New

Associate Director/Director, New Oncology Product Innovation

San Carlos, CA; US Remote

Position Summary: We are seeking a strategic and driven Associate Director/Director, New Product Innovation – Oncology to lead the discovery, evaluation, and early development of novel oncology products tailored specifically for biopharma and academic customers. This role will focus on creating innovative solutions that address the unique and evolving needs of these critical segments, advancing precision oncology through cutting-edge technology and research partnerships.

The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in oncology diagnostics and therapeutics, combined with a strong understanding of the scientific demands and commercial expectations of both biopharma and academic customers. They will translate unmet needs into actionable product concepts, develop early-stage product strategies, and guide cross-functional teams in advancing innovations from ideation to proof-of-concept.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Engage closely with biopharma partners to identify opportunities for companion diagnostics, clinical trial support, and biomarker-driven product development.
  • Collaborate with academic researchers and institutions to co-develop innovative products that accelerate research and clinical translation in oncology.
  • Conduct Voice of Customer (VOC) interviews and market research focused on biopharma and academic users to define unmet needs, target product profiles (TPPs), and competitive differentiation.
  • Develop and prioritize early product concepts, business cases, and value assessments tailored to the complex requirements and use cases of biopharma and academic customers.
  • Guide the evaluation of emerging technologies, including genomics, AI/ML analytics, and high-dimensional multimodal data, with a focus on their applicability to research and clinical trial settings.
  • Lead cross-functional teams in designing and executing proof-of-concept studies and feasibility assessments targeted at these customer segments.
  • Drive strategic pipeline prioritization and roadmap planning that aligns with biopharma development timelines and academic research cycles.
  • Support due diligence and partnership evaluations for external innovation opportunities that serve biopharma and academic customers.
  • Act as a cross-functional champion for customer-centric innovation across R&D, Clinical, Business Development, and Marketing teams.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (PhD, MD, MBA) preferred in life sciences, biomedical engineering, or related fields.
  • Minimum 7+ years of experience in product management, strategy, or innovation roles within oncology, diagnostics, pharma, or academic research settings.
  • Demonstrated experience working with biopharma clients and/or academic collaborators in oncology or precision medicine.
  • Proven ability to lead early-stage product innovation that balances scientific rigor with commercial insight in regulated environments.
  • Strong understanding of clinical trial processes, biomarker development, and the research pipeline dynamics relevant to oncology.
  • Expertise in financial modeling, market analysis, and business case development tailored to biopharma and academic customer needs.
  • Excellent communication and leadership skills with ability to collaborate across diverse technical and commercial teams.

Key Competencies and Attributes:

  • Customer-focused innovator with a passion for addressing the specific needs of biopharma and academic oncology sectors.
  • Strong analytical and strategic thinker with hands-on problem-solving skills.
  • Effective collaborator and influencer able to align stakeholders and drive consensus.
  • Adaptive leader who thrives in fast-paced environments requiring agility and creativity.
The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.

San Carlos, CA

$180,000 - $250,000 USD

The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.

Remote USA

$160,900 - $230,200 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

For more information, visit www.natera.com.

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents. 

Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.

For more information:
- BBB announcement on job scams 
- FBI Cyber Crime resource page 

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Natera? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Employment

Select...
Select...

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Natera values transparency and fair hiring practices. Disclosure of a family relationship does not automatically disqualify you from employment. This information helps us comply with our internal policies on conflicts of interest and reporting structures.

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Natera’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.