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Assay Development Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

NGS Senior Scientist 1

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

Lead development of molecular assays and NGS workflows for high-throughput clinical laboratories ... Manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment. * Travel up to 10% as ...

NGS Senior Scientist 1

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

Lead development of molecular assays and NGS workflows for high-throughput clinical laboratories ... Manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment. * Travel up to 10% as ...

NGS Senior Scientist 1

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95 - $120/hr

Lead development of molecular assays and NGS workflows for high-throughput clinical laboratories ... Manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment. * Travel up to 10% as ...

New

Work closely with wet-lab assay development scientists, medical directors, clinical scientists, biostatisticians, software engineers, and product managers to translate cutting-edge research into ...

Showing results 21-40

Assay Development Manager information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$11.3K

$73.7K

$109.7K

How much do assay development manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for assay development manager in Chicago, IL is $73,683.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,200.00 and $96,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 are popular job titles related to Assay Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL?

For Assay Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Assay Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Assay Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL are:

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Assay Development Manager jobs?

Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Assay Development Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Assay Development Manager job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $73,683 per year, or $35.4 per hour.

Senior Director, Research & Development (Chicago)

Tempus

Chicago, IL • On-site

$173K - $245K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 19 days ago


Job description

Senior Director, Research & Development

Passionate about precision medicine and advancing the healthcare industry? Recent advancements in underlying technology have finally made it possible for AI to impact clinical care in a meaningful way. Tempus' proprietary platform connects an entire ecosystem of real-world evidence to deliver real-time, actionable insights to physicians, providing critical information about the right treatments for the right patients, at the right time.

What You’ll Do
  • Lead late-stage development, validation, and launch readiness for molecular diagnostic products, including IVD, CDx, IUO, and LDT programs
  • Provide strategic and scientific leadership for design controls, validation planning and execution, design transfer, and post-launch changes
  • Serve as a key cross-functional partner to Regulatory, Quality, Clinical Lab Operations, Bioinformatics, Automation, Program Management, and Pharma Business Development
  • Drive regulatory submission support, including FDA, IVDR, MolDX, NYS, CAP, and other global or regional requirements
  • Oversee documentation strategy and development processes to ensure inspection readiness, consistency, traceability, and scalability
  • Lead complex issue resolution, including deficiency responses, non-conformances, root cause investigations, and scope pivots
  • Advance continuous improvement initiatives across product development, including templates, risk-based tools, project estimation, change management, and process standardization
  • Support external and partner-facing development programs, including companion diagnostics and contractual assay development efforts
  • Mentor and develop a high-performing teams of scientists and documentation specialists
  • Contribute to resource planning, budgeting, staffing strategy, and organizational development within R&D
Qualifications
  • PhD with 8+ years of experience or Master’s degree with 13+ years of experience in molecular diagnostics, assay development, or a related life sciences field in a regulated environment
  • Deep experience leading design-controlled product development for molecular diagnostics or sequencing-based assays
  • Strong working knowledge of IVD/CDx development, validation, design transfer, and regulatory submissions
  • Demonstrated success working in regulated frameworks including FDA, IVDR, ISO 13485, QMSR, MolDX, and NYS
  • Track record of leading cross-functional teams through complex technical and regulatory milestones
  • Experience building scalable processes, documentation systems, and development infrastructure in a fast-paced environment
  • Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to influence across technical and operational stakeholders
  • Strong people management experience, including hiring, mentoring, and leading teams through growth and change
Highly Desirable
  • Experience supporting audits, inspections, pre-submissions, deficiency responses, and approval pathways
  • Experience with companion diagnostic developments, pharma partnerships, and external development programs
  • Experience with automation, LIMS, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliant software tools such as ELNs
Impact in This Role

This role is critical to advancing Tempus’ regulated diagnostics portfolio by ensuring products are scientifically robust, operationally scalable, and developed with the rigor required for successful launch, regulatory approval, and long-term platform growth.

$173,000-$245,000

The expected salary range above is applicable if the role is performed from Illinois and may vary for other locations (California, Colorado, New York).

Actual salary may vary based on qualifications and experience.

  • Tempus offers a full range of benefits, which may include incentive compensation, restricted stock units, medical and other benefits depending on the position.

We are an equal opportunity employer.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Tempus was founded in August of 2015 by Eric Lefkofsky, after his wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Shortly after he founded the company in an effort to bring the power of technology and artificial intelligence to cancer care, he convinced Ryan Fukushima to join as the company’s first employee.

Ryan and Eric began assembling a world class team, focused on building the first version of a platform capable of ingesting real time healthcare data in an effort to personalize diagnostics.

We built the platform for oncology and have expanded it to neuropsychiatry, cardiology, infectious disease (through COVID), and radiology.

Despite our rapid growth, our mission remains the same—to help make sure patients are on the right drug at the right time, so they can live longer and healthier lives.

We’re looking for people who can change the world.

Who question the status quo and don’t shy away from tough problems.

For the builders who are never done building and the learners who are never done learning.

We’re looking for passionate people with undying curiosity.

Those who want to attack one of the most challenging problems mankind has ever faced.

Head on.

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