Olympus Corporation of the Americas
Director, External Research Programs
Olympus Corporation of the Americas, Westborough, Massachusetts, us, 01581
Working Location
Massachusetts, Westborough
Workplace Flexibility Field
Job Description This role is responsible for driving the successful execution of Olympus’s External Research Program—including investigator‑initiated trials, collaborative research, and real‑world evidence projects—and for leading the development and optimization of scalable processes that support the creation of evidence generation strategies. The individual oversees a team of clinical scientists and ensures that external research activities are executed with scientific rigor and operational excellence while also establishing and refining the infrastructure needed to enable consistent, high‑quality evidence planning across the organization. This position requires an inspiring leader with a deep understanding of clinical research, external collaborations, and real‑world evidence generation, who thrives in a dynamic and cross‑functional environment.
Job Duties
Manage execution of Olympus’s External Research Program, ensuring studies are strategically designed to align with business priorities, efficiently run, and scientifically impactful.
Lead and mentor a team of clinical scientists supporting external research and evidence generation activities; foster a collaborative and process‑driven culture that emphasizes scientific rigor, accountability, quality, and efficiency.
Provide guidance to clinical scientists on strategic elements of evidence generation strategy development and clinical trial design (protocol and CRF development), execution (data collection, analysis, and interpretation), and closeout (final reporting).
Develop, implement, and continuously refine processes and tools for developing/managing evidence generation strategies and externally sponsored research.
Oversee process for review and approval of external research proposals, including intake, scientific and operational review, contracting, tracking, and deliverables.
Partner with cross‑functional teams including Clinical Research leadership, legal, compliance, medical, and finance to facilitate seamless study start‑up, execution, and closure.
Monitor portfolio‑level metrics and provide reporting to leadership on program status, bottlenecks, and continuous improvement opportunities.
Participate in strategic and operating planning activities in partnership with the Global Clinical Leads, translating corporate and divisional initiatives into operational plans.
Present updates on the external research program to internal and external stakeholders; support publication strategies.
Ensure studies conducted under the external research program framework comply with relevant Olympus policies, procedures, regional and local regulatory requirements, and global guidelines and standards.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Job Qualifications Required:
BA/BS degree in life sciences or related field.
Minimum of 10 years medical device industry experience post‑degree, preferably in Clinical Research, Clinical Development or Medical Affairs within the medical device industry.
Minimum of 5 years of direct people management experience.
Experience leading externally sponsored research programs and developing evidence generation strategies that include investigator‑initiated trials, collaborative research and real‑world evidence.
Demonstrated track record of developing and implementing operational processes to support external research programs across multiple geographies.
Strong cross‑functional collaboration experience, including working with Legal, Compliance, Regulatory, Medical Affairs, and Clinical Operations.
Familiarity with relevant regulations and standards (e.g., GCP, GDPR, Sunshine Act, clinical trial transparency, research compliance).
Experience with research governance systems or platforms for intake, study tracking, and document management.
Experience working in a global cross‑functional team (functional/matrix) environment and knowledge and/or experience working with groups with varied cultural backgrounds and learning styles is required.
Strong project and portfolio management skills, including use of tools for timelines, milestones, and performance metrics.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to engage with internal stakeholders and external investigators.
Strong organizational and follow‑up skills, as well as attention to detail.
Strong consulting, facilitation, and communication skills bridging scientific and business priorities, to manage effective international and cross‑divisional collaboration.
Domestic and international travel up to 5‑10%, including weekend and evening travel as needed to support business objectives and ongoing development of physician relationships.
Scheduling flexibility to commit to a global weekly schedule (Tuesday – Wednesday – Thursday) navigating multiple time zones with extended hours into the early morning as well as late evenings.
Preferred:
Advanced degree in life sciences, medicine or related field.
Benefits
Competitive salaries, annual bonus and 401(k) with company match
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision coverage effective on start date
24/7 Employee Assistance Program
Free live and on‑demand Wellbeing Programs
Generous Paid Vacation and Sick Time
Paid Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
12 Paid Holidays
On‑Site Child Daycare, Café, Fitness Center (Center Valley, PA and Westborough, MA)
Employment and Accommodations Applicants requesting accommodations: Olympus is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact OCAAccommodations@olympus.com. If your disability impairs your ability to email, you may call our HR Compliance Manager at 1‑888‑Olympus (1‑888‑659‑6787).
It is the policy of Olympus to extend equal employment and advancement opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, ancestry, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
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Workplace Flexibility Field
Job Description This role is responsible for driving the successful execution of Olympus’s External Research Program—including investigator‑initiated trials, collaborative research, and real‑world evidence projects—and for leading the development and optimization of scalable processes that support the creation of evidence generation strategies. The individual oversees a team of clinical scientists and ensures that external research activities are executed with scientific rigor and operational excellence while also establishing and refining the infrastructure needed to enable consistent, high‑quality evidence planning across the organization. This position requires an inspiring leader with a deep understanding of clinical research, external collaborations, and real‑world evidence generation, who thrives in a dynamic and cross‑functional environment.
Job Duties
Manage execution of Olympus’s External Research Program, ensuring studies are strategically designed to align with business priorities, efficiently run, and scientifically impactful.
Lead and mentor a team of clinical scientists supporting external research and evidence generation activities; foster a collaborative and process‑driven culture that emphasizes scientific rigor, accountability, quality, and efficiency.
Provide guidance to clinical scientists on strategic elements of evidence generation strategy development and clinical trial design (protocol and CRF development), execution (data collection, analysis, and interpretation), and closeout (final reporting).
Develop, implement, and continuously refine processes and tools for developing/managing evidence generation strategies and externally sponsored research.
Oversee process for review and approval of external research proposals, including intake, scientific and operational review, contracting, tracking, and deliverables.
Partner with cross‑functional teams including Clinical Research leadership, legal, compliance, medical, and finance to facilitate seamless study start‑up, execution, and closure.
Monitor portfolio‑level metrics and provide reporting to leadership on program status, bottlenecks, and continuous improvement opportunities.
Participate in strategic and operating planning activities in partnership with the Global Clinical Leads, translating corporate and divisional initiatives into operational plans.
Present updates on the external research program to internal and external stakeholders; support publication strategies.
Ensure studies conducted under the external research program framework comply with relevant Olympus policies, procedures, regional and local regulatory requirements, and global guidelines and standards.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Job Qualifications Required:
BA/BS degree in life sciences or related field.
Minimum of 10 years medical device industry experience post‑degree, preferably in Clinical Research, Clinical Development or Medical Affairs within the medical device industry.
Minimum of 5 years of direct people management experience.
Experience leading externally sponsored research programs and developing evidence generation strategies that include investigator‑initiated trials, collaborative research and real‑world evidence.
Demonstrated track record of developing and implementing operational processes to support external research programs across multiple geographies.
Strong cross‑functional collaboration experience, including working with Legal, Compliance, Regulatory, Medical Affairs, and Clinical Operations.
Familiarity with relevant regulations and standards (e.g., GCP, GDPR, Sunshine Act, clinical trial transparency, research compliance).
Experience with research governance systems or platforms for intake, study tracking, and document management.
Experience working in a global cross‑functional team (functional/matrix) environment and knowledge and/or experience working with groups with varied cultural backgrounds and learning styles is required.
Strong project and portfolio management skills, including use of tools for timelines, milestones, and performance metrics.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to engage with internal stakeholders and external investigators.
Strong organizational and follow‑up skills, as well as attention to detail.
Strong consulting, facilitation, and communication skills bridging scientific and business priorities, to manage effective international and cross‑divisional collaboration.
Domestic and international travel up to 5‑10%, including weekend and evening travel as needed to support business objectives and ongoing development of physician relationships.
Scheduling flexibility to commit to a global weekly schedule (Tuesday – Wednesday – Thursday) navigating multiple time zones with extended hours into the early morning as well as late evenings.
Preferred:
Advanced degree in life sciences, medicine or related field.
Benefits
Competitive salaries, annual bonus and 401(k) with company match
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision coverage effective on start date
24/7 Employee Assistance Program
Free live and on‑demand Wellbeing Programs
Generous Paid Vacation and Sick Time
Paid Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
12 Paid Holidays
On‑Site Child Daycare, Café, Fitness Center (Center Valley, PA and Westborough, MA)
Employment and Accommodations Applicants requesting accommodations: Olympus is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact OCAAccommodations@olympus.com. If your disability impairs your ability to email, you may call our HR Compliance Manager at 1‑888‑Olympus (1‑888‑659‑6787).
It is the policy of Olympus to extend equal employment and advancement opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, ancestry, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
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