Executive-in-Residence (EIR) – Breakthrough Bio, Pharma/Biotech

Pharma/Biotech Executive in Residence (EIR)

MassChallenge — Breakthrough Bio

Location: Boston, MA (hybrid) | Reports to: Sr. Director of Programs | Compensation: $1,800/month, part-time (approx. 5 to 8 hrs/week), October 2026 through July 2027

About MassChallenge and Breakthrough Bio

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators working to solve massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. Our mission is to equip bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change. Our mission is BIG, and thus we are a team that gives 100% every day. Our values ensure we stay true to our mission and our core beliefs.

Breakthrough Bio is a MassChallenge global accelerator for the next generation of international healthcare and life sciences startups, anchored in Boston with additional U.S. engagement in San Diego and Philadelphia. The program brings together elite, high-potential biotech and medtech startups from partner countries, including Taiwan (in partnership with the Development Center for Biotechnology) and Israel (in partnership with the National Technological Innovation Authority), and supports them through a milestone-driven acceleration journey toward U.S. market, regulatory, clinical, and investor readiness.

Breakthrough Bio is more ambitious and later-stage than most MassChallenge programs. Startups typically join at Seed to Series A, and every cohort company is working toward three core outcomes: new partnerships, new funding, and new regulatory milestones. The Executive in Residence's (EIR's) mentorship and personal network are central to helping startups reach these outcomes.

For biotech startups, the program emphasizes therapeutic development, pharma partnership formation, clinical and regulatory readiness, and investor readiness. MassChallenge is currently seeking a Pharma/Biotech Executive in Residence (EIR) to join our Boston team and support this cohort.

Why You Should Join Us

MassChallenge was just named the #2 accelerator in the U.S. and #1 in Massachusetts by TIME and Statista, with 85% of the ranking driven by feedback from the founders we serve. That puts us among the very best in the country. It also gives us a new target. We are building on that recognition, growing what works, and raising our ambitions for what MassChallenge can do next. If you are looking for a place where there is real energy behind the work and plenty left to build, we want to talk to you!

Position Summary

MassChallenge is seeking a Pharma/Biotech Executive in Residence (EIR) to support the Breakthrough Bio biotech track. As the EIR, your mission is fourfold:

• Support Startup Growth in Biotech: Provide technical and strategic guidance to startups developing small molecule, biologics, cell therapy, or gene therapy programs.
• Mentor and Advise Founders: Deliver targeted mentorship on clinical and regulatory readiness, pharma partnership formation, and investor storytelling.
• Strengthen the Ecosystem: Engage with pharma companies, biotech investors, and translational research institutions across Boston, San Diego, and Philadelphia to expand the program's impact.
• Mobilize Your Network: Rally your own professional and industry contacts to attend and engage directly with cohort startups at the program's flagship convenings in Boston, California, and Philadelphia.

Overview of Program Timeline and EIR Commitment

This EIR engagement spans the full Breakthrough Bio biotech cohort cycle, October 2026 through July 2027, at approximately 5 to 8 hours per week.

• Sourcing and evaluating applicants (October 2026)
• Curriculum development and network activation (November 2026)

The time commitment is not evenly distributed. It scales up around three flagship convenings, where in-person attendance is expected:

• Boston Kickoff (week of January 11, 2027)
• California Market Access Sprint / LSI USA (week of March 15, 2027)
• Philadelphia Finale (week of June 7, 2027)

Between convenings, the EIR supports the cohort remotely through mentor sessions, office hours, and curriculum input, concentrated in two phases:

• Virtual sessions and office hours (February 2027)
• Virtual sessions and office hours (April to May 2027)

Location

This EIR is a hybrid role based in Boston, MA. In-person engagement is expected for the Boston Kickoff, the California Market Access Sprint, and the Philadelphia Finale; travel costs for these engagements will be covered by MassChallenge using our T&E Policy. The EIR is expected to use these convenings to rally their own network to attend and engage with cohort startups. Additional travel may be required to support program milestones, with associated travel costs covered as well.

What You'll Do

• Technical Expertise: Share subject matter knowledge across therapeutic development, drug discovery, clinical development, and pharma partnership models.
• Curriculum Support: Contribute to the Boston Kickoff curriculum, including U.S. regulatory pathways, clinical strategy, investor storytelling, market access, reimbursement, and enterprise procurement considerations.
• Mentorship and Coaching: Provide one-on-one and group mentorship on clinical and regulatory readiness and pharma partnering strategy.
• Network Building: Connect founders with pharma companies, biotech investors, and translational research stakeholders in Boston and San Diego.
• Network Mobilization: Personally invite and rally pharma, investor, and regulatory contacts from your own network to attend and actively engage with startups at the Boston Kickoff, California Market Access Sprint, and Philadelphia Finale.
• BIO Convention Readiness: Help founders prepare for BIO International Convention meetings, pitch narratives, and follow-up strategy.
• Ecosystem Representation: Represent MassChallenge and Breakthrough Bio at Boston, San Diego, and Philadelphia ecosystem convenings.

Key Deliverables

Deliverables are tied directly to the Breakthrough Bio program phasing and reporting cadence:

• Provide input on biotech curriculum content ahead of the Boston Kickoff (week of January 11, 2027), particularly U.S. regulatory pathways, clinical strategy, and investor storytelling, and rally your network to attend and engage with startups on-site.
• Deliver mentor sessions or office hours during the virtual execution period (January to March 2027).
• Support the California Market Access Sprint (week of March 15, 2027), including curated meetings with pharma, biotech, and translational research stakeholders in San Diego, and rallying your own contacts to attend and engage with cohort startups.
• Support BIO International Convention preparation (March 22 to June 4, 2027), including pharma and investor targeting and presentation coaching.
• Participate in the Finale Showcase, Demo Day, and BIO Activation in Philadelphia (week of June 7, 2027), rallying your network to attend and engage with startups at the Finale.
• Provide qualitative input on founder milestone progress to support Midpoint and Final Outcomes Reports against program targets (75% average milestone completion; 30%+ of startups advancing financing or commercial/strategic progress within 12 months of finale; stage-appropriate regulatory or reimbursement milestones).

Success Metrics

• Startup Outcomes: New partnerships formed, funding secured, and regulatory milestones achieved by cohort companies.
• Technical Readiness: Demonstrated progress of startups toward clinical, regulatory, and pharma-partnership milestones.
• Ecosystem Engagement: Increased visibility of MassChallenge and Breakthrough Bio in the biotech innovation ecosystem, including the volume and quality of external stakeholders you mobilize to attend program convenings.
• Founder Impact: Positive satisfaction scores and testimonials from participating startups.

What You Bring

• Biotech and Pharma Expertise: Proven track record as a founder, technical leader, or senior executive in therapeutic development, clinical development, or pharma business development, ideally with experience supporting Seed to Series A companies.
• Network and Relationships: Strong, mobilization-ready connections with pharma companies, biotech investors, and translational research institutions, and a demonstrated willingness to bring those contacts directly into the program.
• Mentorship Experience: High emotional intelligence (EQ) and a passion for guiding early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Commitment to Impact: Dedication to supporting founders building therapeutics and life sciences solutions.
• Operational Knowledge: Familiarity with FDA drug approval pathways, clinical trial design, and pharma partnership structures.

Who We Are

At MassChallenge, we:

• Empower entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and scale transformational businesses.
• Help corporate, nonprofit, and public sector partners evolve their innovation practices.
• Strengthen global innovation ecosystems through the power of entrepreneurship.

As the EIR, you will help bridge international biotech innovation with the Boston, San Diego, and Philadelphia life sciences ecosystems, working alongside founders, mentors, and pharma partners on a global stage.

Compensation

This is a part-time engagement at $1,800 per month (approximately 5 to 8 hours per week), from October 2026 through July 2027. MassChallenge offers competitive nonprofit-scale compensation, commensurate with experience, and reviewed for internal equity.

Equal Opportunity Employer

MassChallenge is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We seek individuals from a broad variety of backgrounds with varying levels of experience who have a desire to do meaningful work. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.