Director, Business Development, Search & Evaluation

Overview

The Director, Search & Evaluation plays a key role on Alnylam’s Business Development team, identifying and assessing external innovation opportunities that strengthen the company’s pipeline and platform. This individual will evaluate therapeutic assets and technologies while working cross-functionally to support key business and investment decisions. This role also requires building and maintaining a strong external network to generate high-quality opportunity flow and represent Alnylam across the biotech ecosystem. Operating at the intersection of science and strategy, the Director will translate complex data into clear, actionable insights. The Director will report to the Head of Search & Evaluation, Business Development.

This position is hybrid and located in Cambridge, MA.

Responsibilities

• Proactively source and evaluate external innovation aligned to Alnylam’s R&D priorities, platform strategy, and Business Development (BD) objectives.
• Conduct rigorous scientific and technical assessments of assets, and technologies, and across all development stages.
• Lead opportunity triage across all stages of development, integrating scientific merit, development risk, strategic fit, and commercial potential.
• Develop competitive landscaping, market insights, and prioritization frameworks to guide search strategy and decision-making.
• Lead or co-lead cross-functional evaluation teams across R&D, Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, Commercial, Finance, Legal, and BD Transactions.
• Drive scientific due diligence, synthesizing complex data into clear, balanced, and actionable recommendations.
• Prepare high-quality opportunity memos, business cases, and executive presentations for senior leadership and governance forums.
• Partner with BD Transactions to inform deal strategy, including structuring, valuation considerations, and risk mitigation.
• Build and maintain an external network to generate high-quality deal flow and represent Alnylam in industry forums.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of Search & Evaluation (S&E) processes, tools, and knowledge management.
  
  

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (PhD, MD, PharmD, or equivalent) in a biomedical or life sciences field.
• 10 years of experience across biotech/pharma R&D, business development, search & evaluation, or related strategic roles.
• Experience in life sciences strategy consulting, healthcare investment banking, or venture capital strongly preferred.
• Strong scientific foundation spanning drug discovery, translational biology, clinical development, and regulatory pathways.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating therapeutic assets, platform technologies, and preclinical and clinical datasets.
• Proven track record in scientific due diligence for licensing, partnerships, M&A, or external innovation initiatives.
• Solid understanding of BD fundamentals, including deal structures, valuation principles, and transaction processes.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to integrate scientific, clinical, commercial, and financial insights into decisions.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with experience presenting to senior leadership and governance bodies.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage multiple priorities, and operate effectively in a matrixed environment.
• Established external network across biotech, pharma, academia, or the investment ecosystem.
• Willingness to travel (~3–4 times per year, domestic and international).
  
  

U.S. Pay Range

$204,000.00 - $276,000.00

The pay range reflects the full-time base salary range we expect to pay for this role at the time of posting. Base pay will be determined based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, and education. This role is eligible for an annual short-term incentive award (e.g., bonus or sales incentive) and an annual long-term incentive award (e.g., equity).

Alnylam’s robust Total Rewards package is designed to support your overall health and well-being. We offer comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, a lifestyle reimbursement program, flexible spending and health savings accounts and a 401(k)with a generous company match. Eligible employees enjoy paid time off, wellness days, holidays, and two company-wide recharge breaks. We also offer generous family resources and leave. Our commitment to your well-being reflects our belief that caring for our people fuels the impact we create together.

Learn more about these and additional benefits offered by Alnylam by visiting the Benefits section of the Careers website: https://www.alnylam.com/careers

About Alnylam

We are the leader in RNAi therapeutics – a revolutionary approach with the potential to transform the lives of people with rare and common diseases. Built on Nobel Prize-winning science, Alnylam has delivered the breakthroughs that made RNAi therapeutics possible and are just at the beginning of what’s possible. Our deep pipeline, late-stage programs, and bold vision reflect our core values: fierce innovation, passion for excellence, purposeful urgency, open culture and commitment to people. We're proud to be a globally recognized top employer, where an authentic, inclusive culture and breakthrough thinking fuel one another.

At Alnylam, we commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equal employment opportunity. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their sex, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, pregnancy status or related conditions, genetic information, veteran or military status, marital or familial status, political affiliation, age, or any other factor protected by federal, state, or local law. Alnylam is an E-Verify Employer.