Full-Time

Clinical Scientific Director

Takeda

Takeda

10,001+ employees

Global biopharmaceutical firm; R&D-driven NMEs

Compensation Overview

$177k - $278.1k/yr

+ Short-term incentives + Long-term incentives

Cambridge, MA, USA

In Person

On-site in Cambridge, Massachusetts; occasional travel (10-20%) to Takeda R&D hubs.

Bachelor's

Category
Biology & Biotech (1)
Required Skills
Google Cloud Platform

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Requirements
  • Advanced life science degree or internationally recognized equivalent plus 3 years of clinical research experience within the pharmaceutical industry, CRO health-related consulting company, or biomedical/clinical experience within academia (or a combination of afore mentioned).
  • Alternatively bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years experience.
  • Neurology therapeutic area knowledge desired
  • Regional/global Regulatory requirements
  • GCP/ICH
Responsibilities
  • Drives, or contributes to, strategy for clinical studies within the overall global clinical development for assigned Takeda pipeline compound(s) taking into consideration the medical, scientific, regulatory and commercial issues.
  • Joins multi-disciplinary, multi-regional, matrix teams as they address, and take decision in, highly complex circumstances.
  • has the responsibility for development decisions assessing and integrating the input from various disciplines to create, maintain, and execute studies within a clinical development plan that will result in the regulatory approval of the compound in multiple regions.
  • Apply clinical decision making to clinical development issues.
  • interacts with and influences Neuroscience Therapeutic Area Unit and project or franchise leadership decision-making by contributing to strategic direction.
  • Represents Clinical Science on Study Execution and Clinical Teams.
  • Supports the Clinical Subteam to ensure that the clinical team activities are aligned with the global strategy.
  • Contributes to Global Project and Clinical Subteam strategy and deliverables working on the Asset Strategy, Clinical Development Plan, Clinical Protocols and other documents needed for study execution.
  • Recommends scope, complexity and size, and influences the budget of aspects of a study or program.
  • Responsible for monitoring and interpreting data from ongoing internal and external studies, assessing the medical and scientific implications and making recommendations that impact regional and global development such as “go/no go” decisions or modification of development plans or study designs that may have a significant impact on timelines or product labeling.
  • Ensures that at all times the scientific rigor and integrity of clinical trials are maintained, and that the resulting data are of high quality to allow data-driven decision-making. In this role works with, and leads, other functional representatives to ensure optimal data quality.
  • Ongoing work output will involve continual critical evaluation of the development strategy to maintain a state-of-the-art development plan that is competitive and consistent with the latest regulatory requirements, proactive identification of challenges, and development of contingency plans to meet them. Recommends high impact global decisions.
  • Oversees or contributes to Clinical Science activities relating to the preparation / approval of Synopses, Protocols and the conduct of clinical studies. Serves as an advisor to other clinical science personnel involved in these activities and contributes to the successful design and interpretation of clinical studies.
  • Interprets data from an overall scientific standpoint as well as within the context of the clinical significance to individual patients.
  • May present study conclusions to Management and determine how individual study results impact the overall compound strategy.
  • Responsible for clinical data monitoring activities, assessing issues related to protocol conduct, data quality and integrity, and participant well-being.
  • Assesses overall safety information for studies and compound in conjunction with the study medical director and Pharmacovigilance.
  • May oversee other clinical scientists with respect to assessment of these issues.
  • Informs final decisions regarding study conduct related to scientific integrity.
  • Contributes to or leads interactions with study investigators, key opinion leaders relevant to assigned studies, compounds and therapeutic area.
  • Contributes to developing documents required to outline the Company positions on research programs or regulatory applications (e.g. briefing or summary documents), materials used for meeting presentations, and formal responses to communications received from the regulatory authorities, IRBs/ECs, or opinion leaders.
  • Leads or contributes to incorporation of advice / recommendations received into the design of clinical studies and programs as appropriate.
  • Consulted for evaluation of potential business development opportunities and conduct of due diligence evaluations assessing scientific and development feasibility, evaluating complete or ongoing clinical trials, and regulatory interactions and future development plans.
  • Contributes to the development of clinical development plans and studies for potential alliances and or in-licensing opportunities and represents clinical science on internal assessment teams.
  • For ongoing alliance projects, may interface with partner to achieve Takeda’s strategic goals while striving to maintain good working relationship between Takeda and partner.
  • Interacts with development functions, e.g. Data Science or Clinical Operations, and Drug Discovery Unit and other preclinical functions based on pertinent clinical and development expertise to provide knowledge / understanding of market environment in line with status as scientific content matter expert for assigned compounds.
  • Represents clinical science and contributes to or leads internal task forces and Therapeutic Area internal teams as well as global cross-functional teams as appropriate.
  • Education, Experience, Knowledge and Skills - Travel Requirements item separately
  • "

Takeda is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and delivering medicines and vaccines to improve patient health. It relies on extensive research and development to create new molecular entities (NMEs) and bring them to market, aiming for up to 15 product launches through FY2024 from a pipeline of 11 NMEs. Revenue comes mainly from selling pharmaceutical products, supported by about 41,000 third-party suppliers worldwide. The company differentiates itself through a deep history (over 240 years), a broad portfolio of global brands, and a patient-centric approach that places patients’ needs at the center of its operations while pursuing environmental sustainability. Takeda’s goal is to advance health globally by turning scientific innovations into accessible therapies, maintaining long-term growth through steady product innovation and responsible operations.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Tokyo, Japan

Founded

1781

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Orzeyful launch opens a new neurology franchise with disease-modifying pricing power.
  • Takeda’s Q1 fiscal 2026 revenue rose 10.2% reported, driven by new launches.
  • Boltz partnership gives Takeda organization-wide AI access for structure prediction and generative design.

What critics are saying

  • Boston jurors found Takeda liable on May 18, 2026; appeal runs through 2026.
  • Takeda booked roughly 403.5 billion yen for Amitiza exposure, crushing fiscal 2025 profit.
  • Takeda will cut about 4,500 jobs in fiscal 2026, signaling integration strain after Shire.

What makes Takeda unique

  • Takeda’s Orzeyful became the first FDA-approved orexin therapy on August 5, 2026.
  • Takeda already won China approval for Orzeyful in July 2026, extending first-mover advantage.
  • Takeda’s dengue vaccine is India’s first approved Japanese dengue vaccine, strengthening emerging-market positioning.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Wellness Program

Tuition Reimbursement

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Yahoo Finance
Aug 5th, 2026
FDA approves Takeda's Orzeyful, first medicine to treat underlying cause of narcolepsy type 1

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Takeda's ORZEYFUL (oveporexton) for treating narcolepsy type 1 in adults. The oral medication is the first orexin receptor 2 agonist approved to address the underlying cause of the disease rather than individual symptoms. Narcolepsy type 1 is a chronic neurological disease affecting approximately 120,000 people in the US. It is driven by orexin deficiency and causes excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, cognitive symptoms and disrupted sleep. Clinical trials showed adults taking ORZEYFUL experienced significant improvements across the full range of symptoms compared to placebo. Takeda is preparing for the US launch, which will proceed following completion of the Drug Enforcement Administration scheduling process. The company describes the approval as potentially redefining how narcolepsy type 1 is managed.

GeekWire
Jul 31st, 2026
AI drug developer Accipiter Bio quietly tops up seed round with $10.5M

Seattle-based biotech startup Accipiter Biosciences has raised an additional $10.5 million, less than a year after emerging from stealth with $12.7 million. The funding, from existing investors including Flying Fish Partners and Takeda, will accelerate the company's drug development programmes. The startup uses AI tools developed at the University of Washington's Institute for Protein Design to engineer proteins that can bind multiple cellular targets simultaneously. The company has expanded to 22 employees, including researchers who worked under Nobel laureate David Baker. Accipiter Bio has partnerships with Pfizer and Gilead Sciences-owned Kite Pharma, with potential milestone payments exceeding $330 million. The additional funding will enable the company to advance three or four drug candidates into clinical trials, focusing on immunology and oncology.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 30th, 2026
Takeda Pharmaceutical Q1 results on track as new launches offset mature product declines

Takeda Pharmaceutical reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results aligned with its full-year outlook. Revenue totalled JPY 1.22 trillion, up 10.2% on an actual foreign-exchange basis but down 0.5% at constant exchange rates. Core operating profit reached JPY 358.9 billion, rising 11.5% on an actual FX basis. The company's core inline brands, representing 58% of total revenue, grew 2.3% at constant exchange rates. New launches accounted for 4% of revenue but grew 22.6%, supported by FRUZAQLA, LIVTENCITY, ADZYNMA and QDENGA. Takeda is preparing three product launches: ORZEYFUL for narcolepsy type 1, rusfertide for polycythemia vera, and zasocitinib for psoriasis. The company maintained its fiscal 2026 guidance and expects to generate JPY 650 billion to JPY 750 billion in free cash flow.

Nikkei Asia
Jul 21st, 2026
India approves first dengue vaccine from Japan's Takeda

India has approved Takeda Pharmaceutical's dengue vaccine, marking the country's first approved vaccine for the disease. The Japanese drugmaker received regulatory approval as authorities seek to combat dengue's accelerating transmission across India. Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection, poses a significant public health challenge in tropical regions. The approval represents a milestone in India's efforts to address the disease burden. The vaccine's introduction comes as dengue cases continue to rise in the country, making prevention efforts increasingly urgent for Indian health authorities.

Business Wire
Jun 24th, 2026
Julie Kim becomes Takeda's president and CEO as pharmaceutical giant prepares three major launches

Takeda has appointed Julie Kim as Representative Director, President and CEO, completing an 18-month transition. Shareholders elected Kim as an internal director during the company's 150th Annual General Meeting in Osaka, after which the Board appointed her to the top role. Former president and CEO Christophe Weber retired following the meeting. Kim joined Takeda in 2019 through the Shire acquisition and previously held roles including president of the Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit and president of the U.S. Business Unit. She brings over three decades of global healthcare experience. Shareholders also elected three new external directors: Bruce Broussard, Koichiro Kimura and Dr Paul Stoffels. Takeda's Board now comprises 11 members, with eight serving as external directors. The company plans three major launches over the next 12 months.