Director, Innovation Catalyst

Bring more to life.

At Danaher, our work saves lives. And each of us plays a part. Fueled by our culture of continuous improvement, we turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life. 

Our 63,000+ associates work across the globe at more than 15 unique businesses within life sciences, diagnostics, and biotechnology.  

Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference? At Danaher, you can build an incredible career at a leading science and technology company, where we're committed to hiring and developing from within. You'll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. 

Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.

As the Director, Innovation Catalyst, you will lead a high‑performing team of machine learning and data science experts deployed on high‑value, limited-duration collaborations with Danaher operating companies. Together with subject matter experts, your team will innovate and translate bold ideas into proof‑of‑concepts that unlock tangible business value. You will stay on the frontier of AI and continuously evolve Danaher's innovation to remain at the leading edge.

This role sits within the Chief Technology & AI Office (CTAIO), reports to the Senior Director, AI Talent and Innovation, and is fully remote within the United States.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Lead a mission‑driven Innovation Catalyst team; set the vision, operating rhythms, and talent roadmap to deliver repeatable, high‑impact AI outcomes across OpCos

• Orchestrate discovery‑to‑POC cycles with clear success criteria, timelines, and exit/handoff plans so wins move swiftly from concept to scale

• Lead weekly Core Team meetings for several in-flight projects, coordinating educational collaborations between Subject Matter Experts and AI Scientists

• Guide AI scientists to overcome challenges and roadblocks with creative problem solving and a willingness to get involved in implementation details

• Quantify impact up front: model ROI, cost to deliver, risks, value capture, and time‑to‑value; use these to inform portfolio decisions and sunset low‑yield efforts early

• Establish lightweight, durable playbooks for data readiness, MLOps, and responsible AI checkpoints that accelerate delivery while meeting enterprise standards

• Continuously scan the AI landscape; pilot emerging methods and tools, and uplevel team capabilities so we bring the best of the field to Danaher's toughest problems

The essential requirements of the job include:

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Physics, Applied Math, or a similar quantitative field; PhD preferred

• 10+ years of experience in data science, AI, or a closely related technical field with a track record of delivering business‑impacting solutions

• Experience leading teams and multi‑stakeholder initiatives, including portfolio prioritization and execution of AI/analytics work from discovery through handoff to scale

• Demonstrated ability to build objective business cases (ROI, cost, risk, value) to guide investment decisions and govern an AI initiative portfolio

• Proven end‑to‑end POC delivery: problem framing, data readiness, model development/validation, measurement, and transition to pilots/production

• Strong leadership experience with the ability to build consensus among stakeholders, harmony within cross-functional teams, and inspiration and upleveling of technical teams

• Ability to operate in a remote, matrixed environment and travel as needed for key workshops, Gemba walks, or deployments

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environment Requirements:

• Ability to travel – up to 20%

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in:

• Life sciences, diagnostics, or biotechnology (e.g., partnering with R&D, quality, clinical, manufacturing, or commercial teams)

• Familiarity with Danaher operating companies and their focus areas

Danaher offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it's a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

At Danaher, we believe in designing a better, more sustainable workforce. We recognize the benefits of flexible, remote working arrangements for eligible roles and are committed to providing enriching careers, no matter the work arrangement. This position is eligible for a remote work arrangement in which you can work remotely from your home. Additional information about this remote work arrangement will be provided by your interview team. Explore the flexibility and challenge that working for Danaher can provide.

The annual salary range for this role is $200-250k USD. This is the range that we in good faith believe is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

This job is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Join our winning team today. Together, we'll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow's science and technology. We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life.

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We comply with federal and state disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact: or