence (BASI). This system integrates large biological language models, multimodal patient data, and agentic software. The core components include Owkin K, an AI copilot, and Owkin Zero, an LLM fine-tuned for biology, which aids researchers, clinicians, and drug developers in understanding biology, validating hypotheses, and accelerating the delivery of diagnostics and therapies. This position is a fixed-term contract role, based in our Paris offices or remotely in France, UK, or Germany. The role involves applying Agentic AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) to complex biological challenges, particularly in Oncology or Age-Related Diseases. The scientist will ensure the biological relevance of AI models and tools by selecting appropriate datasets, features, and visualizations. Key responsibilities include designing in silico analysis plans, conducting target/asset identification and evaluation, and fostering cross-functional collaboration between researchers and data scientists. The position works closely with scientific and project leads to ensure seamless communication, biological accuracy, and innovation.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences or related fields required
• Deep knowledge in Oncology and/or Age-Related Diseases.
• Experience in industry, and especially in applying AI to Life Sciences and/or Drug Discovery and translating abstract AI potential into concrete drug discovery milestones.
• Strong expertise in target discovery, and pipeline management, coupled with comprehension of the crucial steps of target validation.
• Capability to manage internal AI workflows with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication and management skills in cross-disciplinary environments and complex scientific projects, with the ability to present research succinctly to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with LLMs and Agentic AI frameworks
• Curiosity: You are driven to understand how components fit together within a complex system.
• Thriving in dynamic environments where rapid iteration is key.
• Capable of interacting effectively across diverse interfaces of discipline, culture, and expertise.
• Fluency in English is mandatory.
• Must be available to start quickly and commit to a fixed-term contract.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated success in using semi-automated workflows for target prioritization.
• Hands-on experience with translational datasets, clinical insights, and safety assessments.
• Experience in multi-OMICS
• Prior experience managing Contract Research Organizations (CROs) for wet-lab validation.
• Biologics Expertise: Specific experience with Antibodies (Ab) or Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) is a desired plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI-Driven Discovery & Strategy: Actively participate in Target ID and analysis planning, rigorously triage target candidates and ideas, transition from high-volume AI outputs to high-quality biological leads, and ensure efficient workflows and feedback.
• Conduct Deep-Dives on top-tier Target/asset candidates to bring them to formal "go/no-go" milestones.
• Collaborate with internal technical experts to leverage advanced computational and AI methodologies for subgroups identification, uncovering novel patient populations and therapeutic niches.
• Act as the Internal Champion for specific targets, presenting evidence to stakeholders and steering the project through the development funnel.
• Orchestrate autonomous or semi-autonomous AI workflows to generate, test, and refine hypotheses (design and execute ‘AI Scientist Campaigns’).
• Participate in In Silico Drug Design discussions, acting as the bridge between computational outputs and chemistry/biology teams.
• Ensure biological relevance of our AI Models & Agents (including Owkin K): Develop and refine functional "skills" for Agentic AI systems (e.g., tool-calling functions, and specialized reasoning chains).
• Work closely with data science / compBio teams to define and optimize scoring functions and multi-parameter optimization weights for target/ assets candidate prioritization.
• Ensure liaison between users and product owners/developers by gathering feedback, prioritizing needs, aligning score metrics with research objectives, and following ground truth definitions.
• Support consistent evaluation of outputs across model versions.
• Documentation and Cross-functional Support: Maintain clear and updated documentation across projects.
• Manage collaborations with top-tier academic labs to integrate external innovation and validate internal models.
• Support data mapping and integration efforts while ensuring the alignment of data usage with research questions.
• Partner with project managers and principal scientists to execute deliverables and communicate findings effectively.
• Critically review work products from outsourced tasks and internal AI-generated outputs.
• Direct and oversee outsourced laboratory work, ensuring data quality and alignment with AI-driven hypotheses.

Benefits

• Flexible work organization
• Friendly and informal working environment
• Opportunity to work with an international team with high technical and scientific backgrounds

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree