Description

Position Overview

Sonder Research X is seeking an accomplished physician leader to serve as Clinical Laboratory Director & Vice President, Translational and Computational Pathology. This individual will provide clinical, scientific, and operational leadership for the Company's pathology, companion diagnostics, and translational biomarker programs while serving as the designated Clinical Laboratory Director under CLIA and CAP regulations.

The successful candidate will oversee pathology operations, assay development and validation, digital pathology initiatives, and pharmaceutical collaborations supporting oncology diagnostics and companion diagnostic development. Partnering closely with scientific, engineering, AI/ML, and clinical teams, this leader will help advance innovative pathology-based solutions while maintaining the highest standards of regulatory compliance and scientific excellence. 

As a growing biotechnology organization, Sonder Research X is seeking a leader who combines strategic vision with a hands-on approach and actively contributes to scientific problem-solving, assay development, validation, and the implementation of new technologies and workflows. This role is ideal for a physician leader who enjoys building, innovating, and working alongside cross-functional teams to accelerate scientific and operational progress.

Primary Responsibilities

Clinical Laboratory Leadership

• Serve as the designated Clinical Laboratory Director and maintain oversight of all CLIA, CAP, and applicable New Jersey regulatory requirements.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve laboratory quality systems, policies, procedures, and inspection readiness.
• Provide clinical and scientific oversight for pathology operations, histology workflows, tissue processing, and diagnostic testing activities.
• Maintain a hands-on presence across pathology, assay development, validation, and translational research, providing both strategic leadership and direct scientific contributions as needed.
• Lead laboratory accreditation, inspections, audits, and regulatory interactions.

Translational Pathology & Companion Diagnostics

• Lead pathology strategy supporting biomarker discovery, translational research, and companion diagnostic development
• Direct the design, development, validation, and implementation of pathology-based assays, including immunohistochemistry (IHC) and multiplex tissue analysis workflows.
• Contribute directly to the evaluation, development, validation, and implementation of new pathology and companion diagnostic capabilities as the organization scales. Partner with pharmaceutical sponsors on biomarker programs, companion diagnostic initiatives, and clinical trial support activities.
  Serve as pathology subject matter expert for oncology-focused translational research programs.

Digital & Computational Pathology

• Provide strategic leadership for the implementation and adoption of digital pathology within the existing digital pathology team.
• Partner closely with software engineering, AI/ML, and data science teams to evaluate, validate, deploy, and continuously improve computational pathology tools and image analysis workflows.
• Support existing digital pathology technologies, whole-slide imaging platforms, and quantitative tissue analysis systems.
• Establish scientific and clinical standards for computational pathology applications supporting diagnostic and translational programs.

Scientific Leadership

• Serve as a key scientific leader across pathology, biomarker, and companion diagnostic initiatives.
• Lead by example through active scientific engagement, cross-functional collaboration, and direct contribution to high-priority initiatives across pathology, translational research, and companion diagnostic programs.
• Build relationships with academic, pharmaceutical, and industry partners.
• Contribute to publications, presentations, and scientific communications that advance the Company's leadership position within oncology diagnostics and computational pathology.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• MD from an accredited institution. 
• Board Certification in Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology (AP/CP).
• Eligible to serve as Clinical Laboratory Director under CLIA regulations.
• Current unrestricted medical license in New Jersey or ability to obtain New Jersey licensure within six (6) months of hire.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience within a high-complexity clinical laboratory, pathology laboratory, diagnostics company, pharmaceutical organization, academic medical center, or CRO.
• Demonstrated experience in pathology assay development, validation, and laboratory operations.
• Experience supporting pharmaceutical-sponsored research, clinical trials, companion diagnostics, or translational medicine programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in translational oncology and biomarker development.
• Companion diagnostics (CDx) experience.
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay development and validation experience.
• Digital pathology implementation experience.
• Experience supporting pharmaceutical co-development programs.
• Strong publication and scientific presentation record.

Highly Desirable

• Computational pathology experience.
• AI-assisted pathology workflow experience.
• Whole-slide imaging (WSI) implementation experience.
• Experience evaluating or validating AI/ML-enabled pathology applications.
• Spatial biology and multiplex tissue analysis experience.