--- title: 'Director, Virtual Biology Initiative at Biohub' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-virtual-biology-initiative-biohub-redwood-city-pwf0p3w6k56w' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-13' --- # Director, Virtual Biology Initiative at Biohub - **Company:** Biohub - **Location:** Redwood City, CA - **Work type:** hybrid - **Posted:** 2026-08-06 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/biohub/jobs/8100408 ## Job description Biohub is the first large-scale initiative bringing frontier AI models, massive compute, and frontier experimental capabilities under one roof. We're building a general-purpose system to accelerate scientific discovery, integrating frontier AI models, biological foundation models, and lab capabilities, with the ultimate goal of curing disease. Our technology powers scientists around the world, translating AI capabilities into tools that accelerate research everywhere. The Team The Virtual Biology Initiative (VBI) is an international effort focused on creating the definitive open biological data needed for predictive models of living systems: a scalable foundation to unlock the complexities of disease that no single organization could build alone. The most complex diseases, such as neurodegeneration, neurological and development disorders, and inflammation, are not failures of a single molecule but of biological systems. Our goal is to build artificial intelligence that can model how any cell, in any patient, with any genome, responds to an intervention, and predict the outcome before a single experiment is run. Achieving this vision will require progressing through increasing levels of biological complexity, from the cell to tissue to system, each demanding richer data, greater perturbational diversity, and spatial-temporal resolution. The Opportunity The Director of Virtual Biology Initiative is the strategic business and partnership leader responsible for building and growing the Virtual Biology Initiative's global ecosystem of collaborators. This role will develop and execute the partnership strategy that brings together leading research institutions, technology providers, industry, philanthropy, government, and other key stakeholders around a shared scientific vision. This leader will cultivate long-term relationships, establish new strategic partnerships, and help translate scientific ambition into sustained collaboration. Working closely with scientific, technical, legal, and operational leaders, this leader will coordinate across disciplines to ensure partnerships advance VBI's priorities and contribute to a cohesive, scalable ecosystem. While scientific fluency is important, success in this role comes from exceptional relationship-building, strategic judgment, and the ability to align diverse organizations around common goals. ## What You'll Do The Virtual Biology Initiative has the potential to transform biology by creating the data foundation needed for predictive AI models of living systems. Achieving this vision will require an unprecedented level of collaboration across the global scientific ecosystem. As the director of the Virtual Biology Initiative, you will play a central role in building that ecosystem -- bringing together the organizations, partnerships, and long-term collaborations needed to accelerate a new era of AI-enabled biology. Build and Grow the VBI Ecosystem - Develop and execute VBI's external partnership and ecosystem strategy. - Build trusted relationships across research institutions, technology and platform providers, industry partners, philanthropies, government agencies, and other strategic collaborators. - Identify new opportunities to expand VBI's network and strengthen participation across the global scientific community. - Represent VBI externally and serve as a trusted ambassador for the initiative. Lead Strategic Partnerships - Own the full lifecycle of strategic partnerships -- from initial engagement through negotiation, launch, and long-term relationship management. - Structure and negotiate complex collaborations that advance VBI's scientific and organizational objectives. - Cultivate executive-level relationships that enable enduring collaboration and sustained partner engagement. - Develop a healthy, active portfolio of strategic partnerships that supports the long-term growth of the initiative. Drive Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner closely with scientific, technical, legal, policy, and operational teams to translate partnership opportunities into successful collaborations. - Align external partnerships with VBI's evolving scientific priorities and organizational strategy. - Coordinate across multiple stakeholders to remove barriers, maintain momentum, and ensure successful execution of complex initiatives. Help Shape the Future of the Initiative - Contribute to the development of governance models and collaborative frameworks that enable effective participation across a diverse global community. - Help evolve VBI's long-term partnership strategy as the initiative grows in scale and complexity. - Bring an external perspective on emerging opportunities, partnerships, and ecosystem trends that can accelerate VBI's goals ## What You'll Bring We're looking for a leader who combines exceptional business development skills with the ability to operate effectively in highly technical, mission-driven environments. - Significant experience (10+ years) leading strategic partnerships, business development, ecosystem development, or external collaborations in biotechnology, life sciences, healthcare, AI, or a related field. - A demonstrated track record of negotiating and closing complex, multi-party partnerships. - Experience working across academia, industry, philanthropy, government, or research organizations. - Scientific fluency that enables productive engagement with researchers and technical experts, even if you are not a practicing scientist. - Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and executive influencing skills. - Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives through influence and collaboration. - Strong operational discipline and the ability to manage multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously. - Experience working with scientific consortia, collaborative research programs, or large multi-institution initiatives is strongly preferred. ## Compensation The Redwood City, CA base pay range for a new hire in this role is $244,000.00 - $305,000.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process. This position may be eligible to participate in our discretionary annual performance bonus program. Bonus eligibility and targets are determined in accordance with our total rewards philosophy and may vary by role. Better Together As we grow, we’re excited to strengthen in-person connections and cultivate a collaborative, team-oriented environment. This role is a hybrid position requiring you to be onsite for at least 60% of the working month, approximately 3 days a week, with specific in-office days determined by the team’s manager. The exact schedule will be at the hiring manager's discretion and communicated during the interview process. ## Benefits for the Whole You We’re thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible. - Provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future. - Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice. - Funding for select family-forming benefits. - Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving If you’re interested in a role but your previous experience doesn’t perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role. #LI-Hybrid ## About Biohub ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Biohub (Chan Zuckerberg Biohub) is a nonprofit research organization building AI-powered tools and engineered cells to detect, treat, and ultimately cure age-related diseases. - **Entity Type**: Nonprofit (Private) – parent institution is the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative; funded by a $600 million endowment from Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. - **Headquarters**: Redwood City, California, United States (with additional offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New York) - **Founded**: 2016 - **Founders**: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg (co-founded as part of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative; initial scientific leadership by Stephen Quake and Joseph DeRisi) ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: AI-powered biology, biotechnology research, healthcare - **Target customers**: Scientists and researchers in academia and industry; indirectly benefits biotech and pharmaceutical companies through open-source models and foundational research; also invests in early‑stage companies via Science Ventures. - **Mission or purpose statement**: “To cure or prevent all disease” by combining frontier artificial intelligence with frontier biology to understand why disease happens and how to correct it. ## Products & Services - **AI Models for Biology**: Frontier AI models trained on large‑scale biological datasets (e.g., a world model of protein biology) that allow scientists to generate, test, and refine new protein designs. These are released as open discovery engines. - **Multi‑Dimensional Imaging Platforms**: Advanced tools (e.g., laser phase plate microscopy) that capture life from single proteins to whole organisms, revealing how cells function and communicate. Enables new AI models to predict cellular behavior. - **High‑Throughput Data Generation Engines**: Proprietary platforms for measuring, imaging, and programming biology at unprecedented scale, powering AI model training and hypothesis generation. - **Science Ventures**: An investment arm that supports early‑stage companies aligned with Biohub’s Grand Challenges (e.g., Somite AI, Adaptyx Biosciences). - **Grants & Collaborations**: Targeted grantmaking and open competitions to expand scientific research, including the Investigator Program for external scientists. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not applicable (nonprofit); endowment of US$600 million (initial funding in 2016). - **Key Metric**: ~367 employees (as of mid‑2025); operating in 5 countries (US, UK, France, Canada, Netherlands); active job postings: 35+. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (primary funder); academic partners include UC Berkeley, UCSF, Stanford; recent investments in Somite AI and Adaptyx Biosciences. - **Growth Signals**: Headcount growing 1.5% monthly; quarterly job posting increase of 133%; expanding into new locations (Chicago, New York); launching open‑source biological AI models. ## Competitive Advantages - **Scale of Compute & Data**: Unprecedented access to frontier AI compute clusters combined with unique, large‑scale biological datasets (genomics, proteomics, imaging). - **Open Science Model**: Results and models are shared openly, creating a virtuous feedback loop with the global research community. - **Talent Density**: Strong hiring pipeline from top institutions (Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCSF, Caltech) and a collaborative culture across AI, engineering, and biology. - **Founder Backing**: Deep, sustained funding from Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan ensures long‑term, risk‑taking research without commercial pressure. ## Strategic Focus - **Grand Challenges**: Decoding inflammation, early detection of age‑related diseases (cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), rare disease research, and building a “world model” of protein biology. - **AI‑First Biology**: Developing AI models that can predict cellular behavior and guide targeted treatment “only when and where needed.” - **Platform Scaling**: Expanding high‑throughput data generation engines and imaging tools to break through sparsity of biological data. - **Open Collaboration**: Accelerating translation from basic discovery to patient benefit through partnerships, grants, and open‑source releases. ## Why Work Here - **Mission‑Driven**: Opportunity to work at the intersection of AI and biology on problems that aim to eliminate the most significant causes of death worldwide. - **Culture & Team**: A collaborative team of scientists, engineers, and ML experts from top universities and companies (Genentech, EvolutionaryScale, etc.). Emphasis on “audacious, important scientific challenges.” - **Work Policy**: Hybrid model for many roles in Redwood City and New York; some positions are onsite in Chicago or San Francisco. - **Compensation & Perks**: Competitive salaries (e.g., Computational Biologist II ~$99k/yr, Clinical Lab Specialist ~$58k/yr); strong benefits typical of a well‑funded nonprofit; no equity, but meaningful mission impact. - **Growth**: Rapid hiring expansion across AI research, engineering, and biology; opportunity to work on frontier AI compute infrastructure and foundational biology models. ## Sources 1. [biohub.org](https://biohub.org/) 2. [Careers page – Greenhouse](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/biohub) 3. [LinkedIn – CZ Biohub](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cz-biohub) 4. [Wikipedia – Chan Zuckerberg Biohub](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chan_Zuckerberg_Biohub) (referenced via search result) ## Other roles at Biohub - [Lab Manager, Aquaculture](https://feeny.ai/job/lab-manager-aquaculture-biohub-san-francisco-jbb8r64afpz6) — San Francisco, CA - [Postdoctoral Fellow/Scientist I, Synthetic Spatial Omics (Imaging Technology)](https://feeny.ai/job/postdoctoral-fellow-scientist-i-synthetic-spatial-omics-imaging-technology-1nyrb04bmy85) — New York, NY - [Scientist II, Scaling Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-ii-scaling-lead-biohub-san-francisco-9xk1n38bp90g) — San Francisco, CA - [Computational Biologist, Immune Cell Repolarization](https://feeny.ai/job/computational-biologist-immune-cell-repolarization-biohub-new-york-dt3na0g615eh) — New York, NY - [Research Associate II, Structural & Cellular Biology (Proteomics & CryoET)](https://feeny.ai/job/research-associate-ii-structural-cellular-biology-proteomics-cryoet-biohub-ge4pjxz6hq0k) — Redwood City, CA - [Staff Research Scientist, AI Safety](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-research-scientist-ai-safety-biohub-new-york-68fy1gymrhmg) — New York, NY - [Computational Biologist, Synthetic Spatial Omics](https://feeny.ai/job/computational-biologist-synthetic-spatial-omics-biohub-new-york-srwtkdew50sf) — New York, NY - [Principal Technical Program Manager, Science, Imaging](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-technical-program-manager-science-imaging-biohub-redwood-city-v9dbd6a743s4) — Redwood City, CA - [Staff Data Scientist, Imaging](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-data-scientist-imaging-biohub-redwood-city-20s3vpyx8gb5) — Redwood City, CA - [Lab Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/lab-manager-biohub-redwood-city-zkr8595zv6aq) — Redwood City, CA