Tempus
Senior Director, Research Strategy and Operations (Core Team Leader)
$192K–$264K
Chicago · Director · Full-time · Posted Oct 26, 2026
- Experience
- 10+ years in the life sciences/diagnostics industry, including at least 4+ years in a listed leadership role.
- Education
- Advanced degree (PhD, MD, MS) in Genetics, Molecular Biology, or Engineering required.
About the job
Leads cross-functional teams through the development, regulatory approval, operational transfer, and commercial launch of regulated diagnostic products.
What you'll do
- Own product development lifecycle execution, including timelines, scope, resources, and cross-functional decisions.
- Lead Stage-Gate reviews and manage critical-path risks, trade-offs, and portfolio resource alignment.
- Champion Design Control compliance and oversee the transition from R&D to scalable clinical lab operations.
What they ask for
- Advanced degree (PhD, MD, MS) in Genetics, Molecular Biology, or Engineering.
- 10+ years in the life sciences/diagnostics industry, including at least 4+ years as a Core Team Leader, Product Development Lead, or Program Director in a matrixed environment.
- Deep experience in Oncology Diagnostics, NGS, or Liquid Biopsy.
- Expert knowledge of Phased-Gate/Stage-Gate development cycles and demonstrated ability to influence without authority.
Nice to have
- MBA is a strong plus.
- Experience navigating FDA Class II/III medical device development (PMA/510k) is highly preferred.
Pay
$192,000 - $264,000 USD (base salary)
Tools
NGS, LDT, 510(k), PMA, 21 CFR 820, ISO 13485
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative