Jobs and Careers

Sr. Director Government Affairs- Life Sciences

Washington, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 5 Jun 2026

💰 $250,000/yr($180,000/yr – $250,000/yr)

About the role

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 60,000+ 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.

The SENIOR DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS (LIFE SCIENCES) is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive legislative, regulatory, and public policy strategies that advance Danaher's life sciences portfolio at the federal and state levels. The Senior Director will lead high-level advocacy efforts, build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, and provide executive-level counsel on complex policy issues affecting the life sciences and general healthcare sectors.

This position reports to the Vice President Government Relations and located in Washington D.C at Danaher Corporate Headquarters

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

Lead the development and execution of comprehensive government affairs strategies for Danaher's life sciences portfolio, aligning policy objectives with corporate business goals and priorities
Provide strategic counsel to executive leadership and OpCo leaders on legislative, regulatory, and policy matters
Direct high-level advocacy campaigns with Congress, Executive Branch, and federal agencies (FDA, CMS, NIH, CDC, HHS)
Build and maintain strategic coalitions with trade associations, industry groups, patient advocacy organizations, and academic institutions
Build Danaher's reputation as a thought leader through strategic communications and public engagement

The essential requirements of the job include:

Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (Master's, J.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.) strongly preferred in public policy, political science, life sciences, law, or related field
10-12 years progressive experience in government affairs/public policy (including Capitol Hill or federal agency experience), with 5+ years in senior leadership
Deep expertise in healthcare policy, life sciences, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical policy (cell and gene therapy experience preferred)
Established network with congressional offices, federal agencies, and life sciences ecosystem stakeholders
Exceptional strategic thinking with demonstrated capacity to develop innovative solutions to complex policy challenges

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environment Requirements: if applicable for role

Willingness to travel 10-15% for meetings with policymakers, industry events, and stakeholder engagement (internal & external)

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

Working for HHS (FDA/CMS/NIH)
Working on precision genomic medicines

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.

The annual salary range for this role is $180,000-$250,000. 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.