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Assay Development Manager Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

$84K - $115K/yr

... outcomes for assays/studies/projects in the field of drug discovery and development ... Function as a study director, principal investigator, or project manager including serving as a ...

Guide technology evaluation and strategy by assessing new assay automation capabilities ... management systems. * Experience with the development, validation, and maintenance of liquid ...

$117K - $184K/yr

... assay logistics, issue resolution and risk mitigation. Partner with Data Management to transfer ... Biobank, Biomarker Development, Biomarker Discovery, Biomarker Qualification, Biomarkers, Clinical ...

QC Technician I

Lansing, MI · On-site

$19 - $24.25/hr

Perform routine and complex assays with a microbiology focus in accordance with appropriate ... Lab Manager, often involving investigations or method development. * Perform equipment ...

Showing results 21-40

Assay Development Manager information

What is an assay development manager?

An Assay Development Manager is a scientific professional responsible for leading the design, development, validation, and optimization of laboratory assays, which are tests used to measure the presence or amount of a substance in biological samples. They manage teams of scientists and collaborate closely with research, quality, and regulatory departments to ensure assays meet scientific and regulatory requirements. Their work is vital in fields such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and diagnostics, supporting drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and product development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an assay development manager?

To thrive as an Assay Development Manager, you need a strong background in molecular biology, biochemistry, or a related field, typically with an advanced degree and experience in assay design and validation. Familiarity with laboratory automation, data analysis software, and quality management systems is essential, along with relevant certifications like GLP or ISO standards. Strong project management, leadership, and communication skills help drive cross-functional teams and ensure effective collaboration. These competencies are crucial for delivering reliable assays that meet scientific, regulatory, and business objectives.

What are some common challenges faced by an assay development manager during the early stages of a new project?

One of the main challenges Assay Development Managers encounter in the early phases of a project is balancing the need for high sensitivity and specificity with practicality and scalability. They often need to troubleshoot unexpected assay variability, optimize protocols, and ensure the reproducibility of results under tight deadlines. Additionally, coordinating input from cross-functional teams—such as R&D scientists, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs—can present logistical hurdles. Effective communication and project management skills are essential to navigate these complexities and drive the project forward.

What is the difference between Assay Development Manager vs Laboratory Supervisor?

AspectAssay Development ManagerLaboratory Supervisor
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in Life Sciences, relevant certificationsBachelor's in Life Sciences or related field, relevant certifications
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, biotech or pharma companiesLaboratories, clinical or research settings
Employer & IndustryBiotech, pharmaceutical, diagnosticsResearch institutions, hospitals, biotech
Primary FocusDesigning and optimizing assays, project managementOverseeing daily lab operations, staff supervision

The Assay Development Manager focuses on designing, developing, and optimizing assays, often managing projects and teams. In contrast, the Laboratory Supervisor oversees daily lab operations and staff, ensuring smooth workflow. Both roles require relevant scientific credentials and work in similar environments, but their core responsibilities differ significantly.

How to do assay development?

Assay development involves designing and optimizing laboratory tests to accurately measure specific analytes or biological activities. It requires selecting appropriate detection methods, validating assay performance parameters such as sensitivity and specificity, and ensuring reproducibility. Skills in laboratory techniques, familiarity with instrumentation, and understanding of regulatory standards are essential for successful assay development.

What cities in Michigan are hiring for Assay Development Manager jobs?

Cities in Michigan with the most Assay Development Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Assay Development Manager job openings in Michigan as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 90% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution.

Laboratory Automation Lead

Kalamazoo, MI • On-site

Zoetis, Inc.
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing • 5 - 10K employees

Full-time

Posted 22 days ago


Zoetis rating

7.5

Company rating: 7.5 out of 10

Based on 80 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

65th of 86 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

Zoetis is the global leader in animal health, developing innovative pharmaceutical products across the full spectrum of veterinary care. Zoetis is currently recruiting a Laboratory Automation Lead for its world-class Veterinary Medicine Research and Development (VMRD) organization. In this role, the successful candidate will lead a team responsible for the development and implementation of laboratory automation solutions within the Automation & Data Sciences (ADS) group. The position will build on ADS's industry-leading capabilities and help shape the next generation of assay automation at Zoetis.
Position Responsibilities:
  • Lead laboratory automation initiatives by partnering with scientific teams to understand workflows, translate needs into clear requirements, and oversee delivery from planning through execution.
  • Own operational excellence for existing automated workflows by establishing support routines, monitoring performance, prioritizing improvements, and driving enhancements to increase reliability and throughput.
  • Guide technology evaluation and strategy by assessing new assay automation capabilities, synthesizing findings, and informing VMRD's automation roadmap and investment decisions.
  • Set quality and maintenance processes by defining routine instrument QC standards, ensuring adherence, and coordinating preventive maintenance.
  • Enable teams through coaching and support by training end users, building documentation and escalation paths, and ensuring sustained adoption of automated workflows.
  • Manage external partnerships by effectively leveraging vendors, integrators, and other outside resources to accelerate development and reduce delivery risk.
  • Drive cross-functional alignment by convening automation stakeholders, clarifying roles and decisions, and ensuring consistent practices and priorities across VMRD.

Education & Experience:
  • Bachelor's degree in a science or engineering field with a minimum of 6 years' industry experience.
  • Extensive experience programming at least one of the relevant liquid handlers on the market.
  • Ability to understand end-user experience and design user focused software interfaces.
  • Experience in integrating automation instrumentation with inventory management systems.
  • Experience with the development, validation, and maintenance of liquid handler liquid classes.

Technical Skills:
  • Strong background in streamlining workflows and developing automated laboratory processes from the collection of requirements through to implementation and support.
  • Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills required to interact with colleagues, stakeholders, and vendors.
  • Wet lab experience with attention to detail and desire to be a hands-on team member.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • MS Degree in a science or engineering field.
  • Experience managing a team of 3+ colleagues preferred.

Full time
Regular
Colleague
Any unsolicited resumes sent to Zoetis from a third party, such as an Agency recruiter, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Zoetis mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Zoetis employees, or to Zoetis resume database will be considered Zoetis property. Zoetis will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.
Zoetis will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This includes any Agency that is an approved/engaged vendor but does not have the appropriate approvals to be engaged on a search.
Notice: Zoetis Recruiters will contact candidates via email from an address ending in @zoetis.com and may also initially connect with candidates through LinkedIn, including LinkedIn InMail. Zoetis does not use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or other web-based/generic email domains to communicate about job opportunities, interviews, or offers of employment. If you receive a recruitment-related email message claiming to be from Zoetis that does not come from @zoetis.com, please treat it as suspicious. For your security, do not reply, click links, open attachments, share personal or financial information, or send money in response to unexpected or questionable recruitment communications.
Zoetis is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status or any other protected classification. Disabled individuals are given an equal opportunity to use our online application system. We offer reasonable accommodations as an alternative if requested by an individual with a disability. Please contact Zoetis Colleague Services at zoetiscolleagueservices@zoetis.com to request an accommodation. Zoetis also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act. All applicants must possess or obtain authorization to work in the US for Zoetis. Zoetis retains sole and exclusive discretion to pursue sponsorship for the acquisition or maintenance of nonimmigrant status and employment eligibility, considering factors such as availability of qualified US workers. Individuals requiring sponsorship must disclose this fact. Please note that Zoetis seeks information related to job applications from candidates for jobs in the U.S. solely via the following: (1) our company website at www.Zoetis.com/careers site, or (2) via email to/from addresses using only the Zoetis domain of "@zoetis.com". In addition, Zoetis does not use Google Hangout for any recruitment related activities. Any solicitation or request for information related to job applications with Zoetis via any other means and/or utilizing email addresses with any other domain should be disregarded. In addition, Zoetis will never ask candidates to make any type of personal financial investment related to gaining employment with Zoetis.

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