Director, Media Analytics

Lonza•Walkersville, MD

5d•$208,100 - $238,650•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Media Analytics will lead the MSAT Media Analytics function, transforming media, raw material, process, manufacturing, and quality data into actionable scientific and business insights. The role establishes the function’s strategy, governance, analytical standards, and digital roadmap while driving innovation, operational excellence, and measurable business impact. The Director will set and execute a global strategy, operating model, and multi-year roadmap aligned with MSAT and Bioscience priorities; lead development and deployment of advanced analytical approaches; and establish governance, analytical frameworks, model lifecycle controls, documentation practices, and performance monitoring. The role also includes building and mentoring an analytical and data science team, managing a value-focused analytics portfolio, and partnering across functions to create scalable solutions. This position provides technical leadership for product testing, raw material characterization, method and process validation, continued process verification, comparability assessments, and complex investigations. The Director champions responsible use of statistics, machine learning, automation, and data visualization, communicates insights and recommendations to senior leaders and stakeholders, evaluates emerging technologies and industry practices, and ensures compliance with applicable cGMP, quality, EHS, data integrity, information security, and company requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Analytical Chemistry, Bioanalytical Chemistry, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
Minimum 7 years of experience leading technical teams and managing complex cross-functional portfolios.
Extensive experience in cell culture media analytics and raw material characterization.
Advanced expertise with analytical techniques such as ICP-MS, HPLC/UHPLC, IC, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, FTIR microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and NIR spectroscopy.
Strong experience investigating impurities, contaminants, raw material variability, and complex analytical challenges.
Deep knowledge of analytical chemistry, method development, validation, transfer, data analysis, and interpretation.
Advanced understanding of cGMP requirements, data integrity principles, validation methodologies, and quality systems.
Experience with multivariate statistics, advanced data analytics, and risk-based decision-making approaches.
Working knowledge of machine learning, data pipelines, databases, cloud-based analytics platforms, data visualization tools, and statistical programming environments.
Ability to connect media formulation and raw material variability to process performance, product quality, manufacturing capability, and customer outcomes.
Experience establishing data governance standards, analytical validation strategies, and sustainable operating models.
Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, technical writing, and organizational leadership skills.
Proven ability to simplify complex scientific concepts into clear business decisions and actionable recommendations.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Bioanalytical Chemistry, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the global Media Analytics strategy, operating model, and multi-year roadmap in alignment with MSAT and Bioscience business priorities.
Lead development and deployment of advanced analytical approaches integrating raw material, formulation, process, manufacturing, quality, stability, and customer performance data.
Establish data governance standards, analytical frameworks, model lifecycle controls, documentation practices, and performance monitoring processes.
Build, develop, and mentor a high-performing analytical and data science team, including technical career pathways and succession plans.
Prioritize and manage an analytics portfolio based on business value, strategic importance, supply and quality risk, feasibility, and measurable outcomes.
Partner with MSAT, Operations, Quality, R&D, Digital/IT, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to translate scientific and business challenges into scalable analytical solutions.
Provide technical leadership for product testing, raw material characterization, method validation, process validation, continued process verification, comparability assessments, and complex investigations.
Champion responsible use of statistics, machine learning, automation, and data visualization to support informed decision-making.
Present analytical insights, risks, recommendations, and value realization to senior leadership, customers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Drive innovation by evaluating emerging technologies, analytical methodologies, regulatory expectations, and industry best practices.
Ensure compliance with applicable cGMP, quality, EHS, data integrity, information security, and company requirements.