Bring more to life.
Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?
At Leica Biosystems, 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 Leica Biosystems, we’re not just shaping the future of cancer diagnostics — we’re transforming lives. Our mission of “Advancing Cancer Diagnostics, Improving Lives” is the driving force behind everything we do. As a global leader with the most comprehensive portfolio spanning from biopsy to diagnosis, we empower clinicians with innovative, reliable solutions so they can give patients timely, accurate answers when they need them most. When you join Leica Biosystems, you’re not just taking a job; you’re becoming part of a passionate team that knows every moment matters when it comes to cancer. You’ll help develop diagnostic solutions that turn anxiety into answers, and aid the acceleration of next-generation, life-changing therapies. Surrounded by a diverse and collaborative global community, you’ll be inspired each day to stretch, grow, and make an impact.
Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.
The Manager, Research and Development at Leica Biosystems, is responsible for leading a high‑performing R&D team accountable for the successful delivery of new products / assays within a regulated medical device environment. This role balances near‑term execution with the development of technical and leadership capability required for sustained innovation.
This position is part of the Research and Development Organization located in Newcastle upon Tyne and will be on-site.
You will be a part of a collaborative R&D leadership team and report to the Senior Director, Research and Development, partnering closely with Product Management, Quality, Regulatory, Project Management, Manufacturing, Technical Operations and Clinical functions.
If you thrive in a leadership role where technical depth, people development, and disciplined execution come together to deliver meaningful impact — read on.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to:
Lead and develop an R&D team accountable for delivery of new products (cancer diagnostic assays) aligned to the product roadmap.
Translate organisational and functional strategy into clear team objectives using Danaher Business System (DBS) principles to drive results.
Build a strong, engaged, and diverse team through coaching, mentoring, and clear performance expectations.
Strengthen R&D capability in new product development (NPD) processes, ensuring a healthy internal talent pipeline for future technical and people leaders.
Provide technical leadership, proactively identifying project risks and driving timely, data‑based solutions.
Partner cross‑functionally to align development plans with customer needs, competitive insights, and emerging technologies.
Drive adoption of AI‑enabled technologies within R&D and NPD processes to accelerate innovation and speed to market.
The essential requirements of the job include:
Proven track record of delivering results in a regulated medical device or diagnostics environment (e.g. MHRA, FDA, ISO 13485, IVDR).
Strong working knowledge of medical device design control processes, including authoring and reviewing technical documentation.
Demonstrated people leadership experience within a technical or scientific environment.
Degree (or equivalent) in a relevant Biomedical, Biological, Chemistry, or closely related scientific discipline.
It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in:
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and In Situ Hybridization (ISH / FISH) Capabilities
Companion Diagnostics Development
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.
Skills Required
- Proven track record of delivering results in a regulated medical device or diagnostics environment
- Strong working knowledge of medical device design control processes
- Demonstrated people leadership experience within a technical or scientific environment
- Degree in Biomedical, Biological, Chemistry, or closely related scientific discipline
Cepheid Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cepheid and has not been reviewed or approved by Cepheid.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO and paid holidays are portrayed as robust, with formal programs and mentions of generous time off and rollover in some cases. This breadth supports a positive view of time-off availability.
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Healthcare Strength — Core medical, dental, and vision coverage is highlighted repeatedly and is viewed as comprehensive for regular full‑time employees. Descriptions such as “good” or “great” benefits reinforce the strength of the health coverage.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) plan with company matching is consistently included as part of the package. The presence of matching contributions strengthens perceived retirement readiness.
Cepheid Insights
What We Do
Cepheid is dedicated to improving healthcare by pioneering molecular diagnostics that combine speed, accuracy, and flexibility. The company's GeneXpert® systems and Xpert® tests automate highly complex and time-consuming manual procedures, providing A Better Way for institutions of any size to perform world-class PCR testing. Cepheid’s broad test portfolio spans respiratory infections, blood virology, women’s and sexual health, TB and emerging infectious diseases, healthcare-associated infectious diseases, oncology and human genetics. The company’s solutions deliver actionable results where they are needed most – from central laboratories and hospitals to near-patient settings. For more information, visit http://www.cepheid.com.
