Associate Director, Scientific Research

ILLUMINA SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biotechnology firm in Singapore is seeking an Associate Director to lead the Assay R&D team. This role involves developing and executing strategies, overseeing departmental operations, and managing a team of scientists. The ideal candidate has a PhD in a relevant field and over 10 years of experience in biotech product development. Strong leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration skills are essential for this role. The firm offers a dynamic work environment focused on innovation and excellence.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of extensive experience in reagent and product development in biotech or pharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and develop talent.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies aligned with organization goals.
• Oversee day-to-day departmental operations ensuring efficiency and quality.
• Manage, coach, and develop a team of scientists and managers.
• Drive evaluation and implementation of process improvements.
• Build relationships with functional groups across the organization.

Skills

Leadership skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Collaborative skills

Education

PhD or equivalent

Strong foundation in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics

Job description

Position Summary

Illumina, a world‑leading microarray and next‑generation sequencing (NGS) company, is seeking an Associate Director to lead the Singapore Assay R&D team. The successful candidate will lead in executing scientific R&D in the field of molecular biology and biochemistry to develop novel, best‑in‑class multiomix NGS products.

The Associate Director will be part of a multi‑disciplinary team working to execute the design and development of novel, robust products for Illumina sequencing platforms. They will be a strong technical and strategic contributor to the development of biochemistry and have a successful track record of working collaboratively on projects in a matrixed organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies focused on business excellence, aligning with the overall goals of the organization and company vision.

• Directly manage, guide, coach and develop a team of scientists, managers and other staff to meet project milestones and business objectives.

• Oversee day‑to‑day departmental operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, and compliance with company goals and standards.

• Lead or support various projects, including technology transfers, new process implementation and scientific initiatives, often across multiple sites or globally, through ambitious goals and challenging trade‑off decisions while maintaining an energized and motivating work environment.

• Liaise effectively and influence peers within departments and across the organization. Build and maintain close relationships with other functional groups in R&D, Process Engineering, Operations, Business Development, Product Management, and QA.

• Recommend targets for new capabilities, technologies and initiatives, and drive evaluation and implementation of process improvements and technological integration.

• Manage functional spending, budget creation, forecasting, and financial management activities for the department and its programs.

• Prioritize, align and adjust resources to ensure success across multiple projects and priorities.

Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated ability for strong leadership skills, including ability to lead teams, develop talent, and manage multiple priorities.

• Proven ability to assess and organize complex information, solve ambiguous problems, and develop actionable strategies.

• Excellent communication skills, including verbal, written and in presentation for effective engagement with diverse stakeholders.

• Proven experience in the biotech or pharma industry, with a strong understanding of relevant product development, operational and regulatory landscapes.

• Strong collaborative skills and ability to build relationships with global stakeholders.

Experience / Education

• Requires PhD or equivalent, with a strong foundation in relevant scientific discipline such as Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics or related fields.

• 10+ years of extensive experience in reagent and product development in biotech or pharmaceutical industry.