Director​/Senior Director, Assay Development

FULL TIME | ON SITE | SAN DIEGO, HEADQUARTERS SALARY RANGE: $190,000 - $220,000

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

EXOKĒRYX accelerates cancer and disease research by equipping scientists with advanced tools for extracellular vesicle (EV) isolation, characterization, and analysis. The company leverages semiconductor and automated chip-based technologies, including dielectrophoresis, to achieve higher EV recovery and purity. By decoding EV biomarkers, EXOKĒRYX enables discovery of highly sensitive methods for earlier disease detection and diagnosis. The long-term goal is to deliver affordable, high-sensitivity solutions that make annual testing for cancer and other diseases accessible to everyone, in close collaboration with leading researchers.

This Director or Senior Director of Assay Development is responsible for leading the development and validation of our assays and product applications.

This role requires a dynamic leader who can drive departmental and cross-company teams, ensure cross-functional collaboration, and maintain alignment with business objectives.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in life science product development, including phase-gated design control, and a deep understanding of protein- and nucleic-acid-based applications.

• Direct scientists, research associates, and managers in assay and application development activities.
• Keep the technical pulse of the extracellular vesicle market, providing subject matter expertise on assays, applications, and analytes of interest.
• Anticipate technical challenges and proactively design workflows/experiments to mitigate risks.
• Lead the analysis and interpretation of results, clearly communicating findings and proposing next steps to a variety of audience types.
• Efficiently manage technical goals, department objectives, and direct reports in parallel, prioritizing activities to meet targets in a rapidly evolving environment.
• Collaborate closely with company leaders to shape and execute Exokeryx’s product strategy.
• Drive innovative ideas and solutions, maintaining alignment with company objectives.
• Effectively manage assay and application budget to support the attainment of company objectives.
• Effectively prioritize projects based on leadership alignment, and when priorities are unclear, drive alignment activities.

• PhD with 7+ years relevant industry experience, or BS with 12+ years relevant industry experience
• Successful track record for life science product development
• Expertise in the design and development of protein and nucleic acid assays
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Open-minded and innovative, with a strong sense of time management, organization, and prioritization
• Data-driven decision making, with demonstrable expertise in relevant statistical methodologies
• Proven leadership in building, mentoring, and managing teams