Program Management Associate, AI & Cross-Border Biopharma

Job Description

Program Management Associate, AI & Biopharma (PhD) | MSQ Ventures

The Tone:
This is an entry-level (PhD) position at MSQ Ventures, located in Research Triangle Park/Wilmington, NC with a hybrid remote/onsite model. MSQ Ventures is a cross-border life sciences advisory firm that is incubating a stealth-stage venture applying AI to cross-border biopharma dealmaking between the U.S., Europe, China, and Asia. This role is crucial as the first full-time Associate for this new venture, helping a small, senior team stay on track towards corporate goals and building AI tools to make international dealmaking faster and better informed. You will be instrumental in the ground-up development of a new AI company at the intersection of global pharma business, scientific, AI, and investing.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Hybrid Research Triangle Park/Wilmington, NC
• Team: Small, senior team
• Mission: Owns program plans, timelines, and deliverables for product build and client engagements to advance AI-driven cross-border biopharma dealmaking.
• Tech Stack: Project management tools, Excel, Python, R, SQL

What You’ll Actually Do
• Program Management: Own program plans, timelines, and deliverables across the product build and client engagements, tracking milestones and flagging risks early.
• Operational Management: Manage the team’s operating rhythm by scheduling meetings, setting agendas, capturing decisions and action items, and coordinating across time zones.
• AI Product Collaboration: Work with product and engineering teams to define, prioritize, test, and track AI features from idea to release.
• Market Research: Track the Asia biopharma market, researching and summarizing companies, assets, and comparable deals for the team.
• AI Tool Implementation: Implement and use AI tools daily to improve team workflows, automate research, and enhance reporting.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Doctorate Degree. Entry-Level. PhD in a life science or related field (e.g., pharmacology, immunology, molecular biology), completed or expected within six months, with 0–2 years of postdoctoral experience.
• Experience: No pharmaceutical industry experience required. Demonstrated ability to run a lab or manage multiple projects/collaborations at once, keeping other people on schedule.
• Skills: Exceptionally organized, a clear and concise writer capable of explaining complex science to non-scientists, a heavy and hands-on user of AI tools, and comfortable with ambiguity and fast change in an early-stage company.
• Bonus: Working proficiency in Mandarin, Japanese, or another Asian language; coursework, certificates, or club experience in biotech business, venture capital, tech transfer, or life sciences consulting; experience with project management tools; quantitative skills in Excel, Python, R, or SQL.