Overview
Join to apply for the Principal Project Manager role at Owlstone Medical.
Role Description
In the role, you will lead the successful delivery of Owlstone’s most strategically important R&D projects — including complex discovery and translational projects and projects funded by large U.S. government funding bodies. These initiatives span from breath-based biomarker discovery and EVOC probe development to clinical deployment of diagnostic technologies and may include development of proprietary breath sampling and point of care detection equipment. Reporting to the VP of R&D (Science) and working with the Chief Science Officer (CSO), Product Leads, and functional heads, you will operate at the interface between scientific strategy and project execution, delivering project outcomes while serving as the key point of contact for customers. You will apply a deep understanding of scientific R&D workflows to ensure appropriate project management tools and processes support iterative development, sound experimental design, and regulatory constraints.
Responsibilities
* Enable the delivery of multiple high-impact, cross-functional R&D projects or programmes across scientific and clinical domains, aligning delivery plans with scientific strategy, resource needs, and technical constraints.
* Contribute to the preparation and submission of grant applications, funding proposals, and collaborative bids, coordinating inputs from scientific, commercial, and delivery teams.
* Translate complex programme requirements into structured delivery plans with milestones, accountabilities, and risk management strategies.
* Ensure each project meets defined objectives, scope and timeline; manage risks, blockers and scope changes in line with business and scientific goals.
* Guide teams through planning, execution, and delivery review cycles; lead project planning and delivery meetings ensuring dependencies and changes are visible and well managed.
* Coordinate and manage relationships with external partners or collaborators on project-related deliverables where applicable.
* Oversee project or programme budget tracking and resource allocation in collaboration with Finance and functional leads.
Cross-Functional Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement
* Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external customers or sponsors to align on priorities, scope changes, and business impact.
* Communicate updates, timelines, risks, and decisions clearly to senior internal and external stakeholders.
Team Leadership & Organisational Contribution
* Provide line management or mentorship to project managers and coordinators, supporting their development and performance.
* Champion project delivery excellence across the business and act as a centre of expertise for embedded project leads.
* Contribute to team capability building through coaching, onboarding support and training of project contributors, and community-of-practice activities.
* Lead the development and refinement of project delivery frameworks, including stage-gates and planning templates.
Role Requirements
Education & Experience
* Significant experience managing multiple concurrent R&D projects or programmes, ideally in a discovery setting. Experience in biotech, diagnostics, or Medtech is valued.
* PhD or MSc in Life Sciences or a related technical discipline; additional project management certifications are beneficial.
* Demonstrated ability to deliver complex projects across phases from discovery and preclinical through to late-stage validation and clinical translation.
* Experience in dynamic, scaling environments such as SMEs or early-stage companies.
* Demonstrable experience delivering projects to customers or external project sponsors.
* Experience managing external collaborators or subcontractors.
Project & Technical Skills
* Strong foundation in scientific R&D with practical experience managing experimental workflows, uncertainty, and development lifecycles; delivery approaches should be fit-for-purpose and context-aware.
* Understanding of clinical development processes, stage-gating, and governance frameworks.
* Proven planning, risk management, and programme delivery capabilities within scientific environments.
* Proficient in project management tools with ability to build and maintain trackers, dashboards, and reporting systems.
Leadership & Interpersonal Attributes
* Strategic thinker with attention to detail and the ability to navigate both programme-level and project-level needs.
* Ability to lead through influence in a matrix structure.
* Excellent communicator, capable of distilling complex issues and articulating risks and trade-offs clearly.
* Resilient, adaptable, and proactive in problem-solving to maintain delivery focus.
Benefits
Owlstone Medical is on a mission to save 100,000 lives and $1.5 billion in healthcare costs through Breath Biopsy. We offer a relaxed, friendly, flexible and international working environment with a strong team spirit. Competitive salary package includes an Employee share options scheme and private medical insurance. Our work includes partnerships with organisations such as AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, the Cleveland Clinic, and the NHS, with our platform in use at clinical and academic sites worldwide.
Company Information & Compliance
Owlstone is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants without discrimination on protected characteristics. Employment may be subject to satisfactory references and BPSS checks. Access to certain project information requires security authorization and export control approvals where applicable. Agencies: we do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies nor fees. See careers@owlstone.co.uk for PSL status.
Location
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
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