Founder-in-Residence (CNS Drug Delivery)

Location: Remote initially until venture incorporation and spin-out, expected around the end of 2027; final location is to be determined.

Compensation: £4,166 per month fixed, paid as a consultancy fee until launch and pre-seed investment.

Company

hirify.global creates and invests in science companies across pharmaceuticals, climate, agriculture, and computation by combining scientific expertise with venture creation.

What you will do

• Join the venture creation programme and lead the development of a new CNS drug-delivery company.
• Refine the technical thesis for safer and more efficient delivery across the blood-brain barrier.
• Develop IP, differentiation, competition, market, value-capture, techno-economic, and regulatory strategies.
• Prepare the venture for Investment Committee review, including recruiting advisors and co-founders.
• Develop fundraising strategy and investor pitches, with the goal of reaching Series A efficiently.
• Translate scientific concepts into in vivo proof-of-concept or IND-ready programmes while managing CRO, CDMO, or pharma collaborations.

Requirements

• Deep expertise in at least two of protein engineering, biologics drug development, cell biology and neurobiology, or medicinal chemistry.
• Track record of translating discovery concepts through in vivo proof-of-concept or IND.
• Experience building regulator- or investor-ready data packages and managing CRO, CDMO, or pharmaceutical programmes.
• Strong motivation to solve CNS drug-delivery challenges, with an initiative-driven and first-principles approach.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to work effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced, demanding environments.
• Collaborative approach with experience working across scientific and functional teams.

Nice to have

• CNS preclinical or clinical drug-development experience.
• Single-cell transcriptomic data analysis, target and biomarker identification.
• IP, FTO, patentability, publications, or thought leadership in CNS delivery.
• Biotech founder, C-suite leadership, fundraising, or scientific team-building experience.
• Network across CNS pharma, biotech, or relevant academic institutions.

Culture & Benefits

• Work with hirify.global and Medicines Discovery Catapult on venture creation at the intersection of protein engineering, cell biology, and drug development.
• Access to scientific, translational, commercial, and fundraising expertise, as well as networks of KOLs, CROs, pharma partners, and institutions.
• Initial joint investment of £250,000 to incorporate the venture and develop early proof-of-concept data.
• Founders collectively own the majority equity stake in the new company.
• Ongoing support after spin-out covering fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, and team-building.

Hiring process

• Develop the venture thesis and prepare materials for Investment Committee review.
• Recruit advisory and co-founding team members and pursue parallel fundraising for expansion funds.
• Following successful Investment Committee approval, receive pre-seed investment and spin out the company around the end of 2027.