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Otsuka Pharmaceutical

Otsuka Pharmaceutical

Global pharma maker of Abilify

AI and Data Scientist

Full-Time
$169.2k - $253k/yr

+ Incentive opportunity

Expert
Master's, PhD
Princeton, NJ, USA
In Person

About the job

Requirements
  • A master's degree in Data Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Statistics, Information Systems, or a related discipline, with a focus on advanced and modern data science including artificial intelligence and machine learning.
  • Expertise in real-world data assets and using them to generate scientific evidence and guide operational effectiveness and efficiencies.
  • Deep expertise across data engineering, data representation, generative artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence, and machine learning techniques, with experience architecting and delivering artificial intelligence and machine learning use cases.
  • Experience in artificial intelligence product development focused on artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning, with a deep understanding of their applications in pharmaceuticals.
  • Experience with data science and artificial intelligence enabling technologies such as Dataiku Data Science Studio, Snowflake, AWS SageMaker, or other data science platforms.
  • Creative problem-solving using responsible artificial intelligence and other technologies.
  • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
  • Familiarity with machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies and their integration with data engineering pipelines.
  • Strong understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle and the data science development lifecycle, including testing and validation approaches related to GxP and non-GxP environments.
  • Experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning-based software or product engineering, including familiarity with testing and validation principles and GxP validation.
  • Experience architecting, building, and maintaining large-scale data and artificial intelligence solutions in a scientific, regulated, or research-heavy environment.
  • A proven track record of implementing proof-of-concept and production-grade artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative artificial intelligence, and large language model applications in production environments.
  • Strong internal and cross-functional collaboration and project management skills focused on delivering impactful initiatives.
  • Understanding of life sciences research and development business processes.
  • Experience working with relevant life sciences datasets, including claims, clinical trial, regulatory, quality, and other life sciences operations datasets.
  • An understanding of data's role in artificial intelligence, including data collection, governance, and structuring problems for better artificial intelligence outcomes.
Responsibilities
  • Develop a product vision and roadmap for artificial intelligence-driven solutions aligned with business objectives, technology, and market trends.
  • Implement data science and artificial intelligence portfolio objectives and contribute to data and analysis strategies for augmenting and accelerating research and development operations.
  • Experiment with, develop, train, or fine-tune artificial intelligence models for business problems and processes, and validate and evaluate them for deployment as part of broader solutions.
  • Develop and field enterprise-ready artificial intelligence systems using prompt engineering, embeddings, fine-tuning, and quantitative and qualitative large language model evaluation.
  • Investigate and conduct proof-of-concept initiatives and develop new artificial intelligence applications using large language models and generative artificial intelligence to enhance data analytics across drug development phases.
  • Use data analysis and key performance indicators to monitor product performance and make informed decisions using evaluation metrics that demonstrate business value.
  • Develop artificial intelligence solutions that conform to responsible artificial intelligence, privacy-by-design, and regulatory-compliance requirements for pharmaceutical research and development data.
  • Deliver effective artificial-intelligence-enabled products that build trust, drive adoption, and support transformation based on user needs, processes, regulations, and responsible artificial intelligence.
  • Provide technical input on artificial intelligence ecosystems, platforms, frameworks, and architecture, including solution evolution and new capability development.
  • Guide developers and technical team members and direct vendors to provide oversight on artificial intelligence concepts and implementation.
  • Remain current with industry trends and advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, research and development processes, and data, and provide insights for the organization's technical roadmap and strategy.
  • Design, implement, and deploy agentic artificial intelligence systems using perception, planning, reasoning, orchestration, execution, and reflection loops.
  • Manage the lifecycle and revisions of artificial intelligence solutions, including machine learning models, large language models, and agents in production environments.
  • Lead efforts supporting organizational adoption of new artificial intelligence technologies and develop processes to optimize data and analytics systems and execution.
  • Lead or assist in reviewing artificial intelligence and machine learning use cases to ensure artificial intelligence guidelines, frameworks, platform components, and responsible artificial intelligence are enabled.
  • Act as an artificial intelligence subject matter expert on cross-functional initiatives by providing thought leadership and execution support for data engineering needs.
  • Identify and resolve potential issues during development and production support of data analytics and artificial intelligence applications.
  • Ensure development of reusable data and artificial intelligence solution components and promote their use across the data and artificial intelligence ecosystem and business functions.
  • Lead and align diverse cross-functional teams, including data scientists, engineers, designers, marketing, legal, and executive stakeholders.
  • Guide stakeholders in communicating artificial intelligence progress, outcomes, impact, limitations, and risks and in managing expectations.
  • Bridge communication between technical artificial intelligence teams and non-technical business stakeholders.
  • Partner with internal functional areas and external partners to conceptualize, develop, or co-develop artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.
  • Collaborate with artificial intelligence engineering, data engineering, artificial intelligence platform, infrastructure, information technology, and cloud architecture teams to align data infrastructure and technical solutions with enterprise architecture and compliance needs.
  • Collaborate with legal, privacy, and ethics teams to address algorithmic bias, fairness, transparency, and data privacy concerns.
  • Ensure effective operations while adapting to ambiguity, experimentation, and iteration in artificial intelligence product development.
  • Think beyond individual features and curate intelligence and context that drive product evolution.
Desired Qualifications
  • A PhD in Data Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Statistics, Information Systems, or a related discipline.
  • Strong experience working within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences industry, particularly in drug development, clinical trials, or research and development.

About the company

Otsuka Pharmaceutical

Otsuka Pharmaceutical

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Otsuka Pharmaceutical develops and markets medicines and health products worldwide, including prescription drugs and nutraceutical beverages. Its product lineup ranges from pharmaceutical treatments such as Abilify (an antipsychotic) to consumer health drinks like Pocari Sweat, which helps replenish electrolytes. Abilify works as a psychiatric medication used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, while Pocari Sweat is an ion-replacement beverage designed to restore minerals and fluids after activity or heat. The company differentiates itself through a long history dating back to its founding in 1921, a broad, globally scaled portfolio spanning drugs and health beverages, and a focus on health improvements across populations. Its stated goal is to create new products for better health worldwide.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Tokyo, Japan

Founded

1921

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • VOYXACT’s July 2026 VISIONARY data showed two-year eGFR stabilization and kidney-failure risk reduction.
  • SIMTRIYO cleared FDA review on July 24, 2026, opening a large ADHD market.
  • Japan covered Paradise renal denervation on March 1, 2026, accelerating cardiovascular device revenue.

What critics are saying

  • VOYXACT remains accelerated-approval dependent until the FDA accepts its confirmatory 2026 traditional filing.
  • SIMTRIYO cannot launch until DEA scheduling, delaying cash collection and ceding early prescriptions.
  • Otsuka still depends on a few launches; VOYXACT failure or Simtriyo slowdown would crush growth.

What makes Otsuka Pharmaceutical unique

  • SIMTRIYO became Otsuka’s first U.S. ADHD launch, expanding its CNS franchise on July 24, 2026.
  • VOYXACT gave Otsuka first U.S. APRIL inhibition and traditional-approval runway in IgAN.
  • Astex’s fragment-based platform secured Genentech’s breast-cancer pact on July 6, 2026.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Tuition Reimbursement

Student Loan Assistance

Paid Holidays

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Associated Press
Jul 25th, 2026
FDA approves Otsuka's Simtriyo, first-in-class ADHD treatment for adults and children 6+

Otsuka Pharmaceutical has received FDA approval for SIMTRIYO (centanafadine), the first norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin reuptake inhibitor for treating ADHD in adults and children aged six years and older weighing at least 20kg. The once-daily extended-release capsule will be available later this year following DEA scheduling. The approval is based on four Phase 3 clinical trials showing statistically significant improvements in ADHD symptoms compared to placebo, with benefits observed as early as week one. Common side effects include decreased appetite, nausea, rash, and headache. ADHD affects approximately 7 million children and 15.5 million adults in the US. The drug carries boxed warnings for suicidal ideation in pediatric patients and potential for abuse and addiction.

SonoThera
Jun 10th, 2026
SonoThera Closes Oversubscribed $125 Million Series B Financing to Advance Clinical Development of Ultrasound-Mediated Nonviral Genetic Medicines - SonoThera

SAN FRANCISCO–SonoThera, a biotechnology company developing next-generation genetic medicines to address the root causes of disease, today announced the closing of an oversubscribed $125 million Series B financing round to advance its lead programs in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) into the clinic and expand its pipeline of targeted, redosable genetic medicines.

Dealroom.co
Mar 27th, 2026
Transcend Therapeutics company information, funding & investors

Transcend Therapeutics, developing the next generation of psychoactive compounds for neuropsychiatry focused on patient access. Here you'll find information about their funding, investors and team.

Fierce Biotech
Mar 27th, 2026
Otsuka buys Transcend Therapeutics for $700M upfront in psychiatric drugs deal

Otsuka Pharmaceutical has acquired Transcend Therapeutics for $700 million upfront through its subsidiary Otsuka America, with potential milestone payments of up to $525 million. The deal gives Otsuka access to Transcend's MDMA analogue for psychiatric conditions currently in development.

Associated Press
Mar 25th, 2026
Otsuka's Voyxact shows 82.5% hematuria improvement in IgA nephropathy trial at 48 weeks

Otsuka presented new Phase 3 VISIONARY trial data for VOYXACT (sibeprenlimab-szsi) in IgA nephropathy patients at the 2026 ISN World Congress of Nephrology. The analyses showed 82.5% of patients receiving sibeprenlimab achieved negative microscopic hematuria at week 48, compared with 52.6% on placebo. Median time to achieve hematuria negativity was nine weeks versus 24 weeks for placebo. VOYXACT, approved under accelerated approval in the US, is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits APRIL, a key driver in IgAN pathogenesis. Previously reported data showed the drug met its primary endpoint with a 51.2% placebo-adjusted reduction in proteinuria at nine months. The trial continues evaluating sibeprenlimab's effect on preserving kidney function over 24 months.