Director, Lab Operations & Maintenance Management

Lila Sciences • Cambridge, MA

14h • $168,000 - $224,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Lila is building AI Science Factories (AISFs) — highly automated, AI-directed labs that generate the proprietary experimental data powering their AI platform. As Lila scales 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, including 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 the company matures and scales. The role involves defining the LOMM operating model, leading its expansion to new sites, driving AI-enabled innovation in lab resource management, and authoring standards for every new AISF. The Director will 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, and will be a principal contributor to the Blueprint program, Lila's global deployment framework for AI Science Factories.

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
• Comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region for international employees

What This Job Offers

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