R&D Lab Operations Specialist I

Planet Pharma; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 100,565,000 - 114,616,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Pharma in Philadelphia, PA seeks a Lab Equipment & Maintenance Specialist to manage inventory, evaluate critical lab systems, and coordinate calibration and preventive maintenance across multiple facilities.

You will work with technicians, IT, and leadership to ensure equipment reliability, safety compliance, and efficient operations, including vendor coordination and on-site oversight of external service visits.

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 an R&D facility.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, clarity, accuracy, and conciseness.

Responsibilities

• Maintain equipment inventory and keep information accurate and updated.
• Evaluate fixed lab equipment to ensure proper operation.
• Manage vendor service contracts and preventive maintenance schedules.
• Coordinate calibration and certification timelines across laboratories.
• Escalate and coordinate equipment repairs with service providers.
• Review cold storage monitoring to minimize freezer failures.
• Assist in emergency planning and lab safety procedures.
• Chaperone external technicians and enforce company policies onsite.
• Oversee delivery logistics for packages, gas deliveries, and equipment installs.
• Support procurement of lab consumables as needed.
• Troubleshoot general lab operation issues.
• Maintain procedures for compliant lab operations.
• Work with lab safety officer to ensure PPE availability.

Skills

Maintenance planning

Vendor management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Problem solving

Education

AS or BS in Life Sciences or Facilities Management

Job description

Planet Pharma in Philadelphia, PA seeks a Lab Equipment & Maintenance Specialist to manage inventory, evaluate critical lab systems, and coordinate calibration and preventive maintenance across multiple facilities.

You will work with technicians, IT, and leadership to ensure equipment reliability, safety compliance, and efficient operations, including vendor coordination and on-site oversight of external service visits.