Accelerating impact through partnerships

Palo Alto, CA$135k–240k

At Inceptive, you will drive development forward that could help billions of people. To accomplish this, you will be part of a collaborative, antedisciplinary team building our biological software.

We are looking for an exceptional and motivated individual to join our business development team.

You will be joining a dynamic and agile team, set to execute on our mission and capitalize on scientific, business, and strategic opportunities. We are seeking an Alliance Manager to lead and grow our strategic partnerships in oligonucleotide therapeutics, with a primary focus on small interfering RNA (siRNA) drug discovery. As a key member of our Business Development team, you will serve as the primary interface between our company and our external partners — spanning pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and technology providers — ensuring alliances are structured for scientific success and commercial value.

This role sits at the intersection of cutting-edge AI-driven biology and next-generation RNA therapeutics. You will leverage our proprietary AI platform to identify, establish, and manage high-impact collaborations that accelerate the development of siRNA-based medicines.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it

Embody our vision of an antedisciplinary environment and embrace learning about areas outside of your traditional area of expertise

Serve as the primary point of contact for existing siRNA and oligonucleotide partnerships, managing day-to-day alliance operations and escalation pathways

Establish and lead Joint Steering Committees (JSCs), Joint Research Committees (JRCs), and other governance bodies, preparing agendas, minutes, and action tracking

Monitor contractual milestones, deliverables, and timelines; proactively identify and resolve issues that could jeopardize partnership success

Coordinate cross-functional internal teams (Biology, Chemistry, AI/ML, Regulatory, Legal, Finance) to fulfill partner obligations and advance shared programs

Drive successful execution of partnered programs against scientific and operational milestones and enable expansion opportunities across strategic partnerships

Prepare documents and presentations to senior management to help drive decision-making through the deal process

Travel to industry events, scientific or business oriented

Scientific & Strategic Engagement

Develop a deep understanding of partner pipelines, strategic priorities, and siRNA platform capabilities to align collaboration goals

Translate AI platform outputs and siRNA design insights into compelling partnership narratives for both scientific and business audiences

Collaborate with internal discovery teams to ensure partner-facing scientific deliverables meet alliance commitments

Stay current on competitive landscape in RNAi therapeutics, GalNAc-siRNA conjugates, lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery, and AI-driven target discovery

Qualifications

Ph.D. or M.S. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related life sciences field; MBA a plus

5+ years of experience in alliance management, business development, or strategic partnerships within the biopharmaceutical or biotech industry

Working knowledge of oligonucleotide therapeutics — particularly siRNA biology, mechanism of action, and drug development challenges

Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-party research or licensing collaborations from initiation through program delivery

Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills; ability to influence without direct authority across internal and external stakeholders

Strong project management skills with proficiency in tools such as Smartsheet, Asana, or equivalent platforms

Familiarity with AI/ML applications in drug discovery, including sequence-based target identification or predictive ADME/toxicity modeling

Prior experience negotiating term sheets, CDAs, MTAs, or master research collaboration agreements

Existing network within the oligonucleotide therapeutics ecosystem (pharma, biotech, CRO, and academic partners)

Availability to accommodate working with team members across different time zones, with one or two meetings per week starting at 8am PT or finishing at 7pm CET

Readiness to travel several times a year for company retreats and business events

We value the benefits of in-person collaboration and expect candidates to primarily work at our office locations

Compensation

$135K – $240K + Bonus + Equity

What we offer

A competitive compensation package

30 days paid vacation per year

Comprehensive health insurance for US based Beginners

401K with company match for US based Beginners and Direktversicherung for German Beginners

Quarterly company-wide retreats

Monthly wellness benefit

Budget for multiple visits per year to our offices in Berlin, Palo Alto or Switzerland

Learning & Development budget to attend conferences, take courses, or otherwise invest in your professional growth, as well as access to the Learning & Development platform EdX and Hone

A buddy to help you get settled

*Varies by country and does not apply to internships

At Inceptive, we are creating tools to develop increasingly powerful biological software for the rational design of novel, broadly accessible medicines and biotechnologies previously out of reach. Our team brings together vast expertise in molecular biology, machine learning, and software engineering, and we are all working towards becoming antedisciplinary, meaning we deepen the knowledge we have in our area of expertise while also expanding our knowledge of completely new fields.

We approach our goals with a Beginner's mind, humbly and with fresh eyes, and aim to become the pioneers of a new discipline rooted in biology as much as in deep learning, whose impact will be realized together with out-of-the-box thinkers in business and entrepreneurship, defying established categorizations. We are building a company culture centered around growth, learning, and discovery. We believe in humility and open-mindedness in how we approach each other, as well as problems we don't yet have solutions for.

It is the policy of Inceptive to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Inceptive prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.

Inceptive is also committed to welcoming and providing accommodations to people with disabilities. Please let us know if you need any accommodations throughout your application process.