Senior Program Officer, TB/HIV Diagnostics Research & Development

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 234,000 - 363,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Retirement contribution

Paid time off

Job summary

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is seeking a senior leader to refine and advance the TB Diagnostics R&D strategy. You will manage a high-impact portfolio, guiding scientific, technical, and partnership aspects of diagnostics development, with close collaboration to EDGE and TB/HIV teams.

The role drives innovation in low- and middle-income country settings and reports to the Deputy Director of TB Drugs & Diagnostics R&D.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in life sciences, biomedical engineering, public health, or related field.
• Substantial diagnostics product development or infectious disease R&D experience.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and pathways across diagnostic development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a strategic diagnostics R&D investment portfolio across discovery to implementation readiness.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership in diagnostics and device product development.
• Shape and implement program strategy with cross-functional TB/HIV Diagnostics R&D Initiative.
• Review funding opportunities and prepare concise analyses and funding recommendations.
• Travel up to 30% domestically and internationally.

Skills

Diagnostics product development

Infectious disease R&D

Regulatory knowledge

Cross-functional leadership

Education

PhD/MD with 10+ years

MSc with 15+ years

Tools

PCR

Sequencing

Job description

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

Our Global Health (GH) division harnesses advances in science and technology to save lives in developing countries. We focus on the health problems that have a major impact in developing countries but get too little attention and funding. Where tools exist, we support sustainable ways to improve their delivery. Where they don't, we invest in research and development of new interventions, such as vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. Our work in infectious diseases focuses on strategies to fight and prevent HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), neglected tropical diseases, enteric and diarrheal diseases, pneumonia and maternal, newborn and child health. Our TB and HIV work is combined under a joint TB/HIV Program Strategy Team (PST) which focuses on research, development and delivery of new products and tools. The goal of the tuberculosis (TB) Program Strategy is to accelerate the reduction in TB incidence globally through innovative discovery and development of new tools and approaches. The TB Program Strategy Team (PST) is responsible for research and development (R&D) investments targeting more effective TB interventions including vaccines, diagnostics, and drugs. The HIV team's strategic vision is to accelerate the reduction in the incidence of HIV infection in high-burden geographies and populations, with a focus on the development of new prevention and treatment interventions, including long-acting drugs, vaccines and biologics, and to enable their effective use. Accessible, low-cost, high-quality diagnostics are essential for early TB detection and for the success of any improved TB treatment regimen. The TB Diagnostics R&D portfolio focuses on near-point-of-care (nPOC) tests, distributable PCR kits, and affordable screening tools to expand testing and enable same-visit treatment initiation. HIV Diagnostics are an integral part of our planning for the effective introduction of novel long-acting prevention and treatment regimens. We work in close partnership with the Enterics, Diagnostics, Genomics & Epidemiology (EDGE) and TB/HIV Delivery teams to define and manage a research and development portfolio of TB diagnostics and devices.

Application Deadline: Friday, August 28, 2026

Your Role

You will be primarily responsible for refining, informing and advancing the TB Diagnostics R&D strategy through the shaping and management of a portfolio of high-impact investments aimed at accelerating the development, and validation of novel TB diagnostics and diagnostic devices for use in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). You will work in close partnership with the EDGE (Enterics, Diagnostics, Genomics & Surveillance) and TB Delivery teams to guide scientific, technical, and partnership aspects of the diagnostics development pipeline and ensure alignment with the foundation's TB diagnostics introduction goals. You will also collaborate with the HIV team to refine the HIV Diagnostics strategy and define potential high value HIV diagnostics investments designed to advance the foundation's HIV product introduction priorities. Together the role includes contributing to strategy formulation, managing complex grants and contracts, engaging with a diverse set of partners, and staying at the forefront of innovation and trends in diagnostics technologies. You will report to the Deputy Director of TB Drugs & Diagnostics R&D.

What You'll Do

• Lead and manage a strategic diagnostics R&D investment portfolio, applying scientific, technical, and business expertise to identify, assess, fund, and oversee grants and contracts across discovery, technology validation, clinical evaluation, and implementation readiness.
• Provide strategic and technical leadership in diagnostics and device product development, including risk-based decision-making, iterative milestone planning, and expert guidance to product developers, PDPs, academic groups, and implementing partners.
• Drive the creation and refinement of target product profiles (TPPs), use cases, and value propositions for TB/HIV diagnostics across diverse settings and populations, ensuring alignment with broader TB and HIV treatment and prevention strategies.
• Shape and implement program strategy by partnering with team leadership and contributing to the cross-functional TB/HIV Diagnostics R&D Initiative, including goal setting, investment planning, and execution.
• Review and recommend funding opportunities, including evaluation of letters of inquiry and proposals, and prepare clear, concise analyses and funding recommendations for internal stakeholders.
• Monitor and evaluate investment performance, conducting site visits, convening stakeholders, supporting grantees, and ensuring progress toward defined milestones and outcomes.
• Cultivate and manage partnerships across the TB/HIV ecosystem, including PDPs, diagnostics developers, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, global experts, and implementing agencies; proactively identify and establish new collaborations to accelerate innovation.
• Stay current with scientific, technological, and market trends relevant to diagnostics development—especially for low-and-middle-income country settings—and surface innovative approaches to accelerate cost-effective, geographically diverse product development.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams (e.g., TB/HIV R&D, TB/HIV Delivery, EDGE) to ensure diagnostic innovations integrate effectively with treatment and prevention R&D and delivery strategies.
• Manage portfolio information and decision processes, documenting key activities, contributing to business processes and performance measurement tools, and preparing materials for communication with foundation leadership.
• Represent the foundation externally, engaging in global development networks and contributing to thought leadership in TB/HIV diagnostics.
• Travel up to 30%, domestically and internationally, to support partners and investments.

Your Experience

• Advanced degree (PhD/MD with 10+ years, or MSc with 15+ years) in life sciences, biomedical engineering, public health, or related field, with substantial diagnostics product development or infectious disease R&D experience.
• Immunology expertise is a plus.
• Deep expertise in TB, HIV and/or infectious disease diagnostics, including end-to-end product development for point-of-care assays (e.g., protein-based, antigen/serology, and familiarity with molecular platforms such as PCR and sequencing).
• Proven experience leading diagnostic product development in industry, from early-stage concept through regulatory licensure.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and pathways across phases of diagnostic development.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate emerging technologies and align them with biomedical or public health applications.
• Experience developing, managing, and executing cross-functional product development plans and coordinating across scientific, clinical, operational, and external partners.
• Successfully managed complex partnerships, including with PDPs, biotech/industry, academic groups, and global health stakeholders.
• Experience working in or with partners in low-and-middle-income countries, with sensitivity to local implementation contexts.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with experience conveying complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated scientific writing and data analysis skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, simplify complex problems, and maintain flexibility, efficiency, and enthusiasm in fast-paced, matrixed environments.
• Strong judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities and confidential information.
• Intellectual curiosity, resourcefulness, resilience—and a sense of humor.
• Deep commitment to global health equity and the Foundation's mission, with strong results orientation.

The salary range for this role is $212,800 to $329,800 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $234,000 to $362,800 USD.

Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion - of voices, ideas, and approaches - and we support this diversity through all our employment practices. All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity. Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone - especially those with the fewest resources - has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.