Operations Manager

NC State University; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare benefits

Wellness & Recreation Membership

Wellness Programs

Job summary

NC State University is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee SPEED program operations in Raleigh, aligning facility readiness, staffing, safety, procurement, and user support to keep autonomous experimentation resources reliable and accessible.

The role leads a multidisciplinary team, manages budgets and vendor relationships, and collaborates with university partners and external sponsors to advance SPEED as a national research facility offering remote autonomous laboratories.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex technical operations involving multiple personnel, projects, users, facilities, and competing priorities.
• Experience developing and implementing standard operating procedures, schedules, training processes, and operational documentation.
• Working knowledge of laboratory safety, risk management, equipment maintenance, procurement, and regulatory or institutional compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily facility operations, including laboratory readiness, platform availability, staffing coverage, access, scheduling, and user support.
• Develop and maintain operational procedures for user onboarding, experiment submission, training, platform access, technical assistance, and project closeout.
• Coordinate laboratory capacity and schedules across internal researchers, academic users, government collaborators, and industry partners.
• Monitor facility utilization, experiment throughput, turnaround times, incidents, and user needs to identify and resolve operational issues.

Skills

Operations coordination

Team leadership

SOP development

Budget & procurement

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Physical Sciences, Laboratory Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

Posting Information

Posting Number PG194832EP

Internal Recruitment

Internal Recruitment No

Working Title

Operations Manager

Anticipated Hiring Range

Anticipated hiring range Commensurate with education and experience (anticipated hiring range $110,000 - $120,000)

Work Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Primary work location is onsite, with occasional after-hours availability required to support critical facility operations and respond to emergencies or other business needs.

Department

Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs

About the Department

The Self-driving Platforms for Expedited Experimental co-design (SPEED) Programmable Cloud Laboratory is a $20 million National Science Foundation-funded national research infrastructure led by NC State University. Located in Woodson Hall, SPEED will provide academic, government, and industry researchers with remote access to integrated self-driving laboratories for accelerated discovery and development of advanced functional materials and molecules.

SPEED brings together expertise in laboratory automation, artificial intelligence, experimental science, data engineering, cybersecurity, and workforce development. The facility will operate a suite of autonomous experimental platforms through a shared digital infrastructure, enabling users to design, execute, monitor, and analyze experiments remotely. SPEED is supported by collaborators at NC State, UNC–Chapel Hill, MIT , industry partners, and an initial national network of academic users.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community. Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

As the Operations Manager, you will connect SPEED’s scientific mission with its day-to-day operations by coordinating facility access, staffing, scheduling, safety, equipment readiness, procurement, and user support. SPEED will serve researchers from universities, national laboratories, government agencies, and industry, and your leadership will help establish the facility as a dependable, accessible, and professionally managed research resource.

You will also help shape the operational foundation of a growing national research resource. SPEED will serve researchers from universities, national laboratories, government agencies, and industry, and you will play a key role in establishing SPEED as a dependable, accessible, and professionally managed facility. Through thoughtful coordination, responsive support, and effective operational leadership, you will help create an environment where researchers can focus on advancing their work through remote autonomous experimentation.

List of Primary Responsibilities

Facility & User Operations

• Lead daily facility operations, including laboratory readiness, platform availability, staffing coverage, access, scheduling, and user support.
• Develop and maintain operational procedures for user onboarding, experiment submission, training, platform access, technical assistance, and project closeout.
• Coordinate laboratory capacity and schedules across internal researchers, academic users, government collaborators, and industry partners.
• Monitor facility utilization, experiment throughput, turnaround times, incidents, and user needs to identify and resolve operational issues.

People & Resource Management

• Lead and support technical and operational personnel, including establishing priorities, schedules, performance expectations, training, and cross-coverage for critical facility functions.
• Manage operational budgets, purchasing, inventory, service contracts, equipment needs, and vendor relationships in coordination with university partners.
• Maintain operational records and monitor staffing, resource needs, project milestones, and facility deliverables.

Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

• Lead facility-wide safety and risk management activities, including hazard assessments, emergency procedures, incident response, inspections, training, and business-continuity planning.
• Coordinate with Environmental Health and Safety, information technology, research administration, facilities, and other university partners to support applicable safety, compliance, cybersecurity, and research requirements.
• Investigate operational incidents and recurring failures and implement corrective and preventive actions.

Stakeholder Communication & Continuous Improvement

• Serve as the primary operational contact for SPEED leadership, users, university administrators, vendors, and external partners.
• Communicate facility capabilities, access requirements, schedules, limitations, risks, and operational updates to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Use operational data and user feedback to improve procedures, training, services, facility reliability, and user support.
• Contribute to strategic planning for facility growth, new platform deployment, service expansion, workshops, demonstrations, sponsor visits, and long-term sustainability.

Other Responsibilities

In addition to the core responsibilities of this role, there may be occasional opportunities to take on additional duties. This offers an opportunity to build on your skills, explore new areas, and gain a deeper understanding of the department’s operations.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Physical Sciences, Laboratory Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

Other Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex technical operations involving multiple personnel, projects, users, facilities, and competing priorities.
• Experience developing and implementing standard operating procedures, schedules, training processes, and operational documentation.
• Working knowledge of laboratory safety, risk management, equipment maintenance, procurement, and regulatory or institutional compliance.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary technical personnel, prioritize competing demands, resolve operational issues, and make sound decisions in a fast- paced research environment.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively with researchers, engineers, administrators, vendors, students, and external partners.
• Demonstrated progression of responsibility in research operations, laboratory management, shared research facilities, engineering operations, or a related environment, with increasing responsibility for coordinating personnel, facilities, equipment, safety, and operational activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, physical sciences, operations management, business administration, or a related discipline.
• Experience managing a university core facility, user facility, national laboratory resource, pilot facility, or other shared research infrastructure.
• Familiarity with automated laboratories, robotics, chemical or materials research, self-driving laboratories, or remotely operated research equipment.
• Experience overseeing externally funded research programs, major equipment installations, multi-institutional projects, budgets, procurement, service contracts, or vendor relationships.
• Knowledge of scheduling systems, asset-management systems, user portals, laboratory information systems, or operational dashboards.
• Proven ability to use operational data and performance metrics to improve facility reliability, utilization, and user support.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required

Valid NC Driver's License required No

Commercial Driver's License required

Commercial Driver's License required No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date

Job Open Date 08/28/2026

Anticipated Close Date

Anticipated Close Date 9/11/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.

Position Number

Position Number 00112288

Position Type

Position Type EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.0

Appointment

Appointment 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID

Department ID 230101 - Interdisciplinary Programs - SVP

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity. Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit. NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.