Director of Enabling Diagnostics Strategic Projects

Description

The Director of Enabling Diagnostics Strategic Projects (Dir. of R&D, Global Biomarker Platforms) is a key scientific, engineering, and strategic leader within the Veterinary Medicine Research and Development (VMRD) organization. This role is responsible for leading product innovation, technology discovery and business development within the biomarker diagnostics space. This includes identifying and evaluating emerging technologies, scouting external innovation, establishing strategic collaborations, and contributing to the creation of new business opportunities that align with Zoetis’s growth objectives. The role requires strong external engagement to build a pipeline of next-generation capabilities and foster partnerships that accelerate platform and assay innovation.

While this role sits within the Technology Discovery Discipline team, the Director of EDx Strategic Projects is responsible for supporting the greater Global biomarker Platform team in the design, development, integration, and deployment of biomarker-driven diagnostic solutions that support Zoetis’s Therapeutics and Biologics strategies. The role plays a central role in advancing precision animal health by translating biomarker discoveries into differentiated diagnostic products across electro-mechanical, optical, and digital platforms.

Working closely with both the Biomarker Discovery Labs in Fort Collins, CO, and the diagnostic development group in Durham, NC, the Dir. EDx Strategic Projects ensures seamless integration of external partnerships, management of projects run externally within the areas of assay science, platform engineering, and system design to create robust, scalable diagnostic tools. The role contributes across all phases of the product development lifecycle—from concept through launch—by combining and managing external collaborations with eye on product integration, level challenges and ensure product readiness for manufacturing and commercialization.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Act as SME for internal and external innovation partners in evaluating cutting-edge technologies (consumables, assay reagents, platforms and more) of potential interest to Zoetis’s R&D and technology discovery teams
• Evaluate internal and external collaboration partners deemed fit-for-purpose for new and ongoing internal product discovery and development projects
• Initiate, manage and integrate internal and external collaboration partners into projects ensuring robust performance, scalability, and manufacturability
• Act as Microfluidic and consumable SME on project teams, ensuring full integration of smart technology and assay designs
• Translate EDx requirements into diagnostic platform and assay specifications and guide technical implementation with a focus on functionality, reliability, and user experience.
• Act as product SME between diagnostic platform development and biomarker/assay science teams, enabling optimal diagnostic product design and performance.
• Integrate microfluidic technologies into diagnostic platforms where applicable, optimizing fluid handling, assay precision, and automation to enable next-generation sample-to-answer solutions.
• Innovate and implement advanced diagnostic algorithms and system-level integration across technologies
• Bring expert microfluidic, technology and detection knowledge to product teams during system bring-up and full integration testing, identifying and resolving technical issues across hardware, software, and assay components.
• Provide expert input into risk assessments, mitigation planning, and stage gate documentation in line with Zoetis development best practices.
• Work in close collaboration with EI and BD to assess and handle supplier engagement and coordination to align design and production readiness of platform components
• Champion continuous innovation across product technologies to expand Zoetis’s Enabling diagnostic portfolio in support of precision animal health

QUALIFICATIONS:

PhD in an Engineering discipline, mechanical or material science degree preferred.

• 15+ years of experience in diagnostic or other medical device product developing with a track record of increasing responsibility
• Track record of diagnostic or medical device product launches
• Track record of effective leadership, direct and indirect management
• Track record of strong business and corporate acumen
• Experience with technology, consumables and mircrofluidic product assessments, with eye to deplorability, manufacturability and product stability
• Experience managing partnerships in a highly matrixed organization
• Patent and regulation knowledge desired

About Zoetis

At Zoetis, our purpose is to nurture the world and humankind by advancing care for animals. As a Fortune 500 company and the world leader in animal health, we discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and other technologies for companion animals and livestock. We know our people drive our success. Our award-winning culture, built around our Core Beliefs, focuses on our colleagues’ careers, connection and support. We offer competitive healthcare and retirement savings benefits, along with an array of benefits, policies and programs to support employee well-being in every sense, from health and financial wellness to family and lifestyle resources.

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