[Hiring] Senior Director of R&D - Animal Safety @Neogen Corporation

Role Description

The Senior Director, Research & Development (Animal Safety) is responsible for defining and executing the global Animal Safety product development strategy to support Neogen's long-term growth objectives. This leader oversees the Animal Safety R&D portfolio, drives innovation and product development priorities, and ensures alignment between market needs, customer requirements, business strategy, regulatory considerations, and technical capabilities.

Lead the future of animal safety innovation as our Senior Director, Research & Development - Animal Safety. This high-impact leadership role will shape and deliver a global R&D strategy, advancing products and technologies that respond to evolving customer needs and support sustainable business growth. You will lead a talented, international R&D organisation and work closely with commercial, operational, quality and regulatory colleagues to bring scientifically rigorous, commercially successful solutions to market.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the global Animal Safety R&D strategy, aligning innovation priorities with business objectives, market opportunities and customer needs.
• Lead the end-to-end R&D portfolio, from early concept through commercialisation, balancing incremental improvements with transformational innovation and ensuring strong return on investment.
• Establish and oversee effective portfolio governance, prioritising projects, investment and resources in line with strategic priorities, market developments and programme performance.
• Drive technical excellence across product development, embedding robust stage-gate processes, scientific rigour, quality, speed and predictability of delivery.
• Partner with Commercial, Product Management, Marketing, Operations, Quality and Regulatory Affairs to ensure products are customer-focused, scalable, manufacturable and designed with compliance requirements considered from the outset.
• Build, develop and retain a high-performing global R&D organisation, strengthening leadership capability, technical career pathways, succession planning and a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• An advanced degree in Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostics, Animal Science, Microbiology, Immunology or a related scientific discipline; a DVM or PhD is strongly preferred.
• Significant senior-level experience leading R&D, technical or product development teams within animal health, veterinary diagnostics, livestock production or a related sector.
• Strong knowledge of veterinary medicine, animal health markets, veterinary diagnostics and structured product development processes.
• Demonstrable experience of building and managing innovation pipelines, making portfolio decisions and delivering products from concept through to commercialisation.
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional and international teams, creating engagement, clarity of purpose and strong delivery performance.
• Strategic and commercially minded leadership skills, with the ability to assess technical feasibility, customer demand, regulatory considerations and financial outcomes.

Benefits

• The opportunity to influence the direction of a global Animal Safety innovation portfolio and deliver meaningful outcomes for customers and the wider animal health sector.
• A senior leadership role with broad cross-functional exposure and the scope to build and shape a high-performing global R&D organisation.
• A standard benefits package.
• An inclusive working environment where applications are welcomed from suitably qualified candidates of all backgrounds. Employment will be subject to applicable right-to-work requirements.

Company Description

From inside the farm gate to our dinner plates, Neogen protects the world’s food supply. Through a variety of animal healthcare products, to food safety solutions for dangerous bacteria, allergens, toxins, drug residues and much more, Neogen is there — and you can be too.