Director, Lab Operations & Maintenance Management

Lila Sciences • Cambridge, MA

1d

About The Position

Lila is building AI Science Factories (AISFs) — highly automated, AI-directed labs that generate the proprietary experimental data powering our AI platform. As we scale from one AISF to many, the operational infrastructure that keeps those factories running is a first-class strategic capability. The Director of Lab Operations & Maintenance Management (LOMM) owns the physical and logistical foundation of Lila's science operations: consumables and reagent supply chains, equipment asset management, CMMS management, waste coordination, space readiness, preventative maintenance (PM), first response equipment/instrument demand maintenance, and multi-shift logistics continuity. This role will build out and manage Lila's Maintenance Management (MM) function from the ground up — hiring the initial team, developing best practices, and establishing the operational handoff as we mature and scale. But this role is as much about building these systems as running them — you'll define the LOMM operating model, lead its expansion to new sites, drive AI-enabled innovation in how we manage lab resources, and author the standards that travel with every AISF we open. You'll operate as a recognized authority on lab operations within Lila, partnering directly with VPs and senior leaders across Autonomous Science Platform (ASP), Finance, EHS, and Facilities. You'll be a principal contributor to the Blueprint program — the global deployment framework that defines how Lila builds and runs AI Science Factories at scale.

Requirements

• 12–15+ years of lab operations experience in a biotech or life sciences environment, with demonstrated strategic impact at the program or portfolio level
• Proven track record of defining and scaling lab operations systems — not just inheriting and running them; you've built operating models, established governance, and led functions through significant growth
• Deep expertise in CMMS selection, implementation, and governance — you've owned platform decisions and data accuracy programs, not just used the tool
• Experience building and leading teams across multiple functions, shifts, or sites — including hiring from scratch and developing operational capability in parallel with day-to-day execution
• Experience owning and successfully defending ISO 9001:2015 audits related to preventive maintenance (PM) and calibration programs (e.g., evidence packages, CAPAs, and auditor-facing readiness)
• Recognized as an authority in lab operations within your organization; comfortable operating as a peer to VPs and senior leaders and representing your function externally
• Strong strategic and systems-level thinking — you anticipate org-wide operational challenges and define the structures to solve them, not just the immediate fix

Nice To Haves

• Experience building or overseeing a Maintenance Management or instrument PM function — familiarity with IQ/OQ/PQ, calibration registries, MTBF tracking, and service vendor management
• Experience leading or partnering closely with field service / technical service teams (dispatch, SLAs, escalation models, parts logistics, and service performance management) in high-uptime environments
• Experience applying AI or intelligent automation to lab operations workflows (e.g., predictive inventory, automated asset tracking, AI-assisted reporting)
• Background in materials science, life science, and chemistry lab environments — familiarity with the specific consumables, reagents, handling requirements, and vendor landscape in those domains
• Experience supporting multi-shift or 24/7 lab operations
• Familiarity with QMS-adjacent environments (SOP document control, change control, training records)
• Experience contributing to a global site deployment or standardization program (playbook authorship, site launch readiness frameworks)

Responsibilities

• Define and own the LOMM operating model across Lila sites — from single-shift pilot to multi-site, continuous operations
• Establish the systems, org structure, staffing model, and governance framework that enable LOMM to scale reliably
• Set and track operational KPIs (inventory accuracy, stockout rate, PM scheduling compliance, asset data integrity, ticket resolution time); use data to drive structured improvement cycles and report trends to ASP leadership
• Own end-to-end supply chain continuity for all lab consumables, reagents, and PPE across all shifts and sites
• Design and govern the par-level inventory system, reorder triggers, cold storage management, and expiry tracking infrastructure
• Lead dual-source qualification strategy for high-risk consumables; build the satellite site supply chain playbook for future AISFs in support of the Blueprint project
• Own CMMS strategy, selection, implementation, and long-term governance — accountable for data accuracy across all commissioned instruments and mobile assets
• Define asset tagging standards and location tracking protocols in alignment with Blueprint's asset taxonomy
• Own PM coordination across sites; ensure calibration access and instrument readiness for production operations
• Build out the Maintenance Management function from scratch in collaboration with Hardware & Controls Engineering (HCE) team: define the team structure, hire initial MM staff, and establish the operating model for instrument PM, calibration, and first-response troubleshooting
• Stand up a dedicated L1 (Level 1) maintenance support team as the first line of response for lab-floor issues across shifts: triage incoming requests, execute standard work (resets, swaps, basic mechanical/electrical checks, consumables replenishment for instruments as defined), and escalate efficiently to HCE- L2/L3 Sustaining Engineering, vendors, or Integration Automation Engineering when deeper troubleshooting or design changes are required
• Establish the escalation and handoff protocols between MM, LabOps, Research Operations (production team), and HCE/Automation; define the boundary between maintenance of commissioned instruments that are best serviced by MM and engineering modifications
• Explore and define the HCE onboarding/training model for MM technicians, including potential rotational program for cross-training and augmentation
• Lead Lila's thinking on AI-enabled lab operations — evaluate, pilot, and scale intelligent solutions across inventory management, predictive reordering, asset tracking, and operational reporting
• Build a continuous improvement culture within LOMM: baseline metrics, run structured improvement cycles, and bring external best practices from the biotech/life sciences industry into Lila's operating model
• Define the innovation roadmap for LOMM in partnership with engineering and operations teams
• Own vendor relationships for all lab supplies and logistics within approved frameworks; partner with Finance on contract strategy for key suppliers
• Oversee lab-side receiving, intake, space readiness for new instrument deployments, waste and hazmat scheduling, gas management, and cold storage operations
• Manage LOMM support ticket system as the single intake for all lab supply, equipment, and space requests
• Lead, grow, and develop the LOMM team across shifts and sites, scaling with each new site and shift expansion
• Build and lead the MM team as a direct report function — from first hire through a fully operational multi-site MM capability
• Define staffing models, hiring roadmaps, and capability development plans for both functions as they mature
• Build a team culture defined by operational rigor, proactive problem-solving, and continuous improvement
• Author and own the LOMM chapter of Blueprint — documenting processes, system requirements, staffing models, and vendor frameworks so LOMM scales reliably to every new AISF
• Pilot the Site Launch Readiness Scorecard for each new facility; feed findings back into Blueprint standards
• Define the LOMM readiness criteria and pre-commissioning checklist for all future site launches

Benefits

• competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity
• medical, dental, and vision coverage
• employer-paid life and disability insurance
• flexible time off with generous company wide holidays
• paid parental leave
• an educational assistance program
• commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees
• a company subsidized lunch program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed