Overview
EVP Head of Global In Silico and AI (all genders) – Evotec, Abingdon-On-Thames, England, United Kingdom
The EVP, Head of Global In Silico and AI is a transformational executive leader responsible for shaping and executing Evotec’s global strategy for AI-driven in silico innovation in drug discovery. Leading cross-functional teams within the In Silico Hub, as well as a Data Function, you will champion the integration of AI, computational science, and data-driven decision-making across the R&D continuum. This is a high-impact, board-visible role with enterprise-wide influence — bridging science, technology, and strategy — to position Evotec at the forefront of AI-enabled drug discovery innovation. You’ll lead the transformation from exploratory PoCs and a very scattered offering today to enterprise-scale solutions, building a unified digital backbone that fuels our competitive advantage on the market. You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with the global function leaders to ensure that AI and in silico science become key pillars of Evotec’s commercial value proposition.
Key Responsibilities
* Define and own the global AI and in silico strategy, aligned to Evotec’s scientific vision and growth trajectory
* Establish a clear operating model that integrates data science, bioinformatics, AI/ML, and simulation across discovery and development stages
* Represent Evotec’s in silico innovation at executive, board, partner, and public levels
* Lead the evolution of the In Silico Hub from PoCs to scalable, end-to-end solutions for target ID, lead optimization, and translational science
* Oversee deployment of AI/ML models, molecular simulations, and data integration pipelines across R&D
* Advance use of multi-modal data, including omics, imaging, real-world data, and lab automation outputs
* Build and lead a multidisciplinary center of excellence, combining in silico science, data strategy, and platform engineering
* Guide the creation, implementation and evolution of a Data Function (incl. data governance, domain stewardship, data architecture, modeling, curation and product delivery) for united steering of data and use case delivery to create customer and client value; in close collaboration with a future Head of Data function
* Foster a matrixed leadership model that provides strategic direction of in-silico expert teams within adjacent operations functions
* Own the prioritization and resourcing model for AI/in-silico projects; serve as strategic gatekeeper through all innovation stages. Be responsible for long-term skills and capabilities demand management for in-silico/AI groups
* Govern the lifecycle of in silico tools and ensure alignment with business impact and ROI
* Partner closely with Translational Medicine, IT, Clinical, Regulatory, Operations, and Commercial teams to embed AI tools in workflows and GTM strategies
* Evaluate market trends and industry signals to steer AI investment toward competitive advantage
* Develop and select strategic partnerships. Lead external collaborations with academic institutions, AI providers, regulators, and digital consortia
* Ensure compliance with data privacy, FAIR principles, and regulatory expectations (FDA, EMA) through leadership and delegating this task to required SMEs
* Lead others to define and report KPIs to monitor performance, usage, and strategic value of in silico capabilities
Qualifications
* Minimum PhD/MA/MSc, or PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or related discipline
* 10+ years of experience in AI/in-silico roles within biotech/pharma, with proven executive-level leadership
* Strong background in computational drug discovery, including lead ID/optimization, translational modeling, or patient stratification
* Deep understanding of ML/AI technologies, systems biology, data integration, and scaling tools from concept to production
* Track record of building high-performing, cross-disciplinary teams
* Strategic thinker with strong stakeholder engagement skills and experience in matrixed global environments
* Recognized thought leader in AI for Life Sciences, with external visibility (publications, consortia, speaker roles)
Additional Experience
* Experience in platform architecture, data governance, and regulatory alignment
* Familiarity with FDA/EMA regulatory frameworks for in silico tools
* Expertise in cloud-native platforms (AWS, Azure), high-performance computing, or federated data environments
* Experience leading external partnerships (e.g., with startups, AI labs, or academic groups)
* Knowledge of FAIR data principles and ontologies
* Published in top-tier journals or patents in AI/in silico science
ap.ENG: In the frame of our Diversity policy, Evotec considers, with equal competences, all applications including people with disabilities.
es: Diversity statements populated in multiple languages to reflect policy.
Seniority level
* Executive
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Research and Business Development
* Industries: Biotechnology Research and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
#J-18808-Ljbffr