Marine Lab Operations Manager: Research & Outreach

Caltech; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 143,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Caltech seeks a Manager of Kerckhoff Marine Lab Operations to oversee daily lab operations, facilities, staff, and budgets for the Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory (KML). This essential role coordinates research support, educational programs, and outreach, collaborating with researchers and external partners to expand facility utilization.

The position involves planning upgrades, managing resources, and supporting field courses, tours, and events.

Qualifications

• Master of Science (M.S.) or higher in Marine Sciences or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience managing a marine laboratory, field station, research facility, or comparable scientific or academic operation.
• Experience managing laboratory operations and providing research support resources to faculty, researchers, students, and external users.
• Experience maintaining seawater systems, marine laboratory infrastructure, scientific equipment, or specialized research support facilities.
• Experience supporting marine field research activities, including sample collection and coordination of field operations.
• Experience conducting laboratory analyses and supporting research involving marine organisms, ecological systems, or related scientific disciplines.
• Experience supervising staff, students, volunteers, or facility users, including training, mentoring, workload coordination, and operational oversight.
• Experience administering and implementing new technologies, operational systems, equipment, or process improvements.
• Experience managing budgets, procurement, resource allocation, and operational planning.
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative relationships with researchers, educational institutions, scientific organizations, and external partners.
• Ability to lift 25 pounds and become SCUBA certified.

Responsibilities

• Oversees day-to-day operations, research-support activities, educational programs, outreach initiatives, partnerships, and facility services that support KML's mission and objectives.
• Manages facility utilization, scheduling, infrastructure maintenance, space allocation, and operational readiness for research, educational programs, events, and external users.
• Coordinates research activities, supports visiting researchers, facilitates collaborations, and identifies opportunities to increase research activity and facility utilization.
• Provides direct supervision of assigned staff, including workload management, training, mentoring, performance management, and professional development.
• Manages the volunteer program, including recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, supervision, and recognition of volunteers.
• Oversees operational, research-support, educational, outreach, and facility-based programs to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.
• Develops and monitors budgets; recommends resource allocation, procurement priorities, equipment purchases, and operational investments to support program and facility needs.
• Leads the planning and implementation of technologies, systems, equipment upgrades, infrastructure improvements, and facility enhancement projects.
• Develops, coordinates, and delivers educational programs, field courses, workshops, tours, and student learning opportunities.
• Develops and implements outreach initiatives to increase engagement with students, educators, researchers, community organizations, and external stakeholders.
• Plans and coordinates conference workshops, meetings, tours, special events, and other activities hosted by KML.
• Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with marine laboratories, universities, scientific organizations, governmental agencies, and external partners.
• Represents KML in interactions with scientific, educational, community, and marine laboratory organizations.
• Participates in short- and long-range planning related to facility operations, programs, resource allocation, infrastructure needs, and service expansion.
• Supports fundraising activities, donor engagement, sponsorship opportunities, partnership development, and revenue-generating initiatives that enhance KML programs and operational sustainability.
• Develops and implements initiatives that increase awareness, visibility, utilization, and impact of KML facilities, programs, and services.
• Monitors operational performance and recommends process improvements to enhance efficiency, safety, customer service, and program effectiveness.
• Ensures compliance with applicable institutional policies, environmental health and safety requirements, operational procedures, and regulatory guidelines.

Skills

Laboratory operations management

Budget and procurement

Staff supervision

Partnership development

SCUBA certification

Lift 25 pounds

Communication with researchers

Education

Master of Science in Marine Sciences or closely related field

Job description

Caltech seeks a Manager of Kerckhoff Marine Lab Operations to oversee daily lab operations, facilities, staff, and budgets for the Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory (KML). This essential role coordinates research support, educational programs, and outreach, collaborating with researchers and external partners to expand facility utilization.

The position involves planning upgrades, managing resources, and supporting field courses, tours, and events.