Scientific Lead - Health Data Research (f/m/x)

Hi there!

Are you eager to learn new things and implement your own ideas while working with an international and passionate team of professionals? Would you like to contribute to digital research solutions that have a meaningful impact on healthcare and science?

As our Scientific Lead – Health Data Research, you will own and drive D4L’s applied research agenda at the intersection of science, product, and strategy.

You will be accountable for translating scientific opportunities into product-relevant initiatives, leading a multidisciplinary team, and ensuring that research outcomes create measurable value for our partners, products, and mission.

This is a leadership role with responsibility for people, project portfolio, and cross-functional alignment.

Your future role

• Lead, develop, and grow a team of data scientists and researchers, including goal setting, performance management, and hiring

• Provide clear direction and prioritisation across projects, enabling the team to operate effectively in a fast-paced, product-oriented environment

• Translate scientific opportunities into product-relevant use cases, and actively shape the product roadmap together with Product and Engineering

• Ensure that research initiatives are aligned with D4L’s strategic priorities and partner needs, including external stakeholders such as the Hasso Plattner Foundation

• Own and prioritise a portfolio of applied research projects, balancing scientific impact, product relevance, and resource constraints

• Manage multiple concurrent initiatives across teams, ensuring timely delivery and scientific quality

• Communicate scientific strategy and results to senior stakeholders, including management and external partners, in a clear and actionable way

• Lead cross-functional initiatives involving Product, Engineering, and Business Development, without direct authority over all contributors

• Contribute to grant proposals, ethics applications, and scientific evaluations (e.g., D4L Impact Program)

What you need to succeed

• Demonstrated ability to connect scientific work to product strategy, organisational goals, or business impact

• Experience working in industry, startup, or applied research environments, not only academia

• Proven experience leading teams in an organisational setting, including direct reports and/or cross-functional teams

• Experience managing performance, priorities, and delivery in a non-academic environment

• Experience communicating with senior stakeholders (e.g., leadership teams, partners, funders) and influencing decisions

• Hands-on expertise with RWD/RWE, solid skills in R, Python and AI/ML visualization, knowledge regarding FHIR, OMOP and OHDSI tools

• Knowledge of ETL processes, SQL databases (PostgreSQL), deidentification, and handling unstructured data

• Track record of translating research into real-world impact (e.g., product features, policy influence, partnerships, or deployed solutions)

• PhD (or MD/MS or equivalent) in Data Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health, or a related discipline with profound publishing activities

• Languages: Must: English; desirable: German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean

Why you will love working with us

• Nonprofit work with a clear purpose: Make the world a healthier place. With us, you will find a fulfilling and meaningful task in a nonprofit environment that will advance our society.

• A diverse and international team of professionals working together at 3 locations (Potsdam, Berlin and Singapore).

• Real work life balance with flexible working hours, 30 days of paid vacation, and the possibility for mobile work. 

• The option to work abroad remotely up to 2 months per year from various countries, depending on your role and responsibilities.

• Support in the areas of private healthcare and sustainable mobility. 

• Employee driven initiatives like the climate initiative and the DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) initiative.

Good to know

• We especially welcome applicants from the LGBTQI+ community, people with a migration background, people of color, and individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses to the team.

• If you need support or special assistance during the application or interview process due to a disability, please feel free to let us know and we are happy to accommodate you as much as possible. 

• This position offers an unlimited contract.

• In this position you will be working from our Berlin/Potsdam office. 

• Please enclose your complete documents (CV, letter of motivation, references, salary expectations and earliest possible starting date) with your application.