Vice President, Trial Engine

About Formation Bio

Formation Bio is a tech and AI driven pharma company differentiated by radically more efficient drug development.

Advancements in AI and drug discovery are creating more candidate drugs than the industry can progress because of the high cost and time of clinical trials. Recognizing that this development bottleneck may ultimately limit the number of new medicines that can reach patients, Formation Bio, founded in 2016 as TrialSpark Inc., has built technology platforms, processes, and capabilities to accelerate all aspects of drug development and clinical trials. Formation Bio partners, acquires, or in-licenses drugs from pharma companies, research organizations, and biotechs to develop programs past clinical proof of concept and beyond, ultimately helping to bring new medicines to patients. The company is backed by investors across pharma and tech, including a16z, Sequoia, Sanofi, Thrive Capital, Sam Altman, John Doerr, Spark Capital, SV Angel Growth, and others.

You can read more at the following links:

• Our Vision for AI in Pharma
• Our Current Drug Portfolio
• Our Technology & Platform

At Formation Bio, our values are the driving force behind our mission to revolutionize the pharma industry. Every team and individual at the company shares these same values, and every team and individual plays a key part in our mission to bring new treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.

About the Position

As Vice President of Trial Engine, you are the accountable leader for how Formation Bio executes clinical trials across our portfolio. This role builds on an existing, differentiated trial execution and data platform, and is accountable for scaling and strengthening it as the portfolio grows. That means running and continuously improving a trial execution engine that delivers speed, cost efficiency, and quality predictably. You will optimize planning and execution across our trials and drive iteration and improvement across every part of our delivery approach.

We’re not looking for a traditional Clinical Operations leader. This is an outcomes oriented, first principled, velocity-obsessed, player + coach + builder role for someone who knows clinical trials can and must be run faster, cheaper, and better at the same time. You will lead multiple functions, serve as a trial team leader yourself, and work in close partnership with the Development, Translational, Technology, Business Operations & Strategy and Quality teams to continue to build capabilities, including AI enabled, that ensure we deliver new treatments to patients faster and more efficiently. If you want a steady-state org, inherited process, and the ability to rely solely on your experience, you’re not the right person.

Responsibilities

Own and Drive Trial Outcomes

• Own end-to-end trial execution across the portfolio, with direct accountability for delivery against asset and portfolio value inflection goals
• Serve as trial team leader on designated programs, setting execution pace and ensuring learnings are shared and implemented across the portfolio

Lead Multiple Trial Engine Enablement Teams

• Lead and develop leaders across:
• Clinical Trial Management & Operations (Trial Management, Project Management, Trial Master File)
• Site Feasibility & Operations (Feasibility, Study Startup, Recruitment)
• Clinical Data Management & Analytics
• Generate operational alpha through the pace you set, the systems and technology you deploy and the people you develop and hire.
• Build high-performing teams that scale impact without corresponding headcount

Evolve the Trial Delivery Operating Model

• Collaborate cross functionally to refine and evolve our flexible, scalable trial execution operating model
• Improve execution rhythms and decision frameworks that enable repeatable, fast, high quality decision making
• Interrogate and replace legacy processes with AI-enabled workflows and systems designed to deliver outcomes

Partner Cross-Functionally with:

• Asset General Managers, Clinical and Operations leaders to ensure we have tight coordination across program and trial teams
• Development and Business Operations teams to align strategy, execution, and tooling
• Tech partners to operationalize automation, AI, and data-driven decision-making across trial workflows

About You

• Outcome-Driven: You optimize for value creation, everything is in service of that.
• AI-Native: You naturally embed AI and automation into team culture, workflows, and decision-making and believe this is the future of exceptional clinical trial execution.
• Generalist with Range: You flex across disciplines, know when to go deep, when to pull in experts, and when to rely on strong teams.
• Structured & Decisive: You run teams with sharp prioritization, clear responsibilities and disciplined execution.
• Comfortable in Ambiguity: You thrive in dynamic environments, simplify complexity, and adapt quickly without losing momentum.
• Strategically Grounded with Tactical Depth: You connect and communicate high-level vision to detailed, practical action and can operate comfortably at both levels.

Signals that you are a good fit:

• • You don’t believe in the traditional paradigm that you can only have 2 of 3 (speed, cost, quality) and have the track record to prove it.
  • You set a high bar with your team, when hiring and expect a lot of yourself and others.
  • You are productively impatient and intolerant of unnecessary friction.
  • You know what exceptional looks like and what it actually takes to achieve it consistently.
  • You are self-aware, comfortable being wrong in public and committed to getting better.
  • You have a sense of humor, especially about yourself.

Formation Bio is prioritizing hiring in key hubs, primarily the New York City and Boston metro areas. These positions will follow a hybrid work model with 1-3 days required at the office. Applicants from the Research Triangle (NC) and San Francisco Bay Area may also be considered. Please only apply if you reside in these locations or are willing to relocate.

Compensation:

The target salary range for this role is: $333,000 - $370,000

Salary ranges are informed by a number of factors including geographic location. The range provided includes base salary only. In addition to base salary, we offer equity, comprehensive benefits, generous perks, hybrid flexibility, and more. If this range doesn't match your expectations, please still apply because we may have something else for you.

You will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.