Lab Operations Specialist / Facilities Operations Specialist

VARITE INC; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement Plans

Legal Service Plans

Job summary

VARITE is seeking a Lab Operations Specialist / Facilities Operations Specialist for our Philadelphia site (Onsite). The role focuses on maintaining lab equipment, coordinating calibrations and certifications, and ensuring compliant operations across multiple labs.

You will work with technicians, IT, and leadership to meet operational needs and manage vendor services. The position requires a Life Sciences or Facilities Management background, with 1+ year in biotech or pharma and 2+ years

Qualifications

• A.S. or B.S. in Life Sciences or Facilities Management with emphasis.
• Minimum 1 year of pharmaceutical, life sciences, or biotech experience in academic or industry setting.
• Minimum 2 years of experience implementing maintenance and repair programs in an R&D facility.

Responsibilities

• Maintain equipment inventory with accurate, up-to-date records.
• Regularly evaluate fixed lab equipment to ensure proper operation.
• Manage lab vendor service contracts and preventative maintenance visits.
• Coordinate timelines for certifications and calibrations across labs.
• Assist in coordinating equipment repair visits with service providers and lab teams.
• Monitor cold storage software to minimize freezer failures.
• Escalate issues and troubleshoot as needed.
• Participate in lab emergency planning and infrastructure projects.
• Collaborate with technicians, IT, and leadership to meet equipment and operations needs.
• Chaperone external technicians and ensure compliance with company policies onsite.
• Oversee delivery logistics for lab equipment and supplies.
• Assist procurement of lab consumables and supplies.
• Troubleshoot general lab operation issues as they arise.
• Develop and maintain procedures for compliant lab operations.
• Work with lab safety to manage safety systems and PPE availability.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Verbal and written communication

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Education

Life Sciences / Facilities Management degree

Job description

VARITE is looking for qualified Lab Operations Specialist / Facilities Operations Specialist in Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Onsite)

WHAT THE CLIENT DOES?

An American biotechnology company that develops cancer immunotherapy products with a primary focus on genetically engineered autologous CAR T cell therapy - a cell-based therapy which relies on chimeric antigen receptors and T cells.

WHAT WE DO?

Established in the Year 2000, VARITE is an award-winning minority business enterprise providing global consulting & staffing services to Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies. With 850+ global consultants, VARITE is committed to delivering excellence to its customers by leveraging its global experience and expertise in providing comprehensive scientific, engineering, technical, and non-technical staff augmentation and talent acquisition services.

Job Title:Lab Operations Specialist / Facilities Operations Specialist

Location: Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Onsite)

Contract Duration: 12 months with possible extension.

Pay Rate Range: $35.97 - $41.00/hr. on W2.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL DO

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain equipment inventory, ensuring the information is accurate and updated promptly.
• Regularly evaluate fixed lab equipment (fume hoods, exhaust fans, biosafety cabinet, etc) are functioning properly.
• Manage all laboratory vendor service contracts ensuring that preventative maintenance visits are executed on schedule
• Manage and coordinate timelines across laboratories for certifications and calibrations on critical equipment
• Help resolve and/or coordinate equipment repair visit between the service provider and the laboratory team.
• Review cold storage monitoring software to minimize the risk of freezer failure.
• Escalate issues internally and troubleshoot as needed.
• Participate in laboratory emergency planning/management - e.g. power outages and infrastructure projects
• Work with all parties involved (technicians, users, IT, and leadership) to ensure that both the equipment and operational needs are met.
• Chaperone technicians from external suppliers and ensure they are adhering to company policies while onsite.
• Oversee delivery logistics by coordinating the receipt of packages, gas deliveries, or installation of laboratory equipment.
• Support the procurement of laboratory consumables and supplies as needed.
• Perform general troubleshooting of laboratory operation issues as they arise.
• Support the development and maintenance of procedures to ensure compliant lab operations.
• Work with lab safety officer to manage the safety systems/compliance and ensure the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is current and available.
• Provide miscellaneous laboratory maintenance tasks as needed e.g. supply stocking, eye wash/safety shower flushing, removal of waste, etc

Required Qualifications:

• A.S. or B.S. in Life Sciences or Facilities Management with management/technical emphasis.
• Minimum 1 year of pharmaceutical, life sciences, or biotech experience in an academic or industry setting.
• Minimum 2 years of experience implementing maintenance and repair programs in a Research & Development (R&D) facility.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively with member of cross-functional team
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to solve problems while anticipating the downstream impacts
• Highly organized with a strong attention to detail, clarity, accuracy, and conciseness.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with project management activities and vendor management preferred
• Experience working within an R&D team while establishing and enforcing best practices in laboratory operations preferred
• Experience training/teaching new employees specific relevant technical and conceptual skills is a plus
• Experience with lab supplies procurement.

BENEFITS:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees and their families. Eligible employees may receive:

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement Plans: Participation in a company-sponsored retirement savings plan.
• Legal Service Plans: Offering access to attorneys for legal advice and representation.

VARITE is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.