Director, Head of -Throughput in vitro ADME

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.

The Director, High-Throughput In Vitro ADME is a senior scientific and operational leader responsible for building and directing Takeda’s high‑throughput in vitro ADME capabilities in support of small‑ and large‑molecule discovery programs.

Reporting to the Head of Drug Discovery Lab Automation and Transformation, this Director will define strategy, oversee operations, and drive technology innovation at the interface of ADME science, laboratory automation, and robotics. The organization will operate as a service‑oriented group, delivering robust, high‑quality ADME data to enable rapid, high‑confidence decision‑making in Design–Make–Test–Analyze (DMTA) cycles across the portfolio.

• Strategic Leadership & Vision
  • Define and execute the multi‑year strategic roadmap for high‑throughput in vitro ADME at Takeda, aligned with the broader vision of the Drug Discovery Lab Automation and Transformation organization.
  • Shape an enterprise‑level, service‑oriented operating model for ADME, ensuring capacity, capability, and flexibility to meet evolving project and portfolio needs.
  • Champion innovation in high throughput assay design, detection technologies, automation, and data workflows to enhance throughput, quality, and cost‑effectiveness.
• Team Leadership & People Development
  • Lead, mentor, and grow a team of scientists and research associates responsible for the routine delivery of a comprehensive suite of in vitro ADME assays.
  • Build a culture of scientific rigor, operational excellence, safety, and customer focus, supported by clear KPIs (e.g., cycle time, success rate, capacity utilization, cost‑per‑data point).
  • Drive talent development and performance management appropriate for a Director‑level organization.
• High‑Throughput ADME Operations
  • Oversee design, execution, and continuous improvement of a broad high throughput in vitro ADME panel, including but not limited to:
  • Metabolic stability and clearance (microsomes, hepatocytes, S9)
    • CYP inhibition and induction
    • Permeability (e.g., Caco‑2, MDCK, PAMPA)
    • Plasma protein and tissue binding
    • Transporter and other mechanistic assays
  • Ensure robust support for both small‑molecule and large‑molecule modalities, adapting methods for new modalities and platforms as the portfolio evolves.
  • Own and maintain fit‑for‑purpose validation, QC, and SOP frameworks, including root‑cause analysis and corrective actions for assay or system deviations.
• Laboratory Automation, Robotics & Miniaturization
  • Provide scientific and strategic leadership for laboratory automation and robotics within the in vitro ADME space, in close alignment with the Head of Drug Discovery Lab Automation and Transformation.
  • Lead assay miniaturization up to 1536‑well formats, from feasibility and optimization through technology transfer into robust, routine operation.
  • Oversee integration of liquid handlers, plate handlers, robotic arms, incubators, readers, and scheduling software into end‑to‑end automated workflows.
  • Partner with internal automation/engineering and informatics teams to ensure seamless connectivity between instruments, LIMS/ELN, data pipelines, and analytical platforms.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  • Serve as the primary ADME service leader interfacing with DMPK, medicinal chemistry, biology, pharmacology, translational sciences, and data science.
  • Translate portfolio and project needs into clear ADME assay strategies, capacity plans, and timelines; communicate priorities, risks, and trade‑offs with transparency at project and governance levels.
  • Collaborate with external CROs, technology vendors, and academic partners when appropriate, ensuring consistent quality standards and strategic alignment with internal capabilities.
• Quality, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
  • Ensure scientific quality, data integrity, and safety in all ADME operations,…