Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy, Rare Disease
Syneos Health, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy, Rare Disease
Updated:
February 13, 2026 Location:
USA-NC-Remote Job ID: 25101649
Description
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy, Rare Disease
Syneos Health® is a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success. We translate unique clinical, medical affairs and commercial insights into outcomes to address modern market realities.
Our Clinical Development model brings the customer and the patient to the center of everything that we do. We are continuously looking for ways to simplify and streamline our work to not only make Syneos Health easier to work with, but to make us easier to work for.
Whether you join us in a Functional Service Provider partnership or a Full-Service environment, you’ll collaborate with passionate problem solvers, innovating as a team to help our customers achieve their goals. We are agile and driven to accelerate the delivery of therapies, because we are passionate to change lives.
Discover what our 29,000 employees, across 110 countries already know:
WORK HERE MATTERS EVERYWHERE
Why Syneos Health
We are passionate about developing our people, through career development and progression; supportive and engaged line management; technical and therapeutic area training; peer recognition and total rewards program.
We are committed to our Total Self culture – where you can authentically be yourself. Our Total Self culture is what unites us globally, and we are dedicated to taking care of our people.
We are continuously building the company we all want to work for and our customers want to work with. Why? Because when we bring together diversity of thoughts, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives – we’re able to create a place where everyone feels like they belong.
Job Responsibilities Under the guidance and direction of the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), the
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
is responsible for supporting or leading matrix teams or enterprise-wide initiatives aimed at driving value by harnessing the Company’s scientific capabilities. The office of the CSO is focused on pulling together medical and scientific capabilities across the Company’s different functions and business units to create innovative solutions for our customers and to drive collaboration across the enterprise.
Examples of such teams/initiatives include the Cross Functional Constortia, Lab to Life delivery, and Cross BU solutions development, and our Biotechnology Customer Solutions Platform. The office of the CSO also drives and supports our Scientific communications and Thought Leadership Strategy. The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
will have responsibilities for contributing to and executing on this strategy in conjunction with the internal medical and scientific community.
The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
will have customer facing responsibilities that may include customer meetings to understand potential work models, bid defenses, or meetings aimed at increasing awareness and growth of our scientific reputation. The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
may engage C-level personnel to ensure the Company maintains complementary development pipelines with the potential to become long term and meaningful relationships for the Company.
The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
will interact with senior management, customers, business development, and project teams to coordinate services and provides direction and strategy for growth and provides consulting, as needed.
Integrates the Company’s resources (from all areas) to craft tailored scientific solutions for the targeted internal issues or customer problems. Consults with appropriate internal and external stakeholders regarding the respective area’s clinical and commercial issues and points of interest.
Acts as a primary senior-level contact for initiatives/teams the
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
is leading.
Participates in customer proposals, Request for Information (RFIs), presentations, proposal defenses and Steering Committees.
Responsible for coordinating the acquisition of necessary medical/scientific input from outside experts/consultants/advisors.
Represents the Company and the CSO office by attending industry meetings, speaking engagements, participating in booth exhibitions, etc., and by publishing scientific or industry related articles in industry journals.
Ensures quality standards are set and maintained over all areas of responsibility.
Line management responsibilities include professional development and performance management of subordinate staff. Delegates to and reviews progress and performance of all direct reports.
Other tasks and duties as determined appropriate by Executive Management.
Qualifications
MD, DO preferred.
Extensive clinical development leadership experience in biopharma, CRO, or consulting. Experience working inside a Pharma preferred.
Extensive leadership experience in a clinical research organization, including clinical operations, business development and management and/or senior management experience.
Academic or industry experience in clinical medicine or drug development.
Some experience in actively managing clinical research projects across functional areas preferred.
Thorough knowledge of FDA regulations, drug development, and clinical monitoring procedures is necessary.
Must have demonstrated proficiency with ICH/GCP guidelines.
Excellent time management skills to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines delivering high quality work in a dynamic environment is essential.
Requires excellent presentation, documentation and interpersonal skills as well as a team-oriented approach.
Experience working in a matrixed team environment is critical. Requires strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), email, and voicemail.
Superior presentation, documentation, negotiation, leadership and interpersonal skills with a strong team-oriented approach.
Ability to perform several tasks simultaneously to meet deadlines is necessary.
Benefits At Syneos Health, we believe in providing an environment and culture in which Our People can thrive, develop and advance. We reward and recognize our people by providing valuable benefits and a quality-of-life balance. The benefits for this position may include a company car or car allowance, Health benefits to include Medical, Dental and Vision, Company match 401k, eligibility to participate in Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Eligibility to earn commissions/bonus based on company and individual performance, and flexible paid time off (PTO) and sick time. Because certain states and municipalities have regulated paid sick time requirements, eligibility for paid sick time may vary depending on where you work. Syneos complies with all applicable federal, state, and municipal paid sick time requirements.
Salary Range: The base salary range represents the anticipated low and high of the Syneos Health range for this position. Actual salary will vary based on various factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.
Additional Information Tasks, duties, and responsibilities as listed in this job description are not exhaustive. The Company, at its sole discretion and with no prior notice, may assign other tasks, duties, and job responsibilities. Equivalent experience, skills, and/or education will also be considered so qualifications of incumbents may differ from those listed in the Job Description. The Company, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes as equivalent to the qualifications described above. Further, nothing contained herein should be construed to create an employment contract. Occasionally, required skills/experiences for jobs are expressed in brief terms. Any language contained herein is intended to fully comply with all obligations imposed by the legislation of each country in which it operates, including the implementation of the EU Equality Directive, in relation to the recruitment and employment of its employees. The Company is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to assist employees or applicants to perform the essential functions of the job.
At Syneos Health, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. At times, we take into consideration transferrable skills from previous roles. We also encourage you to join our Talent Network to stay connected to additional career opportunities.
EEO Statement Syneos Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, marital status, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status and will not be discriminated against. If you are an individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to complete any part of our application process, including the use of this website, please contact us at: Email: jobs@syneoshealth.com
Phone: 919 876 9300 Fax: 919 876 9360 Toll-Free: 866 462 7373
Syneos Health® (Nasdaq: SYNH) is a leading integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success. We translate unique clinical, medical affairs and commercial insights into outcomes to address modern market realities.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
February 13, 2026 Location:
USA-NC-Remote Job ID: 25101649
Description
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy, Rare Disease
Syneos Health® is a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success. We translate unique clinical, medical affairs and commercial insights into outcomes to address modern market realities.
Our Clinical Development model brings the customer and the patient to the center of everything that we do. We are continuously looking for ways to simplify and streamline our work to not only make Syneos Health easier to work with, but to make us easier to work for.
Whether you join us in a Functional Service Provider partnership or a Full-Service environment, you’ll collaborate with passionate problem solvers, innovating as a team to help our customers achieve their goals. We are agile and driven to accelerate the delivery of therapies, because we are passionate to change lives.
Discover what our 29,000 employees, across 110 countries already know:
WORK HERE MATTERS EVERYWHERE
Why Syneos Health
We are passionate about developing our people, through career development and progression; supportive and engaged line management; technical and therapeutic area training; peer recognition and total rewards program.
We are committed to our Total Self culture – where you can authentically be yourself. Our Total Self culture is what unites us globally, and we are dedicated to taking care of our people.
We are continuously building the company we all want to work for and our customers want to work with. Why? Because when we bring together diversity of thoughts, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives – we’re able to create a place where everyone feels like they belong.
Job Responsibilities Under the guidance and direction of the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), the
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
is responsible for supporting or leading matrix teams or enterprise-wide initiatives aimed at driving value by harnessing the Company’s scientific capabilities. The office of the CSO is focused on pulling together medical and scientific capabilities across the Company’s different functions and business units to create innovative solutions for our customers and to drive collaboration across the enterprise.
Examples of such teams/initiatives include the Cross Functional Constortia, Lab to Life delivery, and Cross BU solutions development, and our Biotechnology Customer Solutions Platform. The office of the CSO also drives and supports our Scientific communications and Thought Leadership Strategy. The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
will have responsibilities for contributing to and executing on this strategy in conjunction with the internal medical and scientific community.
The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
will have customer facing responsibilities that may include customer meetings to understand potential work models, bid defenses, or meetings aimed at increasing awareness and growth of our scientific reputation. The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
may engage C-level personnel to ensure the Company maintains complementary development pipelines with the potential to become long term and meaningful relationships for the Company.
The
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
will interact with senior management, customers, business development, and project teams to coordinate services and provides direction and strategy for growth and provides consulting, as needed.
Integrates the Company’s resources (from all areas) to craft tailored scientific solutions for the targeted internal issues or customer problems. Consults with appropriate internal and external stakeholders regarding the respective area’s clinical and commercial issues and points of interest.
Acts as a primary senior-level contact for initiatives/teams the
Head of R&D and Scientific Strategy
is leading.
Participates in customer proposals, Request for Information (RFIs), presentations, proposal defenses and Steering Committees.
Responsible for coordinating the acquisition of necessary medical/scientific input from outside experts/consultants/advisors.
Represents the Company and the CSO office by attending industry meetings, speaking engagements, participating in booth exhibitions, etc., and by publishing scientific or industry related articles in industry journals.
Ensures quality standards are set and maintained over all areas of responsibility.
Line management responsibilities include professional development and performance management of subordinate staff. Delegates to and reviews progress and performance of all direct reports.
Other tasks and duties as determined appropriate by Executive Management.
Qualifications
MD, DO preferred.
Extensive clinical development leadership experience in biopharma, CRO, or consulting. Experience working inside a Pharma preferred.
Extensive leadership experience in a clinical research organization, including clinical operations, business development and management and/or senior management experience.
Academic or industry experience in clinical medicine or drug development.
Some experience in actively managing clinical research projects across functional areas preferred.
Thorough knowledge of FDA regulations, drug development, and clinical monitoring procedures is necessary.
Must have demonstrated proficiency with ICH/GCP guidelines.
Excellent time management skills to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines delivering high quality work in a dynamic environment is essential.
Requires excellent presentation, documentation and interpersonal skills as well as a team-oriented approach.
Experience working in a matrixed team environment is critical. Requires strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), email, and voicemail.
Superior presentation, documentation, negotiation, leadership and interpersonal skills with a strong team-oriented approach.
Ability to perform several tasks simultaneously to meet deadlines is necessary.
Benefits At Syneos Health, we believe in providing an environment and culture in which Our People can thrive, develop and advance. We reward and recognize our people by providing valuable benefits and a quality-of-life balance. The benefits for this position may include a company car or car allowance, Health benefits to include Medical, Dental and Vision, Company match 401k, eligibility to participate in Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Eligibility to earn commissions/bonus based on company and individual performance, and flexible paid time off (PTO) and sick time. Because certain states and municipalities have regulated paid sick time requirements, eligibility for paid sick time may vary depending on where you work. Syneos complies with all applicable federal, state, and municipal paid sick time requirements.
Salary Range: The base salary range represents the anticipated low and high of the Syneos Health range for this position. Actual salary will vary based on various factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.
Additional Information Tasks, duties, and responsibilities as listed in this job description are not exhaustive. The Company, at its sole discretion and with no prior notice, may assign other tasks, duties, and job responsibilities. Equivalent experience, skills, and/or education will also be considered so qualifications of incumbents may differ from those listed in the Job Description. The Company, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes as equivalent to the qualifications described above. Further, nothing contained herein should be construed to create an employment contract. Occasionally, required skills/experiences for jobs are expressed in brief terms. Any language contained herein is intended to fully comply with all obligations imposed by the legislation of each country in which it operates, including the implementation of the EU Equality Directive, in relation to the recruitment and employment of its employees. The Company is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to assist employees or applicants to perform the essential functions of the job.
At Syneos Health, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. At times, we take into consideration transferrable skills from previous roles. We also encourage you to join our Talent Network to stay connected to additional career opportunities.
EEO Statement Syneos Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, marital status, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status and will not be discriminated against. If you are an individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to complete any part of our application process, including the use of this website, please contact us at: Email: jobs@syneoshealth.com
Phone: 919 876 9300 Fax: 919 876 9360 Toll-Free: 866 462 7373
Syneos Health® (Nasdaq: SYNH) is a leading integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success. We translate unique clinical, medical affairs and commercial insights into outcomes to address modern market realities.
#J-18808-Ljbffr