Associate Director, -Throughput Mass Spectrometry

Job Description

At Takeda, we are a forward-looking, world-class R&D organization that unlocks innovation and delivers transformative therapies to patients. By focusing R&D efforts on three therapeutic areas and other targeted investments, we push the boundaries of what is possible to bring life-changing therapies to patients worldwide.

Takeda is building the “lab of the future” to power faster, smarter decision‑making across our discovery and development portfolio. As an Associate Director High-Throughput Mass Spectrometry (Acoustic MS) within the Lead Profiling / DMTA team, you will be a key technical and strategic contributor enabling high-throughput, high-quality data generation for DMTA (Design‑Make‑Test‑Analyze) cycles.

You will be responsible for developing, implementing, and running high-throughput mass spectrometry workflows to support lead profiling and ADME assays. This role will report directly to the Head of Lab Automation and Transformation and will be central to shaping and scaling Takeda’s next‑generation, automated screening and profiling capabilities.

• High-Throughput Mass Spectrometry & Acoustic MS
  • Lead the design, development, and optimization of high-throughput MS workflows, with a primary focus on acoustic MS platforms for small-molecule and biotherapeutic lead profiling.
  • Own the end‑to‑end lifecycle of acoustic MS methods—from feasibility and method development through validation, troubleshooting, and routine deployment.
  • Drive continuous performance improvements in sensitivity, robustness, throughput, and cost‑per‑sample across MS workflows.
• DMTA Lead Profiling & ADME Support
  • Execute and oversee DMTA lead profiling assays, ensuring reliable, timely delivery of high-quality MS data for project teams.
  • Adapt and translate ADME assays (e.g., solubility, permeability, metabolic stability, protein binding) to high throughput MS formats, leveraging miniaturization and automation to increase throughput and reduce cycle time.
  • Partner with DMPK, medicinal chemistry, biology, and data science functions to align assay design and data outputs with decision‑making needs across discovery programs.
• Lab Automation & Lab of the Future
  • Collaborate closely with the Lab Automation and Transformation organization to integrate MS platforms into end‑to‑end automated workflows (sample preparation, plate handling, liquid handling, scheduling, data capture).
  • Provide scientific and technical input into the design and selection of new instruments, automation hardware, and software to support the lab of the future vision.
  • Contribute to digitalization efforts by helping define data standards, metadata capture, and connectivity between instruments, LIMS/ELNs, and analytics platforms.
• Operational Excellence & Quality
  • Establish and maintain robust QC procedures, SOPs, and best practices for high-throughput MS operations, including system suitability and performance monitoring.
  • Drive root‑cause investigations and implement corrective actions when assay performance drifts or system issues arise.
  • Ensure data integrity, reproducibility, and compliance with Takeda quality and safety standards.
• Collaboration, Influence & Leadership
  • Act as the subject matter expert (SME) for high-throughput and acoustic MS within the lead profiling and automation communities at Takeda.
  • Provide training, mentorship, and technical guidance to scientists and associates on MS methods, data interpretation, and troubleshooting.
  • Communicate clearly with interdisciplinary stakeholders, presenting complex technical topics in an accessible way to both scientific and non‑scientific audiences.

• Expected:
  Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field, 6+ years of relevant industry/postdoctoral experience is expected; OR M.S. with 12 years of relevant experience; OR B.S. with 14 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical / biotech R&D.
• Deep hands‑on expertise in mass spectrometry, with a track record of developing and running high‑throughput MS assays.
• Critical:
  Demonstrated, hands‑on experience with acoustic MS platforms (e.g., method development, optimization,…