Chief Scientific Operations Officer - Biological & Chemical Innovation Cloud Lab - Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR)

Carnegie Mellon University•Pittsburgh, PA

50d•Onsite

About The Position

Carnegie Mellon University is seeking an inaugural Chief Scientific Operations Officer (CSOO) to provide scientific, organizational, and operational leadership for the Biological & Chemical Innovation Cloud Lab (BCICL), a foundational component of the University's AI Science Foundry. The CSOO will build and lead an organization that brings together artificial intelligence, robotics, engineering, biology, chemistry, and data science to create an integrated, remotely accessible research environment. The role will shape the BCICL's vision, operating model, governance, partnerships, and long-term development, supporting research, education, and external users. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Research and serving on the AI Science Foundry leadership team, the CSOO will oversee laboratory and platform operations, staffing, instrumentation, budgets, facilities, safety, compliance, and user services. The role will work with researchers, educators, engineers, technologists, and external collaborators to develop secure, reproducible, cloud-enabled automated workflows and transition prototypes into operational services. The BCICL is expected to be a major node in the National Science Foundation's Programmable Cloud Lab Testbed in support of the Genesis Mission. The successful candidate will bring executive leadership experience in complex scientific, research, technology, laboratory, or innovation-focused organizations; scientific fluency in biological, chemical, biomedical, or related research environments; and experience turning scientific and technological capabilities into scalable, reliable, and customer-focused operations. An advanced degree in a relevant field is preferred but not required. Applicants must be legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States; CMU will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.

Requirements

Proven executive leadership experience within complex scientific, research, technology, laboratory, or innovation-intensive organizations.
Deep understanding of biological, chemical, biomedical, or related scientific research environments.
Demonstrated success building, scaling, or transforming multidisciplinary organizations and operating platforms.
Experience overseeing sophisticated laboratory facilities, research infrastructure, advanced instrumentation, and capital-intensive operations.
Experience managing significant operating budgets, capital expenditures, long-range financial planning, and resource allocation.
Demonstrated expertise establishing operational processes, governance frameworks, performance metrics, and organizational accountability mechanisms.
Strong understanding of laboratory quality systems, safety programs, regulatory requirements, compliance frameworks, and enterprise risk management.
Experience developing customer-oriented service models supporting internal and/or external scientific users.
Proven ability to lead and integrate teams spanning science, engineering, data science, robotics, automation, information technology, and operations.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with executive leaders, scientific stakeholders, technical experts, sponsors, and external partners, fostering alignment around a shared vision.
Technical fluency and scientific literacy sufficient to lead effectively in a complex biological, chemical, or AI-enabled laboratory environment.
Must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States; CMU will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.
Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Nice To Haves

Track record of leading initiatives involving AI, machine learning, automation, robotics, digital laboratories, cloud-based scientific platforms, or related technologies.
Track record of building productive partnerships across academia, government, industry, nonprofit organizations, and research funding agencies.
Experience developing shared-service, platform, cloud-based, or externally facing research environments serving multiple user constituencies.
Experience leading organizations that combine physical laboratory infrastructure with sophisticated digital technologies.
Advanced degree in a relevant field.
Substantial executive operating experience, leadership credentials, and/or business training relevant to building and scaling research infrastructure.
Experience developing and managing strategic partnerships with universities, government agencies, national laboratories, industry partners, nonprofit organizations, and funding entities.

Responsibilities

Establish and lead the operational organization supporting the BCICL's research, education, partnership, and external-user portfolio.
Lead operations across biological, chemical, characterization, analytical, and automated laboratory platforms.
Establish operating standards, quality systems, performance metrics, and customer service models.
Oversee technical and operations staffing, instrumentation, scheduling, resource utilization, and continuous improvement.
Partner with researchers, educators, roboticists, engineers, and software developers to integrate AI, robotics, automation, and advanced instrumentation.
Transition prototype workflows into reproducible, remotely accessible automated workflows and advance secure, cloud-enabled laboratory operations.
Develop and manage annual operating and capital budgets and establish a sustainable operational and financial model.
Oversee workforce planning, procurement, capital equipment strategy, and resource allocation; identify strategic investments to expand scientific capability and impact.
Provide executive oversight for laboratory facilities, infrastructure, instrumentation, robotics, and supporting systems.
Ensure appropriate environmental health and safety, biosafety, biosecurity, chemical safety, cybersecurity, and institutional compliance.
Establish governance, risk management, quality assurance, emergency preparedness, and continuous improvement practices.
Develop partnerships across academia, government, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and industry.
Establish and maintain a high-quality user experience for internal and external research users supporting research, education, and translation.
Balance sponsored research, technology development, translational science, and external service activities.
Help establish the AI Science Foundry as a nationally recognized leader in AI-enabled scientific research infrastructure.