Senior Director, Facilities

Lila Sciences; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a Facility Director/Senior Director to lead the planning and operations of its Boston facilities. This pivotal role involves overseeing the design and buildout of a new state-of-the-art facility, ensuring compliance and safety standards, and managing vendor relationships. The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic startup environment, leveraging over a decade of experience in facilities management within biotech or life sciences. Join a team that values collaboration and innovation, where your contributions will directly impact the future of scientific discovery.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in facilities management, preferably in biotech or life sciences.
• Proven experience managing office and lab buildouts, including large-scale moves.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning, buildout, and operations of Boston sites.
• Manage daily operations, vendor relationships, and compliance standards.

Skills

Facilities Management

Project Management

Vendor Negotiation

Budgeting

Communication

Collaboration

Job description

About Lila Sciences

Lila Sciences is the world’s first scientific superintelligence platform and autonomous lab for life, chemistry, and materials science. We are pioneering a new age of boundless discovery by building the capabilities to apply AI to every aspect of the scientific method. We are introducing scientific superintelligence to solve humankind's greatest challenges, enabling scientists to bring forth solutions in human health, climate, and sustainability at a pace and scale never experienced before. Learn more about this mission at www.lila.ai.

At Lila, we are uniquely cross-functional and collaborative. We are actively reimagining how teams work together and communicate. We seek individuals with an inclusive mindset and a diversity of thought. Our teams thrive in unstructured and creative environments. All voices are heard because we know that experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way.

If this environment excites you, and you have some of the experience listed below, please apply.

Your Impact at Lila

Lila Sciences seeks a Facility Director/Senior Director to oversee planning, buildout, and operations of our Boston sites, and support future space development in London and San Francisco. As we expand, this role is critical in creating efficient, safe, and scalable environments across office and lab settings. It’s a hands-on, strategic opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, startup environment.

Location: This role is based in Boston and requires regular on-site presence. Some travel to future sites (e.g., London, San Francisco) may be required.

What You'll Be Building

• Facility Buildout
• Lead design, buildout, and strategic move to a new 100,000 sq ft facility in Boston.
• Support development and setup of additional facilities in London and San Francisco.
• Coordinate office and lab space planning to support evolving team and research needs.
• Operations & Vendor Management
• Oversee daily operations of Boston facilities, including security, grounds, maintenance, and hardware controls.
• Manage vendor relationships for construction, maintenance, security, cleaning, and utilities.
• Develop scalable systems and processes for multi-site operations as the company grows.
• Manage facilities budgets, forecasts, and capital improvements.
• Compliance, Safety & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Ensure all facilities meet compliance, safety, and regulatory standards, especially for labs.
• Partner with leadership, operations, IT, and scientific teams to align with company goals and ensure seamless support.
• Support occupancy planning, employee experience, and office services.
• Leadership
• Lead and manage a team including the Project Manager, EHS, and Lab Ops Manager.

What You’ll Need To Succeed

• 10+ years in facilities management, preferably in biotech, pharma, or life sciences.
• Proven experience managing office and lab buildouts, including large-scale moves.
• Experience managing multiple facilities with international exposure, especially in the UK.
• Strong vendor negotiation, budgeting, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to operate strategically and hands-on in a dynamic startup environment.

Bonus Points For

• Knowledge of EHS and regulatory standards is a plus.

We’re All In

Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.

A Note to Agencies

Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies unless contacted directly by our Talent Acquisition team. Resumes submitted without a signed agreement will be the property of Lila Sciences, and no fees will be owed.