Junior AI Engineer, R&D: AI for Drug Discovery

At RayzeBio, every day is an opportunity to ignite meaningful change. As a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb, RayzeBio blends the nimble, pioneering spirit of an emergent biotech with the global expertise and resources of a leading innovator in oncology. Our mission is to develop transformative radiopharmaceutical therapies that offer new hope for patients living with cancer. Here, you'll join a multidisciplinary team where your ideas are valued, your expertise is amplified, and collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. From day one, expect to make an immediate impact on our science, on our teams, and most importantly, on patients. The AI Engineer, R&D will help build and deploy AI‑native tools, applications, and models that accelerate scientific workflows and support ambitious AI applications in drug discovery across RayzeBio. This role will partner directly with R&D stakeholders to identify high‑value opportunities, translate emerging AI capabilities into practical solutions, and deliver measurable impact across research workflows, knowledge access, and decision support. This position reports to the Director, Applied Generative AI and will work closely and independently with assigned client teams in R&D. This is not a traditional software engineering role. We are building a new kind of team that is small, fast‑moving and AI‑first. The person in this role should be comfortable working independently with client teams, building strong relationships with stakeholders, and helping define new ways of working in an AI‑native environment. This is an on‑site role in San Diego. Responsibilities Partner directly with R&D stakeholders to identify, scope, and deliver high‑value AI use cases across scientific workflows, knowledge access, decision support, and drug discovery. Build AI‑enabled applications, assistants, automations, and data products that improve scientific productivity and accelerate research. Work independently with client teams to understand workflows, gather requirements, iterate quickly, and ensure solutions fit real business needs. Contribute to larger AI initiatives in drug discovery, including model‑driven approaches for scientific understanding, prediction, and prioritization. Help evaluate, prototype, and apply frontier models, agent frameworks, and AI engineering tools to real research problems. Support development of novel internal AI capabilities, including domain‑adapted models, specialized workflows, and, where appropriate, foundation‑model efforts. Collaborate with internal and external technical partners, where appropriate, to evaluate tools, models, and opportunities for partnership. Connect AI systems to internal data, documents, and research infrastructure to create practical, scalable solutions. Help deploy, monitor, and improve solutions in approved internal environments. Document technical patterns, decisions, and reusable approaches, and contribute to team standards for delivery, quality, and guardrails. Stay current on the latest developments in agentic coding, AI‑assisted development, and frontier AI tools, and help raise the team’s collective capability over time. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Engineering, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related technical field. Recent graduate or early‑career candidate strongly preferred; 1‑2 years of experience in a technical role may be beneficial. Strong computer science fundamentals, including programming, data structures, algorithms, and software design. Strong Python skills and the ability to build working applications and prototypes quickly. Academic, research, internship, or project experience in machine learning, AI applications, software engineering, or computational research. Hands‑on experience using modern AI tools, LLM APIs, coding agents, and AI‑assisted development environments. Familiarity with tools such as Claude Code or Codex, and comfort using them as part of day‑to‑day development. Up‑to‑date knowledge of the latest developments in agentic coding, AI‑assisted software development, and frontier AI tooling. Ability to work independently with business stakeholders and operate effectively in a highly iterative, fast‑moving environment. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and work effectively with scientific teams. Preferred Qualifications Demonstrated interest in frontier AI, model development, or applied ML through coursework, research, open‑source work, publications, internships, or significant projects. Experience working on scientific, life sciences, computational chemistry, biology, or data‑intensive technical problems is a plus. Familiarity with building internal tools, automation workflows, or AI‑enabled applications in research or enterprise settings. Curiosity about how frontier AI can be applied to scientific discovery and drug development. Compensation Overview San Diego – RayzeBio – CA $81,283 – $98,496 The starting compensation range for this role is listed above for a full‑time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee’s work schedule, job‑related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience. Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary by job and location. For more on benefits, please visit Benefits Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care. Wellbeing Support Programs such as BMS Well‑Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). Financial Well‑being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short‑ and long‑term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support. Work‑Life Benefits US Exempt Employees: Flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval), 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or RayzeBio employees). Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and RayzeBio Exempt, Non‑Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays. Additional time off may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs, and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Year’s Day. All global employees – full and part‑time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year – are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown. RayzeBio and Bristol Myers Squibb RayzeBio was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in 2024 and is a wholly‑owned subsidiary of BMS; however RayzeBio will continue to operate as a standalone organization. Supporting People With Disabilities BMS and RayzeBio are dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments, and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to View email address on click.appcast.io. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement. Candidate Rights BMS and RayzeBio will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area. If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: Data Protection We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations. R1602337 Junior AI Engineer, R&D #J-18808-Ljbffr Bristol Myers Squibb