Research Operations Lab Manager

Socket.dev; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 88,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Equity plan

Benefits package

Job summary

Star Therapeutics is seeking a Research Operations Lab Manager for our South San Francisco, CA office. This role oversees day-to-day lab operations, ensures safety compliance, and provides technical direction to support research activities.

The incumbent partners with scientists, manages inventory, calibrations, and vendor relations, while driving process improvements and ensuring efficient, compliant operations in a dynamic biotech environment.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; stakeholder management and time management.
• Curious, resourceful, and focused on improving lab operations.
• Able to work independently, highly organized, thorough, and multitask.
• Service-oriented with a genuine desire to support scientific teams.
• Builds trust through responsiveness, follow-through and collaboration.
• Proactive and able to anticipate needs in day-to-day EHS operations.
• Knowledge of quality, environment, safety, and health policies; enforce safety practices.
• Must be on-site during normal business hours.
• Experience interfacing with EHS consultants and managing day-to-day EHS operations.
• Experience ordering, managing, and stocking supplies; vendor interfacing.
• Experience with inventory management tools and laboratory management systems.

Responsibilities

• Partner with scientists to anticipate lab needs and keep operations running with minimal disruption.
• Serve as primary contact for lab vendors, inventory, equipment maintenance and service visits.
• Monitor and maintain shared inventory of reagents and consumables; coordinate with accounting on purchases.
• Provide information to cross-functional teams to track lab expenditures.
• Schedule calibration and maintenance; manage capital equipment procurement and installation.
• Recommend improvements to workflows, equipment usage, and inventory management.
• Ensure proper handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste; lead safety inspections.
• Coordinate with EHS consultants for program compliance and action plans.
• Document training for safe lab practices and protocols.
• Assist in basic lab activities like buffers and media prep; support facility management.

Skills

Excellent communication

Organizational skills

Laboratory operations

Vendor management

Safety compliance

On-site availability

Problem solving

Education

B.S. or B.A. in Biology or related life sciences

Tools

Inventory management software

Laboratory management systems (LIMS)

Job description

South San Francisco, CA

Research Operations Lab Manager

Reports To: Director, Discovery Research

Department: Research & Development

Location: South San Francisco

ABOUT THE JOB

This is a full-time role requiring onsite presence, Monday - Friday in our South San Francisco, CA office. The Research Operations Lab Manager at Star Tx is responsible for managing and overseeing the day-to-day operations of our scientific research laboratory, as well as providing technical direction and support for research and operations activities. This key position develops and maintains effective laboratory policies and procedures with a primary focus on the efficiency and reliability of laboratory operations while ensuring compliance with safety regulations. The Research Operations Lab Manager role is instrumental in helping drive success in the laboratory and demonstrates excellent organizational skills to ensure the laboratory runs smoothly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Partner closely with scientists to anticipate laboratory needs, remove operational barriers to research, and ensure smooth lab operation with minimal disruption to research activities. This includes conducting routine lab walkthroughs to proactively identify equipment, facility, inventory, organization, and workflow issues
2. Serve as primary contact for lab vendors including inventory supply, equipment maintenance, and service visits. Request quotes and work with vendors to provide the best prices and products for the lab
3. Monitor, purchase, and maintain shared inventory of laboratory reagents and consumables and work with accounting to reconcile purchases
4. Provide information to cross-functional teams to properly track lab expenditures
5. Schedule calibration/preventative maintenance checks and services for existing laboratory equipment. Manage the requisition and delivery of new capital equipment and work with vendors/facilities to install and train new users
6. Recommend improvements to laboratory organization, workflows, equipment usage, and inventory management to maximize efficiency and reliability
7. Ensure the correct handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous and biohazardous waste
8. Manage lab safety inspections to ensure the cleanliness and safety of the lab, and coordinate with external collaborators for semi-annual lab safety inspections
9. Serve as primary internal coordinator for the site’s EHS program, working closely with EHS consultants to ensure compliance and implementation of best practices with follow-up action plan and documentation
10. Arrange and document laboratory personnel training for safe lab practices and protocols
11. May assist in basic lab activities such as formulating general use buffers and media prep
12. May provide office management support and act as the key contact for facility management needs

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent written and verbal communication, stakeholder management, interpersonal, and time management skills
• Curious, resourceful, and continuously looking for ways to improve laboratory operations
• Able to work independently, highly organized, thorough, and able to multitask
• Highly service-oriented with a genuine desire to support scientific teams
• Builds trust through responsiveness, follow-through, and collaboration
• Naturally proactive and able to anticipate needs before they arise
• Knowledge of quality, environment, safety, and health policies. Must be comfortable enforcing lab safety-related practices and protocols
• Must be on-site during normal business hours
• Comfortable interfacing with EHS consultants and taking ownership of day-to-day EHS operations
• B.S. or B.A. required; degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, or related life sciences discipline preferred
• Minimum 3-5 years lab manager experience, supporting molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or related laboratory research required; strong preference for science research experience
• Experience in ordering, managing, and stocking supplies, including interfacing with vendors required
• Experience with inventory management tools and laboratory management systems preferred

OUR CORE VALUES

Our core values drive all that we do here at Star. We are looking for like-minded individuals that feel passionately about these same values to join our team.

• Patients are our Center of Gravity: We partner with patients in unique ways, to uncover and address their unmet needs.
• Propelled by Data, Guided by Intuition, Informed by Expertise: We boldly explore new diseases, novel biology, and smart ways of working with a sense of urgency.
• Mission Ready Crew: With courage and agility, we opportunistically challenge conventional wisdom and foster an environment of respect and continuous growth.

ABOUT STAR THERAPEUTICS

Star Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that aims to discover and develop best-in-class antibody therapies to transform the lives of patients with serious diseases. Founded by former True North executives, Star has built a team with significant scientific expertise that has a demonstrated track record of success and is backed by top-tier biotech investors. We pride ourselves on our collective passion in bringing innovative therapies to the clinic and are committed to patients for whom no or limited treatment options exist.

Star is headquartered in South San Francisco, CA. More information about Star can be found on our website at www.star-therapeutics.com.

Star offers a competitive salary and benefits package, and we take pride on being a Biocom Best Place to Work for small companies. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, learn and explore, and make connections.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We anticipate the base salary for the Research Operations Lab Manager in our South San Francisco, CA office to range from $88,000 to $110,000 annually and will depend on current market data and the candidate’s qualifications for the role, including education, experience and geographic location. This position is also eligible for bonus, benefits, and participation in Company’s equity plan. The compensation described above is subject to change and could be higher or lower than the range described based on several factors.