Associate Director, R & D Design Lead (all genders)

EMD Serono, Inc.; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biopharmaceutical company seeks an Associate Director, R&D Design Lead to shape clinical study designs for Phase I-III trials. The ideal candidate will have a PhD, over 7 years of experience in clinical analytics, and a strong background in leadership and collaboration. You will be integrating advanced methodologies while ensuring compliance. This role offers a dynamic work environment in the UK.

Qualifications

• PhD preferred in a relevant field.
• 7+ years of experience in clinical study design.
• Experience in benchmarking and study optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of Phase I-III clinical studies.
• Partner with cross-functional teams for solutions.
• Integrate AI/ML technologies into research.

Skills

Leadership and stakeholder influence

Clinical study design

Analytic/programming tools

Cross-functional collaboration

Innovative mindset

Excellence in communication

Education

Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Biostatistics or related

Tools

R

Python

SQL

Snowflake

Job description

Responsibilities

As the Associate Director, R&D Design Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic backbone of Phase I-III clinical studies. You will be responsible for responding to core business questions, leading benchmarking and analytic design, streamlining study processes, and enabling on-time, data-driven deliverables. In this role, you will partner with Design Analytics leadership and cross-functional teams to deliver fit-for-purpose, insightful, and efficient solutions that elevate study quality and operational agility. Your key responsibilities include standardizing benchmarking to inform efficient study designs, supporting innovative trial approaches using predictive modelling and analytics, and streamlining workflows for greater operational efficiency. You will support the capabilities team to deliver digital tools to monitor study progress, translate analytics into actionable designs, and drive adoption of advanced methodologies. By integrating emerging technologies like AI/ML and digital biomarkers, you will foster innovation while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and quality guidelines.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Biostatistics, Statistics, Epidemiology, or a related discipline.


• 7+ years of experience in clinical study design, analytics, or similar leadership roles within pharma/biotech (Associate Director or higher).


• Proven expertise in benchmarking, study optimization, and operational design frameworks.


• Practical experience in applying analytic/programming tools to solve problems (e.g., R/Python & SQL/Snowflake).


• Strong leadership and stakeholder influence skills; experience in cross-functional collaboration across clinical, regulatory, data science, operations, and strategy teams.


• Innovative mindset with strong strategic thinking, adept at balancing scientific rigor with efficiency.


• Excellence in communication-translating complex concepts into clear, impactful guidance.

Location and Benefits

Job location: could be in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Spain or UK

What we offer: We are curious minds that come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe that this variety drives excellence and innovation, strengthening our ability to lead in science and technology. We are committed to creating access and opportunities for all to develop and grow at your own pace. Join us in building a culture of inclusion and belonging that impacts millions and empowers everyone to work their magic and champion human progress! Ready to explore, break barriers, and discover more? We know you've got big plans - so do we! Our colleagues across the globe love innovating with science and technology to enrich people's lives with our solutions in Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics. Together, we dream big and are passionate about caring for our rich mix of people, customers, patients, and planet. That's why we are always looking for curious minds that see themselves imagining the unimaginable with us. United As One for Patients, our purpose in Healthcare is to help create, improve and prolong lives. We develop medicines, intelligent devices and innovative technologies in therapeutic areas such as Oncology, Neurology and Fertility. Our teams work together across 6 continents with passion and relentless curiosity in order to help patients at every stage of life. Joining our Healthcare team is becoming part of a diverse, inclusive and flexible working culture, presenting great opportunities for personal development and career advancement across the globe.