USA - Pennsylvania - Upper Providence, UK - Hertfordshire - Stevenage
Posted Date:
Dec 11 2025
We are seeking a dynamic scientific and technical leader to build and direct a new
Discovery
Applied AI/ML
group -- a team dedicated to transforming how we discover medicines by embedding state-of-the-art AI/ML directly into our discovery workflows, platforms, and decision-making.
We designed this role for someone with a desire to advance scientific knowledge and harness the revolution in AI/ML, automation, and predictive sciences to deliver measurable impacts across the drug discovery procress on the success and progression of our medicine discovery portfolio.
This group will operate as the
applied AI/ML engine
and thought partner for GSK's Discovery functions, working in close partnership with
Discovery Data Sciences
and other R&D teams. In partnership with the Discovery Data Sciences which owns the core predictive modeling, analytics, and data science support across modalities, Discovery Applied AI/ML will:
Focus on
AI/ML innovation, engineering, and productization
(e.g., generative design tools, active learning loops, LIAL frameworks)
Rapidly translate emerging AI/ML methods and technologies into
robust, deployed solutions
Serve as a
strategic AI/ML partner
to discovery line leaders, RTech teams, and platform owners
You will lead a unified, cross-functional team of applied ML scientists, ML engineers, and AI product leaders who partner deeply with research units to solve their most critical challenges.
This position is based 2-3 days per week at one of our R&D sites (e.g., Upper Providence, PA; Cambridge Tech Square, MA; Stevenage, UK; or Heidelberg, Germany).
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Vision & Organizational Architecture
Define and lead the applied AI/ML strategy
for Discovery, aligned with the broader Data, Automation, and Predictive Sciences (DAPS) and Discovery Data Sciences roadmaps.
Establish and clearly articulate a vision for a
research- and service-oriented applied AI/ML organization
focused on:
Creation, evaluation, and deployment of
state-of-the-art
AI/ML techniques and platforms
Direct enablement of automated discovery paradigms, including
Lab-in-an-Automated-Loop (LIAL)
and other closed-loop experimentation systems
Design and implement an organizational model that integrates:
Applied ML research
(novel architectures, generative models, active learning)
AI/ML engineering &
platformization
(scalable services, APIs, reusable components)
AI product management
(use-case discovery, user-centric design, adoption)
Develop a
multi-year strategic roadmap
for how applied AI/ML will:
Increase the Probability of Technical and Regulatory Success (PTRS)
Shorten design-make-test-analyze cycles
Enhance decision quality across discovery programs
2. Portfolio Impact & Scientific Partnership
Act as the
primary applied AI/ML partner
to discovery and RTech line leaders, embedding your team into portfolio projects across therapeutic areas and modalities.
Work in
tight coordination with Discovery Data Sciences
to:
Identify high-impact problems where AI/ML can drive step-change improvements
Decide when to advance from prototype to platform
Ensure clear delineation between core data science support (DDS) and advanced/applied AI/ML builds (DAI/ML).
Lead
problem-framing and solution design
for AI/ML use cases:
Generative design (molecules, proteins, biologics, modalities)
Active learning and optimization in high-throughput screening
AI-guided experiment planning and lab scheduling
Multi-modal integration for mechanism-of-action and target/context selection
Establish and maintain
stage-gated, fail-fast frameworks
for AI/ML projects:
Clear hypotheses
Success metrics tied to scientific or operational outcomes
Criteria for scale-up, sunset, or pivot
Communicate results and impact effectively to diverse audiences:
Scientific stakeholders (detailed methods, data, and models)
Platform & engineering teams (interfaces, requirements, performance)
Executives (value, risk, investment needed, portfolio impact)
3. AI/ML Innovation, Engineering & Research Leadership
Drive a
culture of pioneering applied AI/ML research
, with emphasis on:
Generative models (e.g., diffusion models, VAEs, transformers) for molecular and protein design
Active learning, Bayesian optimization, reinforcement learning for closed-loop experimentation
Foundation models and large-scale representation learning across biological, chemical, and omics data
Multi-modal integration (e.g., sequence, structure, imaging, omics, real-world data)
Allocate
protected time
and resources for your team to:
Explore emerging methods
Run exploratory pilots with clear transition criteria
Contribute to publications, preprints, and community engagement (as appropriate)
Ensure that promising methods are
translated into robust, maintainable solutions
:
Collaborate with engineering and platform teams to build scalable APIs, services, and tools
Establish best practices for model lifecycle management (MLOps) in partnership with R&D Digital & Tech
Implement reproducible and compliant workflows for model development, validation, and monitoring
Champion
ethical, transparent, and compliant
AI/ML:
Ensure appropriate safeguards, interpretability, and documentation
Work with Risk & Compliance to align with regulatory and internal governance requirements
4. Platform & Technology Build Leadership
Partner with
Discovery Data Sciences, Discovery Engineering & Integration, Automation, Cheminformatics, Protein Design & Informatics
, and R&D Digital & Tech to:
Architect and deliver
AI-augmented platforms
for design, analysis, and decision support
Enable
LIAL and automated discovery frameworks
, where AI/ML models actively inform experiment selection and optimization
Co-lead
priority technology builds
, ensuring:
AI/ML capabilities are designed as reusable components and services
Seamless integration with data platforms (e.g., Onyx, QEL) and lab automation systems
Alignment with enterprise standards for data, APIs, security, and compliance
Define and track
technical and business KPIs
for AI/ML systems:
Model performance and robustness
Usage and adoption metrics
Impact on cycle times, cost, and decision quality
5. Thought Partnership & Internal Advocacy for AI/ML
Serve as a
trusted thought partner
to Discovery leadership on AI/ML:
Help shape the AI/ML aspects of discovery strategy
Advise on where to buy, build, or partner for AI/ML capabilities
In collaboration with the technology evaluation / innovation roles, continuously scan the
external AI/ML landscape
:
Evaluate emerging tools, platforms, and models for applicability
Recommend strategic collaborations or partnerships where they can accelerate impact
Provide
training, education, and evangelism
:
Help non-ML experts understand what AI/ML can and cannot do
Develop materials, seminars, and office hours for scientists and leaders
6. Talent & Culture Development
Build, lead, and mentor
a high-performing global team of:
Applied ML scientists
ML/AI engineers
AI product managers / technical program leads
Foster a
collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture
that:
Encourages intellectual curiosity, experimentation, and continuous learning
Promotes psychological safety and healthy challenge
Rewards impact, rigor, and cross-functional partnership
Partner with HR and leadership on:
Hiring strategy and workforce planning
for AI/ML roles
Career frameworks, competency models, and development pathways
Attract and retain top AI/ML talent by:
Providing compelling scientific challenges
Enabling visible impact on medicines for patients
Supporting opportunities for external engagement (conferences, publications, open-source where appropriate)
of experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, technology, or closely related industry, with
at least 8 years in leadership roles
managing multi-disciplinary AI/ML or computational science teams.
Demonstrated track record of:
Applying modern AI/ML methods (including deep learning and generative models) to
complex biological, chemical, or healthcare problems
Deploying
AI/ML solutions into production environments and achieving
tangible
impact
on scientific or business outcomes.
Experience working with
multiple data modalities
(e.g., sequence, structure, images, omics, chemical structures, clinical/real-world data) and integrating them into AI/ML workflows.
Preferred Qualifications & Skills
A Transformational Leader
Proven ability to build new organizations or significantly reshape existing ones.
Experience unifying disparate teams into a cohesive, high-performance culture.
An AI/ML Visionary
Deep understanding of modern machine learning, including generative models, representation learning, and active learning.
Clear perspective on how these methods can be practically applied to discovery R&D and automation.
An Influential Collaborator
Exceptional ability to build alliances and communicate a compelling vision to stakeholders across science, engineering, and executive leadership.
Skilled at influencing without authority in a complex, matrixed environment.
A Scientific & Technical Driver
Passion for science and rigorous engineering, with a relentless focus on translating computational innovation into
real-world medicines
for patients.
Experience co-creating technology with end users and platform teams to drive adoption.
A Strategic Architect
Experience designing and implementing
automated research frameworks
, experiment-in-the-loop systems, or MLOps architectures is a plus.
A Global Leader
Experience managing distributed teams across geographies and cultures.
Why Join?
This is more than a leadership role; it is a mandate to
build the applied AI/ML backbone of discovery
. You will be empowered with the resources, talent, and executive support to create a truly next-generation discovery engine that works hand-in-hand with Discovery Data Sciences and the broader R&D ecosystem.
If you are a builder, a visionary, and a scientific leader driven to make a profound impact through applied AI/ML, we invite you to join us on this transformative journey.
Please visit GSK US Benefits Summary to learn more about the comprehensive benefits program GSK offers US employees.
Why GSK?
Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases - to impact health at scale.
People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we're committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.
Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us at HR.AmericasSC-CS@gsk.com where you can also request a call.
Please note should your inquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a Recruitment FAQ guide. Click the https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/careers/how-we-hire/frequently-asked-questions/ where you will find answers to multiple questions we receive
GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.
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