At biotech company Valo, team members like Jessen Yu contribute to a lofty goal. “We're tackling the problem of how to make preclinical drug discovery more effective and efficient,” said Yu, a data science leader at the organization. Valo’s work attracts individuals looking for a role that has tangible impact. “It is a fantastic — and challenging — place to grow your professional skills,” said Engineering Head Joe Chan. And while technology is the anchor of it all, there’s complementary intangibles that don’t go overlooked. “Our culture at Valo allows us to see where we align, where we’re different, how special that is and how that benefits our Valorians and our mission as a company,” Facilities Manager Jamie Rhodes said.
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At a glance
ON THE LIST
One of Built In Boston’s 21 must-watch companies in 2021
BIG FIGURES
Nearly half a billion in total funding over multiple rounds
COLLABORATIVE MINDSET
Valo values include “Succeed As A Team” and “Take Collective Ownership”
BICOASTAL FOOTPRINT
Offices in Massachusetts, New York and California
Featured employees
ELEVATING ONE ANOTHER
Tackling the field as a collective
Head of Engineering Joe Chan is driven by effecting change. “The reason I’m here is because I want to apply my talent to make an impact that actually improves someone’s life,” he said. To do so, the engineering pro looks to disciplines like data science and machine learning to help the company take strides forward. But he also recognizes that it takes more than just technology. As a leader, Chan is all about working together for a greater goal. “Drug discovery is a challenging problem,” he said. “We must collaborate broadly across disciplines to create breakthroughs.”
Joe Chan
Head of Engineering
My vision is to build a computational and data platform with cutting-edge machine learning capabilities to dramatically accelerate the process of drug discovery.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS
Navigating complex challenges in an important field
Jessen Yu
Senior Director of Data Science
With his role as senior director of data science for Valo’s platform engineering group, Jessen Yu is busy with a variety of technical endeavors (and non-technical, too: “In my spare time, I cajole Valorians into going to escape rooms with me,” he said). Whether it’s working on the company’s ChemForge technology or managing technical development, the work comes together through various domains. “We get to work with lots of great groups around Valo, so every day is different!” said Yu, who collaborates with software engineers, data scientists and lab professionals regularly.
We develop predictive modeling technology that is used to guide the drug discovery process using a wide variety of machine learning methods, from simple regression models to deep learning.
ADDING TO THE CULTURE
Working where impact can take shape
“We make sure everyone in the company has a say in the company culture,” said Facilities Manager Jamie Rhodes, who hosts the company’s Zoom-conducted talk show: The Valorian View. In it, she spotlights three selected team members through a fun and informal conversation. The programming — which Rhodes said was originally borne out of the need for building culture while working remotely — brings camaraderie to the workplace. “Our Valorians get to sit back, relax and enjoy getting to know one another in a fun and exciting way that doesn’t exist in their regular meetings,” Rhodes said.
Jamie Rhodes
Facilities Manager
We have put together a mighty culture team across all four sites and our remote staff, so we can be as inclusive as possible and can plan events and initiatives with every Valorian in mind.
