This is a defining opportunity to lead the technical vision of a mission-driven initiative with the potential to transform biomedical research. As CTO, you will shape the future of AI in science, collaborate with world-class partners, and help accelerate discoveries that improve lives around the globe. As the Consortium enters a critical phase of growth and execution, we seek a Chief Technology Officer to lead its strategic direction, operational delivery, and stakeholder engagement.
The Consortium for Biomedical Research and Artificial Intelligence in Neurodegeneration (C-brAIn) is a pioneering initiative at the intersection of biomedical science and artificial intelligence. Anchored by Washington University in St. Louis and supported by leading institutions across academia, industry, and philanthropy, C-brAIn is advancing a transformative vision: to accelerate breakthroughs in neuroscience, brain aging, and neurodegenerative disease through the development of an AI-powered, scientist-in-the-loop research platform.
The CTO will serve as the technical architect and innovation leader of C-brAIn, responsible for designing and delivering scalable AI solutions that support the full biomedical research lifecycle. This role will guide the development of three initial Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) focused on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and oversee their integration into a unified, end-to-end research platform. The CTO will build and lead a high performing technical team, define the Consortium's AI architecture and roadmap, and ensure alignment with scientific, ethical, and organizational goals.
Primary Duties &
Responsibilities: Strategic Planning • Develop and implement the technical vision, architecture, and roadmap for delivering C-brAIn's intended product types. • Lead phased development strategies, ensuring progress from Minimum Viable Products to a full featured biomedical research scientist product offering. • Establish actionable metrics to track progress and impact. Technology Leadership • Build, scale, and optimize the application of advanced AI/ML solutions. • Oversee the integration of these technologies into a full featured AI product.
Product Development and Deployment • Drive the creation and delivery of MVPs. • Oversee the scaling and deployment of products. • Establish software development processes, quality assurance protocols, and performance benchmarks. • Ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and data protection standards. • Track and report on tool performance metrics, usability benchmarks, and system reliability. Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement • Collaborate with the Executive Director and Steering Committee to align technical goals with organizational strategy.
• Build and nurture partnerships across academia, industry, and philanthropy. • Represent C-brAIn at external meetings, conferences, and events. • Engage with scientific experts to ensure the product remains relevant to real-world biomedical challenges. Team Leadership and Management • Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performing, multidisciplinary team. • Provide technical leadership across cross-functional teams. • Provide mentorship and support for team members' professional growth. • Stay current with emerging technologies and trends.
• Evaluate and integrate new tools, frameworks, and methodologies. • Champion federated learning, privacy-preserving architectures, explainable AI, and ethical design principles. Budget and Resource Management • Define and manage $10-$100M budgets, timelines, and resource allocation. • Collaborate with finance and administrative teams to manage budgets. • Identify opportunities to leverage funding and resources across partnerships. Working Conditions • Normal office environment. • Flexible, with a preference for proximity to key research and industry partners.
• Hybrid, with a mix of remote work, on-site collaboration, and travel to conferences and partner institutions. Physical Effort • Typically working at desk or table. • Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement. • Ability to move to on and off-campus locations. Equipment • Office equipment. Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree. Certifications /
Professional Licenses: No specific certification/professional license is required for this position. Work
Experience: Progressively Responsible Leadership and Implementation of Information Technology and/or Operational Efficiencies (5 years).
Skills: Not Applicable. Driver's License: A driver's license is not required for this position. More About
This Job For more information, see Preferred Qualifications • Experience developing AI systems for the advancement of biomedicine or biotechnology use cases. • Familiarity with onboarding, harmonizing, and managing proprietary data and ensuring privacy-preserving AI practices. • Experience with biomedical data and privacy-compliant systems. Education Master's degree, Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy.
Certifications /
Professional Licenses No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting. Work Experience No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting. Skills AI Architecture, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Research, Data Integration, Effective Written Communication, Entrepreneurial Thinking, Experimental Research Methods, Explainable AI, Global Strategic Planning, Graph Neural Network (GNN), Hypothesis Generation, Inclusive Practices, Integration Services, Interpersonal Communication, Knowledge Graph, Large Language Models (LLMs), Leadership, Multimodal Analysis, Organizational Efficiency, Project Management Leadership, Reinforcement Learning, Retrieval-Augmented Generation, Stakeholder Alignment, Strategic Planning.
Salary Range Base pay is commensurate with experience. The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget. Questions For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ. Accommodation If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
Pre-Employment Screening All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement Personal • Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time. • Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance. • Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees. • WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%. Wellness • Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
Family • We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We've got you covered. • WashU covers the bolthires of tuition for you and your family, Apply tot his job