Senior Principal Statistician, Early Development (Director Level)

Genentech; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 171,600 - 318,600; Full time

Job summary

Genentech seeks an Early Development Senior Principal Statistician in South San Francisco to lead the statistical design and strategy of complex early phase clinical studies. You will apply your expertise in statistical methods to enhance clinical trial strategies. With at least 12 years of experience, preferably in early-phase development, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams and support data-driven decision-making processes to improve patient outcomes. A competitive salary range of $171,600 - $318,600 is offered based on experience.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in clinical trial statistics.
• Expertise in Bayesian adaptive trials and model-based decision-making.
• Proven leadership in cross-functional projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead statistical design of complex early phase studies.
• Shape exploratory clinical research strategy and decisions.
• Guide integration of multimodal data into trial design.

Skills

Clinical trial statistics

Statistical design

Communication skills

Leadership

Problem solving

Education

PhD or MSc in Statistics or related field

Job description

The Position

This role is in Early Development Biometrics (EDB), a core function within Product Development Data Sciences (PDD) that provides strategic leadership and scientific rigor across early clinical development at Roche. We partner across Biostatistics, Analytical Data Science, and Data Management to enable data-driven decision-making from first-in-human through proof-of-concept studies.

As trusted partners in early development, we design efficient and innovative clinical trials, apply rigorous statistical methods, and implement high-quality programming and analytical solutions to accelerate timelines, de‑risk development, and increase the probability of technical success. Our integrated teams operate with agility and scientific depth, supporting exploratory analyses, early regulatory engagements, and complex data‑generation needs across therapeutic areas. Together, we bring scientific rigor, technical innovation, and strategic insight to shape the future of early development and deliver better outcomes for patients.

Early Development Biometrics is also home to the Statistical Methodology group, which enables the most impactful use of quantitative methodology across PDD through internal consultation, external collaboration, and continuous capability building; and Visual Analytics, which creates and maintains interactive dashboards that drive high-quality Medical Data Review (MDR) and safety signal detection, aligned with Risk-Based Quality Management (RBQM) principles and Critical-to-Quality (CtQ) endpoints.

The Opportunity

The Early Development Senior Principal Statistician is a critical partner in the design and analysis of exploratory clinical studies, applying statistical expertise to guide early-phase trial strategy, design, and interpretation. This role ensures scientific rigor while maintaining the flexibility needed for hypothesis generation and signal detection. Responsibilities include contributing to protocol design, developing statistical analysis plans, and analyzing complex, often high‑dimensional data to inform early go/no‑go decisions and regulatory interactions. The statistician helps shape the early clinical narrative by ensuring data are robust, interpretable, and aligned with the evolving development strategy.

• You lead the statistical design and strategy of the most complex early phase studies and programs (e.g., first‑in‑class, seamless Phase I/II trials, or novel platform designs), ensuring alignment with exploratory development goals and translational hypotheses.
• You serve as a primary statistical advisor for therapeutic area or disease area strategy, shaping portfolio decisions through innovative design and data interpretation approaches.
• You anticipate and address methodological challenges in exploratory clinical research, guiding the integration of multimodal data (e.g., biomarkers, imaging, real‑world data) into early trial design and analysis.
• You represent the function in senior governance discussions, driving decisions on dose or regimen optimization, early investment, and progression to later stages.
• You co‑lead cross‑functional initiatives to improve early development statistical strategy and operational excellence, including standardization of adaptive design approaches and decision‑making frameworks.
• You guide the statistical content of strategic regulatory engagements (e.g., EMA Scientific Advice, FDA EoP1) and author key statistical components of submission packages.
• You provide technical leadership to statisticians and cross‑functional colleagues, acting as a recognized expert in early development design and a senior advisor across studies or therapeutic area teams.
• You actively contribute to internal innovation by proposing and evaluating new methods, supporting capability building, and aligning with enterprise level modeling and AI/ML efforts.

Who You Are

• You hold a PhD or MSc in Statistics, Biostatistics, or a closely related quantitative field.
• You bring a minimum of 12 years of experience in clinical trial statistics, including advanced contributions to early development strategy.
• You have recognized expertise in applying advanced statistical design and modeling approaches (e.g., Bayesian adaptive trials, model‑based decision‑making) in early phase clinical development.
• You have a proven record of leadership in high‑impact cross‑functional projects or initiatives across multiple molecules or disease areas.
• You have outstanding communication skills with the ability to influence senior clinical and regulatory stakeholders.
• You demonstrate independent thinking and make decisions based on sound principles.
• You demonstrate excellent strategic agility including problem solving and critical thinking, with agility that extends beyond the technical domain.
• You demonstrate respect for cultural differences when interacting with colleagues in the global workplace.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills in presentation and writing, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts in clear language.

Preferred

• Experience leading disease area statistical strategy or acting as a statistical representative in enterprise‑level initiatives across Clinical Development, Clinical Pharmacology, Translational Medicine, Regulatory, and Biomarker teams.
• Experience leading disease area statistical strategy or acting as a statistical representative in enterprise‑level initiatives.
• Familiarity with AI/ML, real‑world data, or novel data sources in early‑phase analytics.
• Contributions to external working groups, scientific collaborations, or published statistical innovation in early development.

Relocation benefits are not available for this posting.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of California is $171,600 - $318,600. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job‑related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Benefits

Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.