Director, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Laboratory

Socket.dev; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with matching

Paid vacation & holidays

Paid sick leave

EV charging

Lunch program

Cell phone stipend

Employee referral bonus

Job summary

Zymo Research in Irvine, CA seeks a Director of Next-Generation Sequencing Laboratory Operations to lead, optimize, and expand high-throughput genomics services. The role requires a Ph.D.

and 5+ years in a commercial NGS setting, with a track record in automation, quality systems, and scalable production workflows. You will liaise with Business Development, Product Management, bioinformatics, and customer teams to drive operational excellence and commercial growth while delivering high quality

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in life sciences with 5+ years leading commercial NGS labs.
• Experience scaling high-throughput genomics operations.
• Strong SOPs, quality systems, and scalable workflows.

Responsibilities

• Direct day-to-day operations of a high-throughput NGS lab.
• Lead teams and drive continuous improvement and throughput.
• Develop growth plans, capacity, staffing, and workflow optimization.
• Oversee QC programs, CAPA, and regulatory readiness.
• Collaborate with BD, product, bioinformatics, and customers.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Scientific Excellence

Commercial Acumen

Operational Scalability

Process Automation

Quality Management

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Customer Focus

Team Development

Continuous Improvement

Education

Ph.D. in Molecular Biology/Genetics/Biochemistry/Genomics

Tools

Laboratory Automation Systems

LIMS & Informatics

Sequencing Platforms (Illumina)

Robotics & Automation

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Director of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Laboratory Operations to lead, optimize, and expand our commercial genomics services capabilities. This individual will provide scientific, operational, and strategic leadership for high-throughput NGS workflows supporting diverse research, translational, and clinical applications.

The ideal candidate is a Ph.D.-level scientist with deep expertise in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, genomics, or a related discipline, combined with at least 5 years of leadership experience in a commercial NGS services environment. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of building scalable laboratory operations, implementing automation strategies, developing robust quality systems, and commercializing new sequencing workflows while maintaining exceptional quality, turnaround time, and customer satisfaction.

This position serves as a key liaison between laboratory operations, business development, product management, bioinformatics, and customer-facing teams to drive both operational excellence and commercial growth.

The successful candidate is a scientific and operational leader who has demonstrated the ability to transform laboratory capacity, implement automation, commercialize new technologies, establish rigorous quality systems, and partner effectively with business development teams to drive growth. This individual combines deep technical expertise in NGS with strong leadership, financial awareness, and a customer-focused mindset.

This role is ideal for a laboratory director who has successfully managed commercial sequencing operations at scale and is excited to help build the next generation of genomics services capabilities.

Join us in making a meaningful impact!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Laboratory Leadership & Operations

• Lead day-to-day operations of a high-throughput NGS laboratory supporting multiple genomics service lines.
• Direct laboratory personnel, supervisors, and managers while fostering a culture of scientific excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Develop strategic plans for laboratory growth, capacity expansion, staffing, instrumentation, and workflow optimization.
• Establish key operational metrics and monitor laboratory performance, throughput, turnaround time, quality, utilization, and cost efficiency.
• Serve as the technical escalation point for complex laboratory investigations, troubleshooting, and process improvements.

Workflow Development & Process Optimization

• Design, implement, and continuously improve scalable NGS workflows across diverse sample types and applications.
• Develop, validate, and deploy protocols, SOPs, work instructions, and quality documentation to support high-volume laboratory production.
• Standardize and automate laboratory processes to increase throughput, reproducibility, and operational efficiency.
• Lead implementation and optimization of laboratory automation platforms, liquid handling systems, robotics, and workflow integration technologies.
• Collaborate with bioinformatics and software teams to improve laboratory informatics, sample tracking, and LIMS integration.

NGS Technology & Assay Implementation

• Oversee end-to-end NGS laboratory operations including sample accessioning, nucleic acid extraction, library preparation, sequencing, QC, and data delivery.
• Support a broad portfolio of sequencing applications including:
• Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)
• Whole Exome Sequencing (WES)
• RNA-Seq
• Single-Cell Sequencing
• Targeted Sequencing
• Epigenomics and Methylation Assays
• Multi-omics workflows
• Lead technical transfer and commercialization of new sequencing technologies from R&D into validated production workflows.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, instrumentation, and reagent platforms to enhance laboratory capabilities and competitiveness.

Quality Systems & Regulatory Compliance

• Develop and maintain comprehensive quality systems supporting commercial laboratory operations.
• Establish and oversee assay validation, protocol qualification, QC programs, CAPA processes, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure laboratory compliance with applicable regulatory and quality standards including CLIA, CAP, ISO 15189, ISO 17025, or equivalent frameworks where applicable.
• Maintain documentation systems, training programs, and audit readiness.

Commercial & Business Development Support

• Partner with Business Development, Sales, Marketing, and Product Management teams to support growth initiatives.
• Provide technical expertise during customer meetings, business reviews, scientific presentations, and proposal development.
• Evaluate feasibility of custom projects and translate customer requirements into executable laboratory workflows.
• Support pricing strategies through operational cost analysis, capacity planning, and workflow optimization.
• Contribute to development of new service offerings and commercialization strategies.

Financial & Strategic Management

• Participate in annual planning, budgeting, forecasting, and capital equipment investment decisions.
• Monitor operational costs and identify opportunities to improve margins while maintaining quality and service commitments.
• Manage vendor relationships, service contracts, reagent sourcing, and equipment procurement.
• Support long-term laboratory infrastructure planning and expansion initiatives.

Education and Experience

Required

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Genomics, Biotechnology, or related life science discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in a commercial NGS services laboratory environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing high-throughput genomics operations.
• Extensive hands‑on knowledge of:
• NGS library preparation workflows
• Illumina and/or other next‑generation sequencing platforms
• DNA and RNA sequencing applications
• Single‑cell genomics technologies
• Laboratory automation systems
• LIMS and laboratory informatics platforms
• Proven experience developing SOPs, protocols, quality systems, and scalable production workflows.
• Experience transferring new assays and technologies from R&D into commercial laboratory operations.
• Strong understanding of laboratory regulatory and quality framework requirements.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams and driving operational improvements.

Preferred

• Experience managing commercial genomics laboratories processing thousands of samples per month.
• Experience with robotics, liquid handling platforms, and laboratory automation implementation.
• Familiarity with CLIA, CAP, ISO 15189, ISO 17025, or similar quality frameworks.
• Experience supporting business development, strategic partnerships, and customer‑facing scientific engagements.
• Knowledge of proteomics, spatial biology, epigenomics, multi‑omics, or emerging sequencing technologies.
• Experience with production‑scale laboratory metrics, Lean methodologies, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement programs.
• Financial planning, budgeting, and P&L management experience.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Scientific and Technical Excellence
• Commercial Acumen
• Operational Scalability
• Process Automation
• Quality Management
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Customer Focus
• Team Development and Mentorship
• Continuous Improvement Mindset

About Us

Since its inception in 1994, Zymo Research has been proudly serving the scientific community by providing innovative, reliable, and high‑quality research tools and products. Whether it's DNA, RNA, epigenetics, microbiomics, protein, or yeast‑based research, our philosophy remains the same: To provide the highest quality products in the industry while ensuring they are both simple to use and reliable in their performance.

Recognized as a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register in 2021, 2022, and named a Top Workplace USA in 2023, Zymo Research continues to be a vibrant community where employees thrive, feel connected, and are inspired by their work. If you are passionate about contributing to scientific advancement and want to be part of an exceptional team in a dynamic, growing company, we'd love to hear from you!

Compensation, Benefits, and Perks

The estimated base compensation range for this position is $180,000-210,000 annually at the time of posting. Actual compensation details will be provided in writing at the time of offer, if applicable, and is based on several factors we believe fairly and accurately impact compensation, including geographic location, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other job permitted factors.

Zymo Research also offers competitive benefits and perks including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Coverages
• EAP Sessions
• Vacation Time plus Company Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave
• Generous 401(K) with matching
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Complimentary fruit, snacks, and beverages
• Complimentary catered lunches on Thursdays
• Complimentary EV Charging
• Cell phone stipend

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Zymo Research welcomes candidates of all backgrounds. These include sex, age, color, race, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical & mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other protected status as defined by federal, state, or local law.

Location

Onsite – Zymo Research HQ –17062 Murphy Ave, Irvine, CA, 92614