Laboratory Manager- Wilson Lab

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 98,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Mentorship from PI and senior staff

Access to HMS community

Strong team of scientists

Job summary

HHMI's Wilson lab at Harvard Medical School in Boston seeks a Part time Laboratory Manager to handle the lab's operational, administrative, and organizational backbone. The role offers hybrid work with 2–3 on-site days and potential for 20 hours/week, with some duties possible remotely.

The ideal candidate is meticulous, communicative, and capable of training new members, managing purchasing, inventory, vendor relations, and digital tools while ensuring compliance and documentation are up to

Qualifications

• BA, BS, or equivalent degree.
• Experience with detail-oriented tasks requiring high accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using digital tools to track detailed or technical content.
• Prior experience managing small groups (e.g., co-leading a club or team).
• Documented ability to create and maintain an organizational system.
• Track record of taking initiative to identify and solve emerging problems.
• Demonstrated skills and interest in training, mentoring, and/or informal education (e.g., tutoring, volunteering, onboarding new club members, training new employees).
• Prior lab experience, workplace administrative experience, programming skills, experience with agentic AI workflows, and/or basic knowledge of biology (fruit flies and neuroscience) are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage purchasing, receiving, and shipping for the lab.
• Maintain stocks of lab supplies and lead strategic supply planning.
• Maintain and update the organization of shared supplies and equipment.
• Keep software licenses and service contracts current and up to date.
• Handle billing questions and problems in coordination with the institutional finance office.
• Manage vendor communications, including registering new vendors and securing quotes.
• Make routine strategic procurement decisions, such as selecting a vendor from a short list of regular suppliers.
• Process reimbursements.
• Supervise and manage the lab's digital communication tools (Google Calendars, Sheets, Slack, GitHub).
• Keep the lab Wiki up to date as policies and procedures evolve.
• Manage regulatory compliance tasks, including procuring importation and safety permits.
• Track asset inventory.
• Train new lab members to understand and use the lab's workflows across all areas.

Skills

Detail-oriented

Written communication

Digital tools

Leadership

Problem solving

Training/mentoring

Lab experience

Education

BA/BS or equivalent

Tools

Google Calendar

Google Sheets

Slack

GitHub

Job description

Primary Work Address: Dept. of Genetics, Boston, MA, 02115

We have an opportunity for a Part time Laboratory Manager to join the Wilson lab at Harvard Medical School, BostonMA. Dr. Rachel Wilson's lab, based in the Department ofNeurobiology at Harvard Medical School, studies how the brainperforms neural computations at the level of network connectivity,synapses, and ion channels. The team currently focuses on theneural basis of navigation behavior in Drosophila, combiningelectrophysiology and optical physiology in behaving flies withbrain-wide ‘connectomics’ and computational modeling. The goal is amechanistic understanding of how flies use sensory cues, internalstates, and memory to guide navigation. Learn more about the lab at https://wilson.hms.harvard.edu

As Lab Manager, you will handle the operational, administrative, and organizational backbone of the lab. Previous experience workingin a lab is valued, but prior hands-on science experience is notnecessary. We’re looking for someone who is meticulous,communicative, and has excellent executive function, so that thelab's supplies, systems, compliance, and communication tools runsmoothly and predictably. You will be the person the lab depends onto keep procurement, inventory, vendor relationships, digitaltools, and documentation organized and up to date, and to trainincoming lab members on all these workflows.

This position isbudgeted for 20 hours/week, though we are open to a highlyqualified candidate who prefers 30 hours/week instead. The rolewill be primarily in person; however, some daily responsibilitiescould be handled remotely. We anticipate the role will require 2-3days/week on-site. If a candidate prefers to work on-siteexclusively, that is also possible.

What we provide:

• A flexible schedule, with hybrid work possible.
• Direct training and mentorship from the Principal Investigatorand senior staff.
• Access to the vibrant scientific community of Harvard MedicalSchool and the broader Boston biomedical research community.
• This position offers an opportunity to join a strong team of friendly, collegial scientists working at the forefront of modernneuroscience research. We value honesty, consistency, energy, andcommitment to life-long learning.

What you’ll do:

• Manage purchasing, receiving, and shipping for the lab.
• Maintain stocks of lab supplies and lead strategic supplyplanning.
• Maintain and update the organization of shared supplies andequipment.
• Keep software licenses and service contracts current and up todate.
• Handle billing questions and problems in coordination with theinstitutional finance office.
• Manage vendor communications, including registering new vendorsand securing quotes.
• Make routine strategic procurement decisions, such as selectinga vendor from a short list of regular suppliers.
• Process reimbursements.
• Supervise and manage the lab's digital communication tools,including Google Calendars, Google Sheets, Slack channels, andGitHub repositories.
• Keep the lab Wiki up to date as policies and proceduresevolve.
• Manage regulatory compliance tasks, including procuringimportation and safety permits.
• Track asset inventory.
• Train new lab members to understand and use the lab's workflowsacross all of the above areas.

What you bring:

• BA, BS, or equivalent degree.
• Experience with detail-oriented tasks requiring consistent,high accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using digital tools to track detailed or technicalcontent.
• Prior experience managing small groups (e.g., co-leading a clubor team).
• Documented ability to create and maintain an organizationalsystem.
• A track record of taking initiative to identify and solveemerging problems.
• Demonstrated skills and interest in training, mentoring, and/orinformal education (e.g., tutoring, volunteering, onboarding newclub members, training new employees).
• Prior lab experience, workplace administrative experience,programming skills, experience with agentic AI workflows, and/orbasic knowledge of biology (especially of fruit flies andneuroscience) are all a plus, but none are required.

Physical Requirements:

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) orarm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for exampleusing a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word;ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to moveabout workspace. The position requires mobility, including theability to move materials weighing up to several pounds (such as alaptop computer or tablet). Work may involve possible exposure tomalodorous vapors, low dose radiation, contamination by toxicchemicals and acids and presence of carcinogenic substances.

Please Note:

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word“may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described aboveare “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americanswith Disabilities Act.

Compensation and Benefits

Our employees are compensated from a total rewards perspective in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visitour Benefits at HHMI site to learn more.

Hiring Pay Range

$78,320.00 - $97,900.00

Pay Type:

Annual

The posted range reflects HHMI’s good faith estimate of the anticipated hiring salary range for this role at the time of posting. Actual hiring compensation is determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and internal equity.

HHMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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