Associate Director, Microbiology

BioTalent; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

BioTalent is seeking an Associate Director of Microbiology to build and lead a new microbiology function supporting the development of an innovative molecular detection platform. This hands-on leadership role requires defining strategy, building a team, and driving assay development, verification, validation, and commercialization in a fast-paced R&D setting.

You will oversee microbial culturing, DNA workflows, and cross-functional collaboration with R&D, Quality, Regulatory, and Clinical teams

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or related field.
• 10+ years of microbiology experience within biotech, molecular diagnostics, or clinical laboratory settings.
• Experience leading scientific teams and assay development programs.
• Strong knowledge of FDA-regulated environments, ISO 13485, and design controls.

Responsibilities

• Lead microbiology strategy across assay development, sample preparation, and V&V activities.
• Build and scale the microbiology team, processes, and laboratory infrastructure.
• Oversee microbial culturing, sample preparation, strain management, and genomic DNA workflows.
• Partner cross-functionally with R&D, Quality, Regulatory, and Clinical teams.
• Support regulatory submissions, quality systems, and commercialization efforts.
• Develop SOPs, documentation, and microbiology best practices in a regulated environment.

Skills

Leadership

Strategy development

Cross-functional collaboration

Assay development

Regulatory experience

Project management

Education

MS or PhD in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or related field

Job description

BioTalent is supporting a fast growing biotechnology company in the search for an Associate Director of Microbiology to build and lead a new microbiology function supporting the development of an innovative molecular detection platform.

This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for an experienced microbiology professional who can define strategy, build a team, and drive assay development, verification, validation, and commercialization activities in a fast-paced R&D environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead microbiology strategy across assay development, sample preparation, and V&V activities
• Build and scale the microbiology team, processes, and laboratory infrastructure
• Oversee microbial culturing, sample preparation, strain management, and genomic DNA workflows
• Partner cross-functionally with R&D, Quality, Regulatory, and Clinical teams
• Support regulatory submissions, quality systems, and commercialization efforts
• Develop SOPs, documentation, and microbiology best practices in a regulated environment

Requirements

• MS or PhD in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or related field
• 10+ years of microbiology experience within biotech, molecular diagnostics, or clinical laboratory settings
• Prior experience leading scientific teams and assay development programs
• Strong knowledge of FDA-regulated environments, ISO 13485, and design controls
• Hands-on expertise in microbial culturing, DNA extraction, PCR/qPCR, and related molecular techniques
• Experience supporting regulated product development and commercialization activities preferred

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