--- title: 'Senior Project Manager, Biologics R&D – Lead Program at Xaira Therapeutics' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-project-manager-biologics-r-d-lead-program-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-j0pcpkzrc2pf' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-19' --- # Senior Project Manager, Biologics R&D – Lead Program at Xaira Therapeutics - **Company:** Xaira Therapeutics - **Location:** South San Francisco, CA - **Posted:** 2026-08-05 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-19 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/xairatherapeutics/jobs/5205076007 ## Job description ## About Xaira Therapeutics Xaira is an innovative biotech startup focused on leveraging AI to transform drug discovery and development. The company is leading the development of generative AI models to design protein and antibody therapeutics, enabling the creation of medicines against historically hard-to-drug molecular targets. It is also developing foundation models for biology and disease to enable better target elucidation and patient stratification. Collectively, these technologies aim to continually enable the identification of novel therapies and to improve success in drug development. Xaira is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and London. ## About the Role We are seeking a Senior Project Manager, Biologics R&D to serve as project manager of record for our lead T-cell engager program, as it advances from late-stage research through development candidate nomination and IND-enabling studies. You will partner closely with the Program Team Lead, who owns program strategy and scientific direction, you will own program execution - the integrated plan, timelines, risk management, budget tracking, and the operational machinery that turns strategy into decisions and deliverables. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in biologics R&D, with the ability to own timelines, track deliverables, and partner closely with scientific leads to keep the program moving forward. This is a role for an experienced antibody-biologics project manager who operates independently: you know the research-to-development transition firsthand, you can pressure-test functional timelines rather than transcribe them, and you drive teams to decision-ready data on schedule. ## Key Responsibilities Project Planning and Execution - Own day-to-day planning and execution of the program, ensuring execution of key activities from late-stage research through IND-enabling work across research, nonclinical, CMC, and regulatory workstreams. - Build and maintain project timelines that capture critical path, major milestones, dependencies, and deliverables. - Partner with scientific leads and functional stakeholders to align on scope, priorities, resources and progress, pressure-testing functional timelines and assumptions against standard durations and failure modes for biologics early development (e.g., developability, cell line development, GLP toxicology). Milestone Management & Decision Support - Collaborate with scientific teams to define key project milestones, decisional experiments and translate into actionable, resource-informed timelines. - Frame and compile project data, timelines, risks, value-realization, and trade-offs to support informed decision-making, including development candidate nomination criteria and go/no-go decision packages, framed early and driven to on-time delivery against the baselined plan. - Coordinate and facilitate planning and documentation of decisive experiments, and update project plans based on results and next steps. Cross-Functional Project Coordination - Facilitate cross-functional collaboration across research and development functions to ensure effective communication and documentation of decisions, alignment of priorities and timelines. - Schedule and run cross-functional meetings, ensuring clear agendas, effective documentation, and follow-up on action items. - Monitor interdependencies across functions and proactively identify, flag and resolve conflicts across workstreams. - Coordinate outsourced workstreams with CROs and CDMOs (e.g., GLP toxicology, cell line and process development), including timeline integration, deliverable tracking, and issue escalation. Operational Support & Project Monitoring - Track project status, risks, and mitigation strategies; provide updates to internal stakeholders. Provide related insights and recommendations; own the program risk register and escalate proactively when risks threaten critical path. - Coordinate with functional leads to understand resource needs and potential impacts to timelines. - Contribute to scenario planning and contingency thinking for critical path activities - Identify operational challenges and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency and coordination. Resource Coordination & Timeline Scenarios - Work closely with functional and team leads to understand resourcing needs, identify gaps and timeline impacts. - Develop scenario plans for critical path development decisions to support contingency and investment planning to address potential delays, bottlenecks, or shifts in scope. - Track program budget and spend against plan in partnership with functional leads and finance; flag variances and forecast impacts of scope or timeline changes. ## Qualifications - Advanced degree (MS, PhD, or equivalent) in life sciences or a related field strongly preferred. - Minimum of 6+ years of industry experience in biologics R&D, including 3+ years of project or program management with ownership of integrated program plans. - Proven track record of managing antibody or protein therapeutic projects & programs from research through development candidate nomination and IND-enabling studies; a completed IND filing is a strong plus. - Working fluency in biologics R&D processes, including nonclinical, CMC (cell line development, process development, developability), and regulatory components, sufficient to build credible plans and pressure-test functional inputs. - Experience managing outsourced work with CROs and/or CDMOs. - Experience with T-cell engagers, bispecific antibodies, or other immuno-oncology biologics strongly preferred. - Strong analytical, planning, and organizational skills; able to translate complex scientific ideas into clear plans. - Excellent communication, time management collaboration, and stakeholder management skills. - Experience with basic project tracking tools (Smartsheet, Confluence, Google Workspace, etc). - Working familiarity with project and program management principles as defined by the Program Management Institute (PMI) or similar bodies.  PMP, CAPM, or PMI-ACP certifications are a plus, but note hands on experience matters more than the credential itself. - Please note that this position will be required to be on-site in the SSF office. Remote candidates will not be considered. ## Preferred Attributes - Comfortable managing projects in a start-up environment which is fast-paced, cross-functional, and where processes are still being built. - Demonstrated ability to lead without authority and influence diverse teams. - Passion for science and dedication to improving patient outcomes through innovative biologics development. ## Compensation We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, seeking to provide an open, flexible, and friendly work environment to empower employees and provide them with a platform to develop their long-term careers. A Summary of Benefits is available for all applicants. We offer a competitive package that includes base salary, bonus, and equity.  The base pay range for this position is expected to be $148,000 - $185,000 annually; however, the base pay offered may vary depending on the market, job-related knowledge, skills and capabilities, and experience. Xaira Therapeutics an equal-opportunity employer. We believe that our strength is in our differences. Our goal to build a diverse and inclusive team began on day one, and it will never end. TO ALL RECRUITMENT AGENCIES: Xaira Therapeutics does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or employees. Xaira Therapeutics is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. ## About Xaira Therapeutics ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Xaira Therapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company applying artificial intelligence across the entire drug discovery and development process to design next-generation medicines. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A) - **Headquarters**: South San Francisco, California, United States (with offices in Seattle, Washington, and London, UK) - **Founded**: 2023 - **Founders**: Co-founded and incubated by ARCH Venture Partners and Foresite Labs, with foundational scientific contributions from Nobel Laureate Dr. David Baker (Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington). ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Biotechnology, Drug Discovery & Development, Artificial Intelligence - **Target customers**: B2B (pharmaceutical partners, biotech collaborators) and ultimately patients via its own therapeutic pipeline. - **Mission or purpose statement**: "Pioneering the transformative artificial intelligence that will help discover and develop the next generation of life-changing medicines." [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/) ## Products & Services - **AI-Powered Drug Discovery Platform**: An end-to-end platform integrating advanced AI research, expansive data generation (functional genomics, proteomics, multi-omics), and robust therapeutic product development to shift drug discovery from an empirical science to a precise engineering discipline. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-approach) - **Computational Protein Design**: Built on foundational work by Nobel Laureate Dr. David Baker, leveraging AI to design entirely new proteins from scratch for previously undruggable targets. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-approach) - **X-Cell (Virtual Cell Model)**: An AI model trained on billions of genomic data points to simulate and understand cellular biology. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/) - **Therapeutic Pipeline**: A pipeline of differentiated therapeutics across multiple modalities (small molecules, biologics, protein therapeutics) developed through an integrated AI-driven process. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed. The company launched in 2023 with a $1 billion Series A financing, one of the largest in biotech history. - **Key Metric**: Total Funding of $1 billion (Series A, 2023). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: ARCH Venture Partners (co-founder and lead investor), Foresite Labs (co-founder and incubator), F-Prime Capital, and other top-tier investors. Board includes leaders from ARCH, Foresite, NEA, and Johnson & Johnson. Scientific advisors include Nobel Laureates Carolyn R. Bertozzi and David Baker, and other luminaries. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-team) - **Growth Signals**: Launched in 2023 with a record $1B Series A; rapidly building a world-class team across three global hubs (South San Francisco, Seattle, London); actively hiring across AI, computational biology, protein design, and drug development roles; announced X-Cell, a virtual cell model trained on billions of genomic data points. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/) ## Competitive Advantages - **Unprecedented Capital & Talent**: Launched with a $1B Series A, enabling aggressive hiring of top-tier AI and biology talent and long-term investment in infrastructure. - **End-to-End AI Integration**: Uniquely positioned to apply AI across the entire drug discovery and development lifecycle, from target identification to clinical development, creating a powerful data flywheel. - **World-Class Scientific Foundation**: Built on foundational AI protein design work from Nobel Laureate David Baker's lab, with a board and advisory board including multiple Nobel Laureates, former FDA commissioners, and industry leaders from Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, and top venture firms. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-team) - **Massive Data Generation**: Investing heavily in functional genomics and proteomics to generate proprietary, multi-dimensional datasets that fuel AI model development, creating a defensible data moat. ## Strategic Focus - **End-to-End AI Integration**: Building predictive and agentic AI models across the complete drug discovery and development spectrum to increase probability of success, reduce timelines, and lower costs. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-approach) - **Data as a Core Asset**: Generating and integrating massive, multi-dimensional biological datasets (from molecular to human scales) to train and improve AI models continuously. - **Pipeline Development**: Advancing a pipeline of differentiated therapeutics across multiple modalities (small molecules, biologics, protein therapeutics). - **Talent Acquisition**: Aggressively hiring across AI research, engineering, computational biology, protein design, and drug development to build a world-class, interdisciplinary team. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-Driven**: Opportunity to work at the forefront of AI and biology to fundamentally transform how medicines are discovered and developed, with the potential to impact millions of patients. - **World-Class Team & Mentorship**: Work alongside and learn from Nobel Laureates, top AI researchers, and experienced drug developers from leading pharma and biotech companies. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-team) - **Interdisciplinary Culture**: A unique blend of AI/ML engineers, protein designers, computational biologists, and drug hunters all working together in a highly collaborative environment. - **Global Hubs & Flexibility**: Offices in South San Francisco, Seattle, and London, offering multiple locations for talent. - **Generous Resources**: Backed by a $1B Series A, providing the resources to pursue ambitious, long-term research without short-term funding pressure. - **Job Scam Awareness**: The company has issued a warning about fraudulent job offers; all legitimate recruitment is conducted through official channels (Greenhouse) and never via Google Chat or requests for payment. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/work-with-us) ## Sources 1. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/) 2. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-approach) 3. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/our-team) 4. [xaira.com](https://www.xaira.com/work-with-us) 5. [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/xairatherapeutics) ## Other roles at Xaira Therapeutics - [Principal Scientist, Target Discovery & Portfolio Strategy](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-scientist-target-discovery-portfolio-strategy-xaira-therapeutics-e1120npv099c) — South San Francisco, CA - [Senior Scientist, Antibody Characterization](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-scientist-antibody-characterization-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-28jxkpddcby2) — South San Francisco, CA - [Senior Project Manager, Biologics R&D - Early Pipeline Programs](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-project-manager-biologics-r-d-early-pipeline-programs-xaira-therapeutics-36myc85pkttj) — South San Francisco, CA - [Vice President, Clinical Development, Oncology](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-clinical-development-oncology-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-nwq8tfzcf3d0) — South San Francisco, CA - [Senior Director, Clinical Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-director-clinical-operations-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-francisco-nrx5ytj3me96) — South San Francisco, CA - [Principal Scientist, Protein Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-scientist-protein-engineering-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-francisco-2dwzf5jmc3sv) — South San Francisco, CA - [Procurement Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/procurement-manager-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-francisco-368fe4j3aymx) — South San Francisco, CA - [Research Associate / Senior Research Associate, Genomic Core](https://feeny.ai/job/research-associate-senior-research-associate-genomic-core-xaira-therapeutics-ds5ts7k1r4px) — South San Francisco, CA - [Scientist II, High Throughput Biology](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-ii-high-throughput-biology-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-francisco-dp58zy18q1wd) — South San Francisco, CA - [Principal Scientist, Biology](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-scientist-biology-xaira-therapeutics-south-san-francisco-2azp7k7sb0b2) — South San Francisco, CA