Director, Partnerships and Business Development

Compensation

The position offers a base salary of $150,000 to $225,000, with the final figure determined by experience. Equity in the range of 0.25% to 0.5% is also included, along with competitive benefits.

About BiomeSense

BiomeSense is a startup in the life sciences space focused on creating new tools such as GutLab and MetaBiome to advance the discovery and translation of gut microbiome biomarkers. The company works with partners including UCSF, UCSD, the NIH, and the University of Chicago, and is supported by LabCorp Ventures, Bluestein Ventures, Seerave Foundation, and Emil Capital Partners.

Role Summary

This role calls for an entrepreneurial leader to take ownership of BiomeSense’s partnership function. The person in this position will help shape partner development across academic and industry channels, lead negotiations, and drive end-to-end collaboration on high-impact studies so the company becomes a preferred microbiome partner for translational research.

Key Responsibilities

• Turn market developments into strategic plans for expanding partnerships with academic institutions, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical organizations.
• Spot weaknesses in the current partnership approach and create solutions tailored to a scientific audience.
• Work closely with research, hardware, operations, and bioinformatics teams to carry out both immediate and long-range partnership plans.
• Create strong, science-focused materials that clearly communicate BiomeSense’s value to prospective partners.
• Set up a system to track partnerships and define KPIs for academic and clinical collaborations.
• Act as the main point of contact for academic researchers, oncology investigators, and industry collaborators involved in interventional or translational studies.
• Negotiate study agreements, coordinate IRB approvals, and help deliver study outcomes through partnership models that align stakeholder incentives.
• Convert microbiome and biomarker advances into new commercial opportunities and persuasive content that strengthens confidence among partners and investors.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in life sciences business development, with startup exposure preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing academic or clinical research partnerships in translational medicine or biomarker discovery.
• Experience creating operating systems and processes from the ground up, including OKR tracking.
• Working knowledge of microbiome science, translational research, and academic research settings.
• Strong relationship-building skills with academic investigators, research administrators, and industry stakeholders.
• Ability to explain complex scientific topics in a persuasive partnership narrative.
• Self-driven personality with a collaborative, confident, humble, and adaptable style.

Additional Information

This is a full-time onsite role based in Chicago, Illinois.