ABOUT ARK

Ark is building the agentic bioprocess platform for the life sciences where AI agents and scientists can design, run, and interpret experiments to help life-saving therapies reach patients faster.

Where today's scientists spend weeks running costly ($10K–$1M+) bioreactor experiments to answer a single question, Ark enables thousands of experimental scenarios to be explored in seconds, whether driven by AI agents that learn and adapt autonomously, or by scientists using Ark's simulation environment to test hypotheses and guide their own decisions. The result is the same: smarter experiments, faster iteration, and fewer dead ends on the path to the clinic.

Every pharma and CDMO is now rethinking how AI transforms their manufacturing process. Ark is building the platform that makes that transformation real.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Ark is hiring a Strategic Account Executive to own our most critical commercial relationships and drive the revenue growth that will define this company’s next chapter.

In this role, you will run the full commercial lifecycle - from first conversation through close and into long-term account expansion - across a focused portfolio of large pharma and CDMO organizations. You will be the face of Ark in high-stakes conversations with senior buyers, a trusted partner to the scientists and executives who rely on our platform, and a key voice in shaping how we grow. You will work directly with Ark’s CEO.

If you are energized by complex, long-cycle enterprise deals, thrive on building relationships that compound over years, and want to be a foundational part of building a category-defining company, this is a rare opportunity to do exactly that alongside world-class technologists redefining an industry.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead enterprise sales end-to-end — own the full commercial cycle from discovery through negotiation and close, running multi-stakeholder conversations across R&D, manufacturing, procurement with the credibility and gravitas our buyers expect.
• Drive account expansion — build deep, multi-divisional relationships within each account, proactively identify expansion opportunities, and lead expansion and renewal negotiations to grow ARR year-over-year beyond the initial contract.
• Customize and deliver the Ark story — tailor collateral, proposals, and commercial narratives to each account’s specific workflows and priorities, and prepare meticulously for every customer interaction across the funnel.
• Manage pipeline with rigor — maintain CRM hygiene, update deal progression, and provide accurate quarterly revenue forecasts that give leadership clear visibility into the business.
• Represent Ark in the field — attend industry conferences and customer events, support booth presence, and build the relationships that feed top-of-funnel pipeline and reinforce our brand with the pharma and biotech community.
• Be the voice of the customer — channel structured feedback from buyers on priorities, competitive dynamics, and product gaps to founders and the product team to inform roadmap and positioning.

ABOUT YOU

• 5+ years of B2B enterprise SaaS sales experience, with a proven track record of closing six- or seven-figure deals in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Experience in life sciences, pharma, biotech, or adjacent data and software markets. You understand how large pharma organizations buy, who owns the budget, and how decisions get made.
• Proven land-and-expand operator who has grown accounts well beyond the initial contract value by building broad organizational relationships and demonstrating measurable value.
• Strong executive presence and credibility. You are as comfortable in a room with a VP of R&D as with a procurement lead, and you can flex your communication style accordingly.
• Patient, strategic, and skilled at maintaining deal momentum across 6-18-month sales cycles. You do not need high volume to stay motivated.
• Self-starter who thrives in ambiguity - you are energized by building rather than inheriting, and you do not need a large team or an established playbook to perform.
• Familiarity with bioprocess, biomanufacturing, or digital R&D tools is a plus, but genuine curiosity about transforming how science gets done matters more.

POSITION DETAILS

Type:  Full-time, Exempt

Location:  Cambridge, MA (in-person Monday–Thursday)

Travel:  Customer site visits and conferences (~20–25% of time)

Compensation:  $115,000–$130,000 base salary + commission (OTE $200,000+) + equity

Benefits:  Health, dental, and vision coverage; holiday and vacation time; 401k matching; equity options; and opportunities for career growth and ownership as Ark scales.

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