About the position
The position of Senior Director, Research Science, Assay Development is a pivotal role within Abbott Rapid Diagnostics, part of Abbott's Diagnostics family of businesses. This role is located in San Diego, California, and is integral to the Infectious Disease business unit. The Senior Director will oversee and provide leadership in research and development specifically focused on Assay Development. This position is responsible for establishing a strategic direction that aligns with long-term scientific and commercial goals, ensuring that Abbott remains at the forefront of diagnostic testing technologies that provide critical information for disease treatment and management. In this role, the Senior Director will be responsible for all Assay Development activities, establishing a vision and strategy that not only maintains but also improves current products while delivering new, essential, and differentiated products to the market. The individual will leverage sound scientific and technical knowledge to guide assay development, ensuring that key personnel are effectively recruited and retained. The Senior Director will also play a leadership role in the development process, supporting product improvement and compliance activities as necessary. The position requires a strong focus on discovery and delivery. The Senior Director will coach and mentor teams on ideation techniques, problem-solving, customer insights, and early-phase technology development. They will oversee the coordination and execution of critical projects, ensuring that new product development initiatives are completed on time, within budget, and meet targeted outcomes. Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) in partnership with project management and technical leads will be essential for monitoring the health of the innovation funnel and governance of phase gates. Additionally, the Senior Director will analyze operational and financial processes, recommending improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across global R&D sites. This includes establishing best-known methods in portfolio management, budgeting, design transfer, requirements and risk management, and design controls. The role embodies the values of the Business Unit, promoting a culture of innovation characterized by psychological safety, intellectual honesty, smart risk-taking, and radical candor. The Senior Director will also be responsible for maintaining and updating Design Control policies and practices, ensuring compliance throughout the product lifecycle. The Senior Director will manage the performance of staff towards departmental and company goals, providing feedback on performance, conducting appraisals, and making recommendations for merit increases or disciplinary actions. They will also be aware of the quality consequences that may arise from improper job performance, including potential device defects in their area of responsibility. Professional behavior that reflects positively on the company and fosters productive relationships with internal and external business associates is essential.
Responsibilities
- Responsible for Assay Development activities.
- Establish vision and strategy for Assays that maintain and improve current products and deliver new essential and differentiated products to the market.
- Execute upon strategy to support long-range planning and beyond.
- Ensure sound scientific and technical knowledge is employed in assay development.
- Recruit and retain key personnel for the team.
- Develop and maintain state-of-the-art standards for assay products.
- Play a leadership role in the development process.
- Support product improvement and compliance related activities as needed.
- Coach and mentor teams on ideation techniques, problem solving, customer insights, and early phase technology development.
- Establish KPIs for funnel health and innovation phase gate governance.
- Oversee the coordination and execution of critical projects, ensuring on time, on target, on budget, and predictable outcomes of new product development initiatives.
- Establish KPIs in partnership with PMO and Technical Leads for each program in the portfolio.
- Analyze operational and financial processes and recommend improvements for enhanced efficiency and effectiveness across Global R&D sites.
- Establish best known methods in portfolio management, budgeting, design transfer, requirements and risk management, and design controls.
- Model behaviors of the Business Unit: ownership, teamwork, leading change, winning, and valuing work.
- Promote a culture of innovation, psychological safety, intellectual honesty, smart risk taking, and radical candor.
- Demonstrate scientific excellence through recognition, participation in scientific meetings, and publications.
- Provide direction for improvements to Design Control policies and practices.
- Ensure compliance with Design Control policies and practices throughout the product lifecycle.
- Manage performance of staff towards department and Company goals, including feedback on performance and appraisals.
Requirements
- Advanced degree in a scientific discipline.
- Significant experience (at least 8-10 years) in a product development or related role (e.g., R&D new product development, Technical Support of on-market products).
- Thorough understanding of diagnostic platforms and technologies (biochemistry, PCR, etc.) and their application to disease state management.
Nice-to-haves
- Knowledge of how diagnostic testing is used in the customer's laboratory and how physicians use diagnostic testing for treatment of disease.
