Director, Clinical Projects

Director, Clinical Projects

At Alcon, we are driven by the meaningful work we do to help people see brilliantly. We innovate boldly, champion progress, and act with speed as the global leader in eye care. Here, you'll be recognized for your commitment and contributions and see your career like never before. Together, we go above and beyond to make an impact in the lives of our patients and customers.

We foster an inclusive culture and are looking for diverse, talented people to join Alcon. As a Director, Clinical Projects, you will serve as a scientific and strategic leader within the Clinical Research & Development Center of Excellence (CoE), driving innovation and excellence in vision science to advance the company's pipeline. This individual will act as the subject matter expert (SME) and primary point of contact for vision science-related strategy and execution across priority programs, intraocular, extraocular device technology platforms, surgical diagnostics, serving as a bridge between foundational optics / basic science research and clinical implementation. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in visual performance science, optics, and translational research with strong leadership and collaboration skills. They will play a pivotal role in shaping clinical development strategies, defining novel endpoints, and translating bench-based innovations into clinically meaningful outcomes that drive product differentiation and patient impact across the various technology platforms in Alcon R&D.

This position would be on-site in Fort Worth, Texas (or Johns Creek, Ga and Lake Forest, CA) and a typical day would include :

• Serve as the primary vision science SME supporting top-priority projects and core development teams within Clinical R&D.
• Provide expert input on study design, endpoint selection, and data interpretation to ensure clinical programs reflect the latest scientific understanding of vision performance and optical function.
• Stay abreast of emerging research and technologies in vision science, maintaining a thought-leadership position in the field.
• Lead cross-functional workstreams, as needed, that integrate clinical, preclinical, regulatory, and technical teams to achieve key program milestones and deliverables related to vision science.
• Partner closely with program leads, biostatistics, regulatory affairs, and product development teams to ensure the scientific integrity and translational relevance of all clinical activities.
• Drive alignment between R&D, Medical Affairs, and Commercial functions on scientific narratives, clinical positioning, and evidence generation strategy.
• Develop and validate novel clinical endpoints and measures of visual performance that bridge laboratory discoveries with real-world clinical outcomes.
• Champion translational approaches that connect bench optics data to clinically measurable endpoints, ensuring meaningful application in clinical trial design.
• Partner with data science and clinical operations to implement innovative methodologies, imaging technologies, and psychophysical testing paradigms.
• Lead and mentor a team of 23 vision science experts, fostering collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.
• Promote cross-pollination of best practices, methodologies, and scientific insights across technology platforms including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, diagnostics, and emerging optical systems.
• Build organizational capability in vision science, ensuring consistent scientific rigor and strategic alignment across programs.
• Serve as a key liaison between basic optics R&D teams and clinical operational teams, ensuring seamless translation of upstream research into clinical execution downstream.
• Translate complex optical and vision performance data into actionable insights that guide clinical study design and product strategy.
• Ensure continuity and communication across early-stage research and late-stage development activities.
• Provide scientific / vision science leadership and technical evaluation for external innovation opportunities, including partnerships, licensing, and acquisition assessments.
• Represent the company at key scientific meetings, advisory boards, and collaborative forums within the vision science and ophthalmology communities.
• Contribute to due diligence processes, offering expert assessments of clinical data, endpoints, and translational potential of external technologies.

What You'll Bring To Alcon :

Preferred Qualifications :

How You Can Thrive at Alcon :