Carl Deutsch, CSO at NBE Therapeutics in Non-Linear Careers, Age Bias, and Building Great Teams

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Carl Deutsch, Chief Scientific Officer at NBE Therapeutics, where he shared about his path from chemistry into pharma and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Carl recalls how difficult it was to secure his first role when jobs were scarce, the pressure of multiple interview rounds, and how a non-linear career path led to both opportunities and doubts about fitting the expected mold.

He discussed the differences between biotech and big pharma cultures, what it means to lead in a “cultural sandwich” role, and why accountability and agility look different depending on the environment. Carl also spoke about age bias in hiring, the importance of curiosity during interviews, and the kind of toxic hiring process that made him withdraw his application early in his career.

He explained why he looks for “band members” instead of “rock stars” when building teams, how character matters more than buzzwords or tick-box credentials, and why blinded CVs often miss the real story behind a candidate. And, in a lighter moment, Carl answered a series of quick-fire questions—from his habit of quoting movies, to the kinds of conversations he avoids, to the advice he’d give to someone starting out in the industry.

Here’s What You’re In For

• The benefits and challenges of a non-linear career path
• Why networking often matters more than a “tick-box” CV
• Why blinded CVs fail to capture the real story behind a candidate

Timestamps

02:20 – Scarcity and the First Job Hunt

05:10 – Non-Linear Careers and Self-Doubt

07:00 – The CV Tick-Box Trap

14:00 – Leading in a Cultural Sandwich

17:00 – What Biotech Culture Really Means

20:00 – Hiring for Accountability and Fit

23:00 – Age Bias in Pharma Hiring

30:00 – Band Members vs Rock Stars in Building a Team

32:00 – Why Blinded CVs Miss the Story

33:30 – Quick-Fire: Movie Quotes, Habits, and Career Advice

About Carl

Dr. Carl Deutsch, Chief Scientific Officer at NBE Therapeutics. A chemist by training, Carl earned his PhD in Dortmund, Germany, and went on to broaden his scientific horizons in the U.S. and Japan. He later added a business edge to his profile with an MBA from Mannheim Business School and ESSEC Paris.

Carl played a key role in the development of Mercks first in-house antibody-drug conjugate, M9140, and also helped drive innovation as an intrapreneur, launching an award-winning project under Merck Life Science. Since 2022, he has been leading scientific strategy at NBE Therapeutics.

Outside the lab, Carl has a creative side, he once took the stage as a member of an acting group and joining wild podcasts like mine.

Connect with Carl:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-deutsch-phd-mba-82ba28168/
• NBE Therapeutics: https://nbe-therapeutics.com/

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment, I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/
• Website: https://www.discera-search.com/

Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.