Director, Applied Research and Assay Development

DIRECT SALES, US; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 162,000 - 288,000; Full time

Job summary

Hologic, Inc. in San Diego, CA is seeking a Director of Applied Research and Assay Development to lead a team advancing early-stage diagnostic assays and technologies.

You will shape strategy and guide feasibility and development, translating discoveries into scalable products used by clinicians worldwide. This onsite role requires deep molecular diagnostics expertise, strong leadership, and collaboration with cross-functional teams across product development, regulatory, and quality.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in assay development, applied research, or product development within diagnostics or life sciences
• Demonstrated leadership in IVD or molecular diagnostics
• Advanced degree strongly preferred in a related discipline
• Deep expertise in molecular diagnostics and nucleic acid-based technologies
• Proven ability to translate early research into product development programs
• Strong understanding of FDA, ISO, CE Mark regulatory considerations
• Excellent scientific communication and stakeholder engagement skills

Responsibilities

• Lead applied research and assay development initiatives transforming concepts into viable diagnostic technologies.
• Drive feasibility studies, proof-of-concept experiments, and assay development strategies for future pipelines.
• Build and lead a high-performing, collaborative team of scientists.
• Partner with Product Development, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, and external collaborators.
• Evaluate emerging technologies to identify opportunities for differentiated diagnostics.
• Establish best practices for experimental design, data analysis, and documentation with regulatory compliance.
• Represent Hologic in scientific collaborations, conferences, and partnerships.

Skills

Assay development

Applied research

Product development

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Scientific communication

Education

PhD in Molecular Biology or related

Tools

Nucleic acid technologies

Molecular diagnostics platforms

Job description

Are you ready to help shape the future of diagnostic innovation? At Hologic, our Diagnostic Solutions R&D teams are advancing breakthrough technologies that improve patient outcomes across women's health, infectious disease, and oncology. Join our team and play a key role in translating scientific discovery into impactful diagnostic solutions used by clinicians around the world.

As Director, Applied Research and Assay Development, you will lead a team of scientists responsible for advancing early-stage research into robust diagnostic assays and technologies. You will drive scientific strategy, guide assay feasibility and development efforts, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to translate innovative ideas into scalable products.

In this role, you will combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership and program management skills to ensure research initiatives align with business priorities and pipeline strategy. Your leadership will help bridge the gap between discovery science and product development, accelerating the delivery of high-impact diagnostic solutions.

This is an onsite role in San Diego, CA.

What You'll Do

• Scientific Leadership: Lead applied research and assay development initiatives, transforming early scientific concepts into viable diagnostic technologies, assays, and platform capabilities. Drive scientific strategies across areas including molecular diagnostics, multiplex assay development, multiomic approaches, and emerging technologies that expand diagnostic performance, clinical utility, and product differentiation.
• Pipeline Advancement: Drive feasibility studies, proof-of-concept experiments, and assay development strategies that support future product pipelines.
• Team Leadership: Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of scientists, fostering a collaborative environment focused on innovation, rigor, and scientific excellence.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Product Development, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, and external collaborators to transition research programs toward development readiness.
• Technology Innovation: Evaluate emerging technologies and assay methodologies to identify opportunities for differentiated diagnostic solutions.
• Operational Excellence: Establish best practices for experimental design, data analysis, and documentation while ensuring quality and compliance with applicable regulatory standards.
• External Engagement: Represent Hologic in scientific collaborations, conferences, and external partnerships to strengthen the company’s innovation ecosystem. Participate in diligence activities in support of technology licensing or acquisitions.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of experience in assay development, applied research, or product development within diagnostics, biotechnology, or life sciences, including substantial leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading innovation within the IVD or molecular diagnostics industry, including evaluation, development, or application of emerging technologies and next-generation diagnostic approaches.
• Advanced degree (PhD strongly preferred) in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Deep expertise in molecular diagnostics, assay design, and nucleic acid-based technologies.
• Demonstrated success translating early research concepts into product development programs.
• Strong understanding of IVD product development processes and regulatory considerations (FDA, ISO, CE Mark).
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage complex research initiatives in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated ability to maximize team potential, drive high performance, and develop talent while aligning team execution with broader organizational strategy and business objectives.
• Excellent scientific communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Passion for innovation, scientific rigor, and improving patient outcomes through diagnostic technology.

The annualized base salary range for this hourly role is $161,800 - $287,700 and is bonus eligible. Final compensation packages will ultimately depend on factors including relevant experience, skillset, knowledge, geography, education, business needs and market demand.

Why Hologic?

We are committed to making Hologic the company where top talent comes to grow. For you to succeed, we want to enable you with the tools and knowledge required and so we provide comprehensive training when you join as well as continued development and training throughout your career.

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Hologic, Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer inclusive of disability and veterans.