Senior Manager of Research and Development

What You'll Do

Research Leadership & Execution

Contribute to the R&D strategy and roadmap aligned with the company’s vision and business goals, and own execution of assigned programs, balancing internal efforts with effective external collaborations.

Stay current on emerging trends and opportunities in probiotics, microbiome research, and related biopharma fields.

Work closely with the Executive, Clinical, Revenue, Data and Product teams to support and help drive key cross-functional initiatives.

Serve as a resource and contributor across multiple departments for cross-functional projects, including consumer studies, investigator studies, and regulatory dossiers.

Coordinate with other key departments, including Marketing, as well as external partners, to support science-based initiatives, including consumer studies.

Communicate R&D progress, findings, and project plans to Product leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Attend and, where appropriate, present at industry conferences and scientific meetings.

Innovation and Product Development

Lead the design, development, and optimization of assigned microbiome products, formulations, and delivery systems.

Support innovation through collaboration with academic institutions, research organizations, and industry partners.

Contribute as a scientific lead on the science team, partnering with scientific staff to help develop a scientific roadmap and research strategy.

Inspire a culture of scientific rigor and innovation, translating discoveries into high-impact applications.

Team Leadership and Development

Establish clear goals, KPIs, and performance metrics for your team and projects.

Manage, mentor, and develop a team of scientists, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.

Provide technical guidance, troubleshoot experimental challenges, and ensure the successful execution of research projects.

Project Management

Oversee multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery of milestones within budget.

Have a multiplicative effect by building and harmonizing data analysis infrastructure and best practices within the team and aligning analysis and infrastructure practices with Pendulum’s Data Science and Engineering.

Coordinate with cross-functional teams to manage external partnerships, including contract research organizations (CROs) and manufacturing partners.

What You’ll Need

Education

Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or a related field (or an M.S. with equivalent additional experience).

Experience

Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in R&D within the biopharma or biotech industry, with at least 2–3 years in a management or team-lead role.

Record of high-quality achievement demonstrated by increasing responsibilities, promotions, peer-reviewed publications, patents, and/or successfully developed products.

Track record of supporting effective cross-functional teams and collaborating closely with bench scientists. Direct experience developing novel assays directly or indirectly with external academic collaborators.

Experience generating and standardizing experimental data to integrate with AI, machine learning, and predictive in silico workflows.

Hands-on expertise in microbiome research or related disciplines.

Experience contributing to products moving from concept to market in a regulated environment.

Skills

Possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to design and interpret complex experiments, analyze large datasets (e.g., microbiome sequencing data, metabolomics), and draw meaningful conclusions.

Deep understanding of microbiome science, probiotic strains, formulation science, and biopharma product development.

Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills.

Ability to foster cross-functional collaboration and manage external partnerships.

Preferred Qualifications

Publications or patents in microbiome-related fields.

Familiarity with relevant cell culture and in vitro assays critical to characterizing strains, understanding their function, and optimizing formulations.

Salary & Beneifts

$190,000 - 210,000

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Commuter Benefits

Life & STD Insurance

Company match on 401 (k)

Flexible Time Off (FTO)

Equity