Lab Equipment Lead

GSK; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

GSK in Cambridge, MA seeks a Lab Equipment Lead to drive equipment lifecycle management and operational excellence in our R&D labs. You will lead a cross-functional team, ensuring GMP-like practices and robust qualification standards while coordinating with QA, Facilities, and Procurement.

The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering or science, plus 5+ years in lab equipment projects and 2+ years leading teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing laboratory equipment projects.
• 2+ years leading technical teams with coaching and development.
• 2+ years managing complex matrixed projects with QA, Operations, Procurement.
• 2+ years implementing EHS requirements and equipment qualification standards.
• 2+ years budgeting and vendor management for technical equipment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee equipment life cycle management for Cambridge R&D labs.
• Embed Good Scientific Practices and fit-for-purpose quality systems.
• Lead Lab Equipment Lifecycle Management (LCM) with internal and external partners.
• Support CAPEX demand collection, budgets, PIPs, and forecast invoices.
• Ensure KPI-driven service delivery and issue resolution.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to implement CAPEX delivery processes.
• Drive employee engagement and development within Lab Operations.
• Act as Local Business Owner for lab processes and systems in Vaccines R&D labs.

Skills

Team leadership

Project management

Equipment lifecycle mgmt

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or science

Job description

Lab Equipment Lead

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:

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