Associate Director, R & D Design Lead (all genders) - part-time/full-time

Merck Group; City Of London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company in the UK is seeking an Associate Director, R&D Design Lead to shape strategic Phase I-III clinical studies. The ideal candidate will have a PhD, 7+ years of relevant experience, and strong skills in clinical study design and analytics. Responsibilities include standardizing benchmarking, streamlining workflows, and integrating emerging technologies like AI/ML. This role requires excellent communication skills and strategic thinking.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in clinical study design, analytics, or leadership roles.
• Proven expertise in benchmarking and study optimization.
• Practical experience in analytic/programming tools.
• Strong communication skills for translating complex concepts.

Responsibilities

• Shape the strategic backbone of Phase I-III clinical studies.
• Standardize benchmarking and support innovative trial approaches.
• Streamline workflows for operational efficiency.
• Integrate technologies like AI/ML in study processes.

Skills

Clinical study design

Analytical skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Programming (R, Python)

Education

PhD in Biostatistics, Statistics, Epidemiology or related discipline

Tools

SQL

Snowflake

Job description

Your role:

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.

Department: HC‑RD‑DOD Operational Design Center

Job evaluation: AT‑level 3 (Expert)

Who you are:

• 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.