Director, Human Resources

Cepheid; Lodi (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Cepheid, a Danaher operating company, seeks a Director of Human Resources for its Lodi, California campus. This on-site role leads HR strategy for IVD manufacturing, plastics operations, and logistics, partnering with site leadership to shape people plans in a fast-paced, highly technical environment.

The role directs the HR team, guides succession planning, and integrates Lean/DBS practices to improve performance while ensuring compliance and robust employee relations. Travel is occasional.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field with 10+ years of progressive HR experience including 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven HR leader with ability to drive talent and organizational strategy for the Lodi site today and mobility for broader HR leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop HR teams and partner with senior leaders and frontline managers.
• Strong communication and influencing skills within a matrixed organization.
• Experience managing direct reports and contingent workforce, including agency partnerships and cost control.
• Hands-on experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or DBS to improve HR or business processes.
• Deep knowledge of employment law and HR compliance, with success managing complex employee relations.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR Business Partner to Lodi IVD and Plastics Operations leaders, aligning people strategies to site objectives and growth plans.
• Provide strategic counsel on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent strategies to support scalable manufacturing operations.
• Act as a member of the Lodi Site Leadership Team, contributing an HR perspective to operational, safety, and expansion decisions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Quality/Regulatory, EHS, Finance, and other teams to drive overall site performance.
• Champion a safety-first culture in partnership with EHS, reinforcing safety and quality as core site values.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Lodi HR team, setting clear goals aligned to site and global HR priorities.
• Drive talent management, succession planning, and associate development to build leadership capability and future bench strength.

Skills

HR Leadership

Strategic Planning

Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Bring more to life.

Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?

Bring more to life.

Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?

At Cepheid, one of Danaher’s 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives—and we’re all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact.

You’ll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher’s system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life.

At Cepheid, we are passionate about improving health care through fast, accurate, molecular diagnostic systems and tests. As a member of our team, you’ll get to make an immediate, measurable impact on a global scale, within an environment that fosters career growth and development. Our mission drives us to develop groundbreaking solutions for the world’s most complex health challenges. Together, we bring MORE change to the world.

Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.

The Director, Human Resources is responsible for strategic HR Business Partnership and site HR leadership for Cepheid’s Lodi, California campus, which encompasses in‑vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturing, plastics injection molding operations, and our logistics hub. Partnering with the Vice President, Lodi Operations, you will be a key member of the Lodi Site Leadership Team, providing HR strategy and hands‑on support in a fast‑paced, highly technical manufacturing environment, managing a team of HR professionals in a multi‑shift environment.

This position reports to the Vice President, Human Resources, Cepheid Global Operations and is part of the Cepheid Human Resources team. This role is located in Lodi, CA and will be an on‑site role.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate:

• Serve as the lead HR Business Partner to Lodi IVD and Plastics Operations leaders, aligning people strategies to site objectives and growth plans.
• Provide strategic counsel on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent strategies to support scalable manufacturing operations.
• Act as a member of the Lodi Site Leadership Team, contributing an HR perspective to operational, safety, and expansion decisions.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Operations, Quality/Regulatory, EHS, Finance, and other teams to drive overall site performance.
• Champion a safety‑first culture in partnership with EHS, reinforcing safety and quality as core site values.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Lodi HR team, setting clear goals aligned to site and global HR priorities.
• Drive talent management, succession planning, and associate development to build leadership capability and future bench strength.

The Essential Requirements Of The Job Include

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, with 10+ years of progressive HR experience including 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven HR leader who can drive talent and organizational strategy for the Lodi site today while demonstrating the leadership capability, enterprise mindset, and mobility to assume broader HR leadership responsibilities in the future.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop HR teams while building strong, trusted partnerships with senior leaders and frontline managers.
• Strong communication and influencing skills with the ability to operate effectively within a matrixed organization.
• Proven experience managing direct reports and contingent or temporary workforces, including agency partnerships, compliance, and cost control.
• Hands‑on experience leading change initiatives and applying Lean, Six Sigma, or DBS methodologies to improve HR or business processes.
• Deep knowledge of employment law and HR compliance, with demonstrated success managing complex employee relations matters.

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environment Requirements

• Occasional travel (10-20%), usually planned for training, meetings or Danaher HR conferences. Most travel would be to Cepheid’s Sunnyvale, CA HQ.

It Would Be a Plus If You Also Possess

• Master’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field, and/or advanced HR certifications (SPHR, SHRM‑SCP), with 2+ years in senior HR leadership supporting manufacturing or operations environments of similar scale.
• Demonstrated success as an HR leader in a multi‑shift manufacturing setting, with experience developing and executing HR strategies that drive performance and employee engagement.
• Experience supporting manufacturing or operations environments, preferably within life sciences, medical device, IVD, or other regulated industries.
• Experience leading distributed or matrixed HR teams, with the ability to effectively manage direct and indirect reports; DBS, Lean, Six Sigma, and familiarity with cGMP/ISO/FDA environments are strongly preferred.

Cepheid, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

The annual salary range for this role is $160,000 – $220,000 USD. This is the range that we in good faith believe is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

This job is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Join our winning team today. Together, we’ll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology. We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life.

For more information, visit www.danaher.com.

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We comply with federal and state disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact: 1-202-419-7762 or [e-mail].