Requirements
Candidates must have significant scientific leadership experience in biotech or pharma with deep expertise in fibrosis, metabolic disease, or inflammation. A strong background in antibody discovery and a proven track record of target selection and portfolio prioritization are essential.
Job Description
Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)
Cardiff, UK | Relocation Support & Visa Sponsorship Available
Build the scientific direction of a next-generation AI-enabled biotech.
Antiverse is looking for a Chief Scientific Officer to help shape the next chapter of the company. This is a rare opportunity to join an AI-driven antibody discovery business at a pivotal stage of growth and determine not only which programmes move forward, but what the company becomes over the next decade.
We're looking for a scientific leader who can combine deep disease biology expertise with exceptional strategic judgement, helping to connect biology, technology, AI and therapeutics into a differentiated platform and pipeline.
About Antiverse
Antiverse is an AI-driven biotech company developing antibodies against some of the most difficult targets in medicine, including GPCRs and ion channels.
By combining machine learning, advanced cell engineering, antibody discovery and high-throughput biology, the company is building a platform designed to create therapeutics that were previously difficult or impossible to discover.
The next phase of growth is not simply about discovering more antibodies.
It's about building a world-class, disease-informed platform capable of repeatedly generating better therapeutic opportunities.
Current areas of focus include:
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
- MASH / metabolic disease
- Inflammatory diseases
- Complex biologics and antibody therapeutics
The Opportunity
You will work directly with the CEO, leadership team, board, investors and scientific teams to determine:
- Which disease areas Antiverse should prioritise
- Which targets deserve investment
- Which datasets should be generated
- Which biological systems should be built
- How experimental biology and AI should work together
- How the platform evolves over time
- How programmes are progressed from hypothesis to partner-ready assets
This role is as much about scientific judgement as it is scientific expertise.
What You'll Be Responsible For
- Defining Antiverse's scientific strategy and long-term direction
- Building and evolving therapeutic area strategy
- Advancing programmes within IPF and MASH
- Leading target identification and prioritisation activities
- Developing disease-informed platform strategy
- Guiding translational biology and pharmacology efforts
- Defining in vitro and in vivo validation strategies
- Working closely with AI and machine learning teams to shape dataset generation
- Leading progression of antibody programmes from discovery through preclinical development
- Supporting partnering, licensing and external collaborations
- Acting as a key scientific representative for investors, pharmaceutical partners and advisors
- Building and mentoring a high-performing scientific organisation
What We're Looking For
Essential
- Significant scientific leadership experience within biotech or pharmaceutical drug discovery
- Deep expertise in IPF, MASH, fibrosis, metabolic disease, inflammation or closely related biology
- Strong biologics and/or antibody discovery background
- Experience progressing programmes through discovery and preclinical development
- Strong translational biology expertise
- Experience leading multidisciplinary scientific teams
- Track record of portfolio, target selection and programme prioritisation decisions
- Ability to communicate complex science to investors, boards and external partners
- Strategic mindset with the ability to connect science and commercial impact
Highly Desirable
- Previous CSO or senior executive scientific leadership experience
- GPCR biology expertise
- Ion channel biology expertise
- AI-enabled drug discovery experience
- TechBio experience
- Fundraising exposure
- Licensing and partnering experience
- Experience building platform companies rather than individual therapeutic programmes
Who Will Thrive Here?
You'll likely be a fit if you:
- Think beyond individual assets and programmes
- Enjoy connecting disease biology, technology and therapeutic strategy
- Are comfortable making difficult portfolio decisions
- Can operate at both scientific and executive level
- Are excited by ambiguity and company-building
- Want genuine influence over the future direction of a business
- Are motivated by building something rather than maintaining it
Package
- Competitive base salary
- Meaningful stock option package
- Private medical insurance
- Flexible working hours
- Relocation support
- Visa sponsorship available for exceptional candidates
- Modern office and laboratory facilities
- Equipment allowance
- 25 days annual leave plus public holidays
- Additional Summer Fridays
For a confidential discussion, please get in touch.
Skills
About Antiverse
Antiverse is a Welsh techbio company specialising in antibody design for challenging drug targets, such as GPCRs and ion channels. We exist to create new enabling technologies that bring new therapies to patients to change lives. Headquartered in Cardiff, UK and with offices in Boston, MA, we combine state-of-the-art machine learning techniques and advanced cell line engineering to develop de novo antibody therapeutics.
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