Global Head R&D

Job Title: Global Head R&D

Department: Research & Development Reports to: Global Laboratory & Operations Officer Position Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Leadership Impact

This role will shape the next generation of scientific leaders by developing and empowering scientists to become trusted, consultative technical advisors, combining deep technical/scientific expertise with strong business acumen to drive client success, innovation, and scientific excellence globally.

Position Summary

The Global Head R&D will lead the global technical and scientific strategy for assay development, assay validation, assay transfer as well technology innovation across multiple platforms (genomics, molecular testing, flow cytometry, histopathology, immunoassays). This role oversees that the assays developed meet validation requirements aligned with regulatory expectations based on Context-of-Use (CoU) of data approach.

The Global Head R&D will manage a team of managers responsible for the specific technological platforms, each recognized as a Center of Excellence (CoE) for assay development and validation. These managers will oversee technical/scientific and operational excellence within their respective platforms, while the Global Head R&D will ensure overall alignment, implementation and monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), and assess capacity and scalability of each CoE to support current and future business demands.

Assay development and validation will be conducted to meet all applicable regulatory requirements, including technically sound testing design, use of appropriate control samples, and adherence to defined acceptance criteria.

The Global Head R&D ensures that the organization remains at the forefront of specialty lab testing for biomarker and drug product measurement, maintaining technical/scientific rigor, regulatory compliance, and client-focused innovation. Importantly, this leader will develop and empower the global scientific team to serve as consultative, SWAT-level technical advisors, combining deep scientific and technical expertise with strong business acumen to deliver proactive, value-driven solutions to clients.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific & Technical Leadership

• Lead and oversee assay development, validation, and transfer across multiple platforms including:

  • Flow cytometry

  • Genomics (e.g., NGS, qPCR)

  • Molecular diagnostics

  • Virology

  • Immunoassays (e.g., ELISA, MSD)

  • Histopathology and IHC

• Ensure all assay development and validation activities meet technical/scientific as well regulatory requirements, including robust experimental testing design, appropriate control selection, and clear acceptance criteria based on regulatory guidance documents and/or white papers.

• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in assay development to support testing of different drug modalities in key therapeutic areas (oncology, infectious diseases and immunology & inflammation):

  • Biologics and biosimilars

  • Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)

  • Cell & Gene therapies

  • Vaccines

  • Novel therapeutic modalities

• Plan and support poster and oral presentations at key scientific conferences to showcase technical/scientific capabilities, strengthen visibility, and promote thought leadership.

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Manage a global team of R&D platform managers, each leading a Center of Excellence (CoE) responsible for specific technological domains.

• Oversee CoE performance, ensuring consistent technical/scientific rigor, harmonization in processes, and knowledge sharing across platforms.

• Implement, monitor, and report on R&D KPIs, including quality, throughput, validation success rates, and scalability metrics.

• Assess capacity and scalability across R&D sites to ensure readiness for new technologies and business growth.

• Coach, mentor, and develop scientists and R&D managers to strengthen both technical expertise and strategic, consultative capabilities.

• Build a scientific culture that values innovation, accountability, and client partnership.

Client-Facing Scientific Consultancy

• Establish and model a consultative approach to client interactions, guiding scientists to engage as trusted technical partners who bring both technical/scientific depth and business understanding.

• Oversee and support scientific participation in pre-contract discussions, feasibility assessments, and technical reviews.

• Develop frameworks, tools, and training to enable scientists to act as “SWAT-level” problem solvers, capable of rapid and effective technical troubleshooting for client programs.

Strategic Business Development Support

• Partner closely with business development teams to position capabilities and expertise during client engagements.

• Contribute to the development of scientific marketing materials, technical presentations, proposals, webinars, and white papers highlighting technical/scientific capabilities as well regulatory requirements based on CoU.

• Align scientific excellence with business strategy to enhance competitiveness and client satisfaction.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Technical Governance

• Provide strategic scientific oversight for cross-functional initiatives, R&D innovation programs, and complex client projects.

• Represent R&D on global governance teams, internal technical boards, and client-facing steering committees.

• Drive alignment between R&D, Operations, and Quality to ensure robust assay implementation.

Qualifications

• PhD in Life Sciences, Immunology, Molecular Biology, or related discipline; postdoctoral training preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in R&D within a specialty lab testing, pharmaceutical, or biotechnology environment.

• Proven leadership managing multi-site or global R&D teams, including direct management of technical managers.

• Demonstrated expertise in biomarker and drug product assay development, validation, and transfer across multiple technological platforms.

• Strong understanding of regulatory expectations for assay design, control systems, and validation criteria.

• Experience supporting diverse therapeutic modalities, including biologics, ADCs, CGTs, and vaccines.

• Exceptional communication, coaching, and leadership skills, with the ability to build high-performing scientific teams.

• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving ability, business acumen, and the capacity to balance innovation with operational discipline.