Senior Director, Long-Range Research Initiative & Applied Science Strategies | Washington, DC

Senior Director, Long-Range Research Initiative & Applied Science Strategies

📍 Location: Washington, DC (Onsite)
🏢 Department: Regulatory & Scientific Affairs
👤 Reports To: Vice President, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time
✈️ Travel: Up to 20%
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
🚚 Relocation Assistance: None
💰 Compensation: $211,629 – $254,000 Base Salary
💵 Annual Bonus: Performance-Based Merit Increases & Discretionary Bonus

Overview

A leading national scientific and regulatory organization is seeking a Senior Director, Long-Range Research Initiative & Applied Science Strategies to lead its flagship scientific research program while shaping research strategy, applied science, and regulatory decision support across the chemical industry.

This executive leadership role will oversee the organization's Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI), driving scientific investment, research governance, international collaboration, and science-based policy development. The successful candidate will work closely with industry leaders, academic researchers, government agencies, and international scientific organizations to ensure research priorities support sound regulatory decision-making and advance scientific understanding.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished scientific leader who enjoys combining research strategy, stakeholder engagement, science policy, and executive-level influence.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Lead one of the industry's most influential scientific research initiatives

• Shape future research priorities impacting global chemical safety

• Partner with leading scientists from academia, industry, and government

• Influence regulatory policy using evidence-based science

• Represent the organization within international scientific collaborations

• Present directly to executive leadership, member companies, and Board members

• Lead strategic investments in scientific research with global impact

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Research Leadership

• Lead the organization's Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI)

• Develop long-term scientific research strategies aligned with organizational objectives

• Identify emerging scientific issues and future research priorities

• Translate scientific findings into practical regulatory and policy recommendations

• Ensure research supports evidence-based decision making

Research Program Management

• Manage all aspects of the LRI program, including:

• Budget management

• Resource allocation

• Consultant management

• Contract oversight

• Research funding

• Oversee competitive proposal and grant selection processes

• Direct research project execution from concept through completion

• Ensure projects remain aligned with strategic priorities

Scientific Strategy & Applied Science

• Apply scientific research to improve regulatory methods and policy development

• Interpret complex scientific studies and emerging research

• Develop scientific strategies addressing evolving regulatory challenges

• Collaborate with subject matter experts across multiple disciplines

• Identify opportunities to strengthen scientific understanding across the industry

Stakeholder & International Collaboration

• Lead the LRI Topic Committee, including:

• Scientific agenda development

• Meeting facilitation

• Cross-company collaboration

• Build strong relationships with:

• Industry scientists

• Academic researchers

• Government agencies

• International scientific organizations

• Coordinate research priorities through the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA)

• Foster collaboration on multinational scientific initiatives

Executive Communication & Policy Support

• Present research strategies and findings to:

• Executive Leadership

• Board Members

• Member Companies

• External Scientific Organizations

• Translate complex scientific concepts into actionable recommendations

• Support science policy advocacy using research findings and data analysis

• Serve as a trusted scientific advisor to internal leadership

Required Qualifications

Education

• Master's or Doctoral degree in Science or a related technical discipline

Experience

• 10+ years of experience within:

• Chemical industry

• Government

• Scientific research organizations

• Related technical fields

• Experience managing scientific research programs

• Experience overseeing research budgets, contracts, and consultants

• Experience developing scientific research strategies

• Experience interpreting complex scientific data and studies

• Experience working with international scientific organizations

• Experience supporting multinational scientific initiatives

• Experience with chemical assessment programs and scientific regulatory venues

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced expertise in:

• Toxicology

• Environmental Science

• Public Health

• Related scientific disciplines

• Knowledge of chemical regulatory frameworks

• Risk assessment methodology expertise

• Science communication experience

• Experience translating scientific research for policymakers and executive audiences

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have:

• Master's or PhD in a scientific discipline

• 10+ years leading scientific research programs

• Strong chemical industry or government research experience

• Deep expertise interpreting complex scientific research

• Experience influencing science-based regulatory policy

• International scientific collaboration experience

• Outstanding executive presentation and communication skills

• Strong program management, budgeting, and contract oversight experience

• Ability to build relationships across academia, government, industry, and global scientific organizations

Screening Questions

1. Describe a scientific research program you have managed. How did you oversee budgeting, contracts, consultants, and resource allocation while ensuring alignment with strategic objectives?

2. Tell us about your experience collaborating with industry, academia, government agencies, or international scientific organizations. How did you build and maintain those relationships?

3. Describe a time you used complex scientific research or data to influence regulatory policy, advocacy efforts, or executive decision-making. How did you communicate technical findings to non-technical stakeholders?

Interview Process

1. HR Director Interview

2. Hiring Manager Interview

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• Base Salary: $211,629 – $254,000

• Annual Performance Bonus

• Annual Merit Increase Program

Benefits

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Retirement Plan

• Paid Time Off

• Additional Employee Benefits

Ideal Backgrounds

Strong candidates are likely to come from organizations such as:

• Chemical manufacturers

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Government scientific agencies

• Regulatory science organizations

• Toxicology institutes

• Environmental health organizations

• Scientific research institutes

• Trade associations

• International regulatory organizations

• Public health research organizations

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will combine deep scientific expertise with strategic leadership, translating cutting-edge research into meaningful policy, strengthening international scientific collaboration, and ensuring research investments drive measurable improvements in chemical safety, regulatory science, and evidence-based decision-making.

ServiceNow Test Lead / QA Lead (ITAM, ITOM, CMDB) – Remote Contract | UAE Travel

ServiceNow Test Lead / QA Lead (ITAM & ITOM)

Pay: £200.00-£450.00 per day

**Please note these roles require frequent travel to the UAE (Abu Dhabi) when safe to do so. Anyone engaged in this project would be expected to travel to the UAE with expenses covered (Flights, Travel & Accommodation) for 1 week a month minimum.

Start: ASAP
Focus Modules: IT Asset Management (ITAM), IT Operations Management (ITOM)

About Kaptius

Kaptius is a fast-growing ServiceNow pure-play partner delivering enterprise-scale digital transformation programmes globally. As we expand our UAE practice, we are supporting a major enterprise customer with a large ServiceNow implementation programme.

To support this engagement, we are looking for an experienced ServiceNow Test Lead / QA Lead to take ownership of testing strategy and quality governance across the ITAM and ITOM implementation streams.

Role Summary

The ServiceNow Test Lead / QA Lead will be responsible for establishing and managing the test strategy, planning, execution, and quality assurance framework across the ServiceNow programme.

The role will focus specifically on validating implementations across ITAM (HAM/SAM) and ITOM modules, ensuring integrations, CMDB accuracy, asset lifecycle processes, and operational workflows are tested thoroughly before release.

You will work closely with project managers, architects, developers, and client stakeholders to ensure testing is aligned with delivery timelines and business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and manage the overall test strategy and QA governance for the ServiceNow programme.

• Lead testing across ITAM and ITOM modules, including Discovery, CMDB, Asset Management, and related integrations.

• Create and manage test plans, test cases, and test scripts aligned to business requirements.

• Coordinate functional testing, system integration testing (SIT), and user acceptance testing (UAT).

• Manage defect tracking, prioritisation, and resolution across delivery teams.

• Ensure CMDB and asset data accuracy is validated through testing cycles.

• Work with development teams to validate integrations with external systems such as procurement, finance, monitoring, and infrastructure tools.

• Facilitate UAT workshops with client stakeholders and ensure business requirements are validated.

• Provide clear reporting on test progress, risks, and quality metrics to programme leadership.

• Support release readiness and go-live validation.

Experience Required

• Proven experience as a ServiceNow Test Lead, QA Lead, or Test Manager.

• Strong experience testing ServiceNow ITAM and ITOM modules.

• Experience working on enterprise-scale ServiceNow implementations.

• Understanding of CMDB, Discovery, asset lifecycle management, and integrations.

• Experience managing end-to-end testing cycles including SIT and UAT.

• Experience working within Agile or hybrid delivery environments.

• Strong stakeholder communication and reporting skills.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong understanding of ServiceNow platform functionality and architecture.

• Experience with test management and defect tracking frameworks.

• Ability to manage testing across multiple delivery streams.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

• Excellent documentation and reporting skills.

• Comfortable working in client-facing environments.

Certifications (Preferred)

• ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA)

• ISTQB (or equivalent testing certification)

• ITIL Foundation

• ServiceNow certifications in ITOM or ITAM are advantageous.

Why Join Kaptius

• Join a rapidly growing ServiceNow partner expanding across the Middle East.

• Work on a major enterprise ServiceNow programme in Abu Dhabi.

• Opportunity to shape testing and quality frameworks for large-scale implementations.

• Hybrid working model with exposure to high-impact digital transformation initiatives.

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary, Freelance

Contract length: 3 months

Application question(s):

• Kaptius are a Pure Play ServiceNow Partner, How many years experience do you have working in ServiceNow?

• How many years of experience do you have testing or managing QA activities on ServiceNow implementations?

• Which ServiceNow modules have you been involved in testing?

• Have you worked specifically on testing ServiceNow ITOM capabilities such as Discovery, CMDB, or Event Management?

• Have you worked on testing ServiceNow IT Asset Management (ITAM), including Hardware Asset Management (HAM) or Software Asset Management (SAM)?

• Do you hold any ServiceNow Certifications? If Yes, please do list below

• As mentioned this role will require travel to the UAE (Abu Dhabi) 1 week every month minimum (when safe to do so), Are you comfortable with this?

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (required)

Work Location: Remote