Lab Equipment Lead

GSK; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 139,000 - 232,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Retirement benefits

Paid holidays

Job summary

GSK in Cambridge, MA is seeking an experienced Lab Equipment Lead to head the lifecycle management of lab equipment, ensuring quality systems and GMP-like practices are in place. You will coordinate internal teams and external partners to keep equipment available for high-quality experiments in a complex R&D environment.

You will lead a matrixed operation, drive CAPEX planning, and mentor a cross-functional team to deliver strategic improvements and reliable support for scientists in Cambridge’s

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience managing laboratory equipment projects, commissioning, validation, or maintenance within a research environment.
• Two or more years of experience leading technical teams, including coaching, performance management, and employee development.
• Two or more years of experience leading complex projects within a matrixed environment, collaborating effectively with Quality, Operations, Procurement, Finance, and scientific stakeholders.
• Two or more years of implementing EHS requirements, risk assessment practices, and equipment qualification standards within R&D laboratory environments.
• Two or more years of experience managing budgets, vendor relationships, and procurement activities for technical equipment.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for Equipment life cycle management for equipment in Cambridge R&D Labs (from URS definition, equipment installation and life cycle management to equipment decommissioning).
• Ensure Good Scientific Practices and fit for purpose Quality System are embedded within the labs for proper management of equipment.
• Implements and oversees Lab Equipment Lifecycle Management (LCM) with internal service partners and external providers.
• Support CAPEX demand collection for annual 3-year plan, Project Investments Proposals, and execution oversight.
• Drive KPI-based service delivery and issue resolution for equipment lifecycle management.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to implement a fit-for-purpose CAPEX delivery process.
• Lead Cambridge, MA Lab Operations team engagement, develop people, recognize performance, and foster a productive environment.
• Serve as Local Business Owner / SME for lab operations processes and drive improvement opportunities in Vaccines R&D labs.

Skills

Communication

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Decision Making

Leadership

Project Controls

Project Management

Risk Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Strategic Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or science

Engineering or related technical discipline

Tools

CMMS

Job description

At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting-edge technology to transform people’s lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, making sure that we focus our efforts on accelerating significant assets that meet patients’ needs and have the highest probability of success. We’re uniting science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together.

Find out more:

Our approach to R&D

Lab Equipment team within Lab Operations organization is co-located with scientists in the in the Cambridge R&D Labs, working very closely on a day-to-day basis to drive operational excellence in order to ensure smooth running of the equipment within the labs to maximize scientific productivity and safety of lab personnel. The Lab Equipment Lead will lead a team of operations professionals through service partner model to ensure equipment used in the labs are available and functional and scientists have what they need when they need it to conduct high quality experiments to deliver the R&D project pipeline. The role involves overseeing equipment commissioning, upgrades, qualification and decommissioning.

The Equipment lead will work closely with scientific leads and representatives and other stakeholders to drive operational excellence, ensure compliance with quality standards and regulations, and support continuous improvement initiatives. The Lab Equipment Lead will demonstrate strong leadership and influencing skills, effectively communicating with various stakeholders to align goals and drive collaborative efforts. This role requires the ability to navigate and lead within a matrix organization, leveraging cross-functional relationships to successfully implement strategic initiatives. By fostering a culture of development and empowerment, the Lead will ensure that team members are motivated, well-supported, and equipped to excel in their roles, ultimately contributing to a cohesive and productive working environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Accountable for Equipment life cycle management for equipment in Cambridge R&D Labs (from URS definition, equipment installation and life cycle management to equipment decommissioning, including inventory update and documentation management)
• Ensure Good Scientific Practices and fit for purpose Quality System are embedded within the labs for the proper management of equipment (including quality standards, research practices, documentation, etc.) and labs are designed and setup for optimized use.
• Implements and oversees Lab Equipment Lifecyle Management (LCM) program ensuring effective support/coordination within Lab Operations, by internal service partners (e.g. EHS, Facilities & Engineering, Procurement, Lab Systems/Tech, Quality), and external service providers.
• Support the business for Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) demand collection for annual 3-year plan, individual Project Investment Proposals (PIPs), and execution oversight (including budget tracking and invoice forecast).
• Overall accountable for equipment life cycle management service delivery per KPI targets and problem / issue resolution concerning equipment life-cycle management
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to implement a fit for purpose CAPEX delivery process.
• Drives employee engagement within the Cambridge, MA Lab Operations team with emphasis on clear responsibilities & expectations, people development, enriching roles, effective recognition, and open & honest conversations.
• Serve as Local Business Owner / Subject Matter Expert for key lab operations processes/systems concerning equipment life-cycle management and propose/lead improvement opportunities in the Vaccines R&D laboratories.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience managing laboratory equipment projects, commissioning, validation, or maintenance within a research environment.
• Two or more years of experience leading technical teams, including coaching, performance management, and employee development.
• Two or more years of experience leading complex projects within a matrixed environment, collaborating effectively with Quality, Operations, Procurement, Finance, and scientific stakeholders.
• Two or more years of implementing EHS requirements, risk assessment practices, and equipment qualification standards within R&D laboratory environments.
• Two or more years of experience managing budgets, vendor relationships, and procurement activities for technical equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in an engineering discipline, such as mechanical, electrical, or biomedical engineering, or equivalent technical training.
• PMP or other Project Management Certification.
• At least 8 years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or highly complex research laboratory environments.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Demonstrated project management expertise, including the ability to prioritize team objectives and deliver outcomes aligned with organizational goals.
• Experience implementing equipment qualification approaches, including IQ, OQ, and PQ, and developing compliance-ready documentation.
• Experience with preventive maintenance programs, CMMS systems, or asset management tools.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
• Prior hands-on experience as a scientist within an R&D laboratory environment.

Skills

Communication, Cross-Departmental Collaboration, Decision Making, Financial Acumen, Innovation, Leadership, Project Controls, Project Management, Project Management Governance, Project Planning, Project Tracking, Risk Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Leadership

• If you are based in Cambridge, MA; Waltham, MA; Rockville, MD; or San Francisco, CA, the annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges $139,425 to $232,375. The US salary ranges take into account a number of factors including work location within the US market, the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. In addition, this position offers an annual bonus and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program which is dependent on the level of the role. Available benefits include health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and paid caregiver/parental and medical leave. If salary ranges are not displayed in the job posting for a specific country, the relevant compensation will be discussed during the recruitment process.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

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GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.

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