Associate Director/Director, AI/ML Enablement - Research

Location: Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan

Employment Type: Full time

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Job Description

Position Overview

We are seeking a hands-on, collaborative AI/ML leader to accelerate the adoption and application of AI/ML capabilities at Takeda's Japan research site. This role has two primary mandates:

• Enable AI/ML application to support target identification, validation, and mechanistic understanding across discovery programs
• Build local AI/ML capabilities by mentoring computational biologists and bioinformaticians in modern methods and agentic frameworks

You will be a key partner within the research organization, working closely with discovery scientists and a global team of computational, AI, and data scientists to translate cutting-edge AI/ML approaches into practical tools that advance research programs. You will ensure the site can effectively leverage enterprise AI/ML platforms while adapting solutions to local scientific priorities. This role requires a leader who can bridge technical depth with scientific application, understanding both the capabilities of modern AI/ML and the realities of drug discovery workflows.

Key Responsibilities

1. AI/ML Application to Research & Discovery

• Partner with computational biologists, bioinformaticians, and experimental scientists to apply AI/ML methods supporting target identification, validation, and mechanistic understanding
• Drive adoption of modern AI/ML approaches (representation learning, predictive modeling, causal inference) across multi-omics, imaging, clinical, and real-world data
• Provide hands-on technical guidance across programs: recommend appropriate methods, support implementation, and review outputs for scientific rigor
• Partner with research project leaders to identify high-value opportunities for AI/ML application and prioritize efforts

2. Agentic Frameworks & Workflow Automation

• Evaluate, implement, and operationalize agentic AI frameworks (e.g., LLM-based research agents, automated literature mining, hypothesis generation pipelines) to accelerate discovery workflows
• Design and deploy automated workflows that chain tools, data sources, and models to streamline hypothesis generation, experiment design, and data analysis
• Establish best practices and governance for responsible, reproducible AI use in research applications

3. Site Partnership & Global Alignment

• Act as key AI/ML liaison between the Japan site and global R&D computational functions; ensure alignment with enterprise AI strategy
• Represent site needs in global project teams and governance forums
• Communicate complex AI/ML concepts clearly to diverse scientific and non-technical stakeholders

4. Capability Building & Culture

• Mentor and upskill computational biologists and bioinformaticians in AI/ML methodologies and tool adoption
• Stay current with cutting-edge AI/ML and discovery technologies; translate external innovation into practical applications
• Champion new ways of working powered by digital, automation, and AI tools

Qualifications

Required:

• Expected: PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Data Science, Computer Science, or related quantitative discipline with 8+ years (AD) / 12+ years (Director) relevant experience
• Proven track record of applying AI/ML methods to drug discovery or life sciences research
• Hands-on proficiency with ML/DL frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) and cloud-based compute environments
• Experience with multi-omics data analysis and integration
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex computational concepts for diverse scientific audiences
• Effective collaboration skills in matrixed, global environments

Preferred:

• Familiarity with therapeutic area disease biology relevant to site priorities
• Working knowledge of LLMs, agentic architectures, and workflow orchestration tools
• Experience mentoring scientists with varying computational backgrounds
• Japanese language proficiency; cross-cultural collaboration experience

Additional Information

• The position will be based in Shonan, Japan

Takeda Compensation and Benefits Summary:

• Allowances: Commutation, Housing, Overtime Work etc.

• Salary Increase: Annually, Bonus Payment: Twice a year

• Working Hours: Headquarters (Osaka/ Tokyo) 9:00-17:30, Production Sites (Osaka/ Yamaguchi) 8:00-16:45, (Narita) 8:30-17:15, Research Site (Kanagawa) 9:00-17:45

• Holidays: Saturdays, Sundays, National Holidays, May Day, Year-End Holidays etc. (approx. 123 days in a year)

• Paid Leaves: Annual Paid Leave, Special Paid Leave, Sick Leave, Family Support Leave, Maternity Leave, Childcare Leave, Family Nursing Leave.

• Flexible Work Styles: Flextime, Telework

• Benefits: Social Insurance, Retirement and Corporate Pension, Employee Stock Ownership Program, etc.

Important Notice concerning working conditions:

• It is possible the job scope may change at the company’s discretion.

• It is possible the department and workplace may change at the company’s discretion.

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