Research Director Jobs in North Chicago, IL

Company Description

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Job Description

The Director, Discovery Research Scientific Insights is a senior scientific and strategic partner to the Head of Discovery Research Program Management & External Partnerships and the Senior Vice President, Discovery Research. This role delivers rapid scientific assessment, portfolio insight, and decision-ready recommendations on high-priority research, partnership, and executive matters.

This role is accountable for providing independent scientific assessments, synthesizing cross-functional input, and delivering clear recommendations to senior Discovery Research leadership. The scope includes external opportunities, partnered programs, portfolio issues, and other high-priority scientific topics requiring rapid evaluation and executive communication. The role requires deep knowledge of the Discovery Research continuum, from target and disease biology through discovery strategy, candidate progression, translational planning, and transition to IND/early clinical development, to identify risks, frame options, and support leadership decisions.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with senior Discovery Research leadership on high-priority scientific, portfolio, and executive matters. Responsible for questioning and advising the business to create the best possible outcome to complex scientific issues or projects.
• Bring rigorous conceptual thinking to rapidly assess urgent and complex scientific questions by framing issues, engaging experts, and synthesizing recommendations.
• Leverage deep end-to-end drug discovery expertise to evaluate external research opportunities, including scientific rationale, feasibility, differentiation, risk, and strategic fit.
• Translate complex or incomplete scientific information into concise, decision-ready summaries, options, and clear recommendations.
• Maintain visibility across all Discovery-stage external partnerships, including program status, milestones, emerging issues, and leadership decision points.
• Provide external portfolio insights and executive updates that are accurate, analytically rigorous, and actionable.
• Drive cross-functional alignment with alliance managers and internal stakeholders to surface risks, opportunities, and recommendations for external collaborations.
• Support time-sensitive leadership communications with clear, balanced, and scientifically sound content.
• Anticipate emerging scientific or partnership issues and develop options to enable timely leadership decisions.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant scientific discipline; PhD preferred or equivalent scientific training and experience.
• 12+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology R&D, including substantial Discovery Research experience.
• Deep knowledge of the drug discovery continuum through IND-enabling and/or early clinical development.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate scientific opportunities and translate complex data into recommendations for senior leaders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level scientific communications. Experience supporting executive reviews, governance forums, or high-stakes scientific communications.
• Exceptional scientific judgment, strategic thinking, and ability to operate effectively under ambiguity.
• Extensive experience evaluating external innovation, research collaborations, or partnered programs.
• Broad scientific curiosity and the ability to rapidly learn, understand, and evaluate science across therapeutic areas, modalities, and emerging topics.

Additional Information

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html