Scientific Lead - Health Data Research (f/m/x)

D4L data4life gGmbH; Potsdam; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

30 days of paid vacation

Mobile work options

Support for private healthcare

Employee-driven initiatives

Job summary

A health-focused nonprofit organization in Potsdam is seeking a Scientific Lead for Health Data Research. This full-time role involves leading a team of researchers to drive the applied research agenda, ensuring alignment with product strategy and stakeholder needs. Ideal candidates will have a PhD and experience in translating scientific work into real-world impact. The organization offers a diverse team, flexible working arrangements, and a commitment to social responsibility.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to connect scientific work to product strategy.
• Experience working in industry, not only academia.
• Proven experience leading teams in an organizational setting.
• Experience managing performance and priorities in a non-academic environment.
• Hands-on expertise with RWD/RWE and skills in AI/ML visualization.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and grow a team of data scientists and researchers.
• Provide clear direction and prioritization across projects.
• Translate scientific opportunities into product-relevant use cases.
• Ensure research initiatives align with strategic priorities.
• Own and manage a portfolio of applied research projects.

Skills

Connecting scientific work to product strategy

Experience in industry/startups/applied research

Team leadership

Communicating with senior stakeholders

Hands-on expertise with RWD/RWE, R, Python

Knowledge of ETL processes, SQL databases

Track record of translating research into impact

PhD in relevant field

Education

PhD in Data Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or Public Health

Tools

R

Python

PostgreSQL

Job description

Scientific Lead - Health Data Research (f/m/x)

Permanent employee, Full-time · Berlin, Potsdam

Hi there!

Are you eager to learn new things and implement your own ideas while working with an international and passionate team of professionals? Would you like to contribute to digital research solutions that have a meaningful impact on healthcare and science?

As our Scientific Lead – Health Data Research, you will own and drive D4L’s applied research agenda at the intersection of science, product, and strategy.

You will be accountable for translating scientific opportunities into product-relevant initiatives, leading a multidisciplinary team, and ensuring that research outcomes create measurable value for our partners, products, and mission.

This is a leadership role with responsibility for people, project portfolio, and cross-functional alignment.

Your future role

Lead, develop, and grow a team of data scientists and researchers, including goal setting, performance management, and hiring

Provide clear direction and prioritisation across projects, enabling the team to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, product‑oriented environment

Translate scientific opportunities into product‑relevant use cases, and actively shape the product roadmap together with Product and Engineering

Ensure that research initiatives are aligned with D4L’s strategic priorities and partner needs, including external stakeholders such as the Hasso Plattner Foundation

Own and prioritise a portfolio of applied research projects, balancing scientific impact, product relevance, and resource constraints

Manage multiple concurrent initiatives across teams, ensuring timely delivery and scientific quality

Communicate scientific strategy and results to senior stakeholders, including management and external partners, in a clear and actionable way

Lead cross‑functional initiatives involving Product, Engineering, and Business Development, without direct authority over all contributors

Contribute to grant proposals, ethics applications, and scientific evaluations (e.g., D4L Impact Program)

What you need to succeed

Demonstrated ability to connect scientific work to product strategy, organisational goals, or business impact

Experience working in industry, startup, or applied research environments, not only academia

Proven experience leading teams in an organisational setting, including direct reports and/or cross‑functional teams

Experience managing performance, priorities, and delivery in a non‑academic environment

Experience communicating with senior stakeholders (e.g., leadership teams, partners, funders) and influencing decisions

Hands‑on expertise with RWD/RWE, solid skills in R, Python and AI/ML visualization, knowledge regarding FHIR, OMOP and OHDSI tools

Knowledge of ETL processes, SQL databases (PostgreSQL), deidentification, and handling unstructured data

Track record of translating research into real‑world impact (e.g., product features, policy influence, partnerships, or deployed solutions)

PhD (or MD/MS or equivalent) in Data Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health, or a related discipline with profound publishing activities

Why you will love working with us

Nonprofit work with a clear purpose: Make the world a healthier place. With us, you will find a fulfilling and meaningful task in a nonprofit environment that will advance our society.

A diverse and international team of professionals working together at 3 locations (Potsdam, Berlin and Singapore).

Real work life balance with flexible working hours, 30 days of paid vacation, and the possibility for mobile work.

The option to work abroad remotely up to 2 months per year from various countries, depending on your role and responsibilities.

Support in the areas of private healthcare and sustainable mobility.

Employee driven initiatives like the climate initiative and the DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) initiative.

Good to know

We especially welcome applicants from the LGBTQI+ community, people with a migration background, people of color, and individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses to the team.

If you need support or special assistance during the application or interview process due to a disability, please feel free to let us know and we are happy to accommodate you as much as possible.

This position offers an unlimited contract.

In this position you will be working from our Berlin/Potsdam office.

• Please enclose your complete documents (CV, letter of motivation, references, salary expectations and earliest possible starting date) with your application.

Data4Life is a nonprofit organization with the vision of making the world a healthier place. With an international team, we work together on the mission to digitize health research. By linking technology and research, we make health data available to research in a comprehensive, digital and secure way. Our interdisciplinary team in Potsdam, Berlin and Singapore brings together experts from fields such as product development, digital engineering, data security and science. Data4Life was founded in 2017 and is funded by the Hasso Plattner Foundation.

We care about Diversity: Many different lives, careers, and development paths lead to Data4Life. We welcome experts from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences to our international team, offering everyone equal opportunities to be themselves and develop to the best of their abilities. Diversity, equality, and inclusion are not just nice words at Data4Life – we put them into practice in all of our activities and projects, striving to incorporate them in our everyday lives. For this reason, we signed the Charta der Vielfalt (Diversity Charter) in 2022.