DST Lab Operations Specialist

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Discovery Sciences & Technology (DST) Operations and Equipment Specialist is responsible for ensuring the seamless operation, maintenance, and optimization of laboratory infrastructure, equipment, and shared resources that support high-throughput assay development and screening activities. This role serves as a critical operational partner to DST scientists, enabling efficient, reproducible, and compliant scientific workflows. The successful candidate will combine technical expertise in laboratory operations and equipment management with strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills. Acting as a bridge between scientific teams, Research Operations, Facilities, Procurement, IT, and external vendors, this individual will drive operational excellence, maximize equipment availability and utilization, and ensure laboratory readiness to support Discovery research objectives. Experience with laboratory automation and high-throughput environments is highly desirable.

Requirements

5+ Years with BS in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related scientific discipline OR 3+ Years with MS in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related scientific discipline
Minimum of 5–8 years of experience supporting laboratory operations within the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or high-throughput research environment.
Strong knowledge of laboratory instrumentation, equipment maintenance practices, and asset lifecycle management.
Familiarity with automated laboratory systems and robotics platforms, such as Thermo Fisher, Beckman Coulter, Hamilton, or similar technologies.
Experience with laboratory operations software, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and equipment tracking systems.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and data reporting tools.
Demonstrated experience managing laboratory equipment, facilities, and operational processes in a complex scientific setting.
Excellent organizational, project management, and prioritization skills.
Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities, with a proven ability to work effectively across functions.
Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to operate independently in a fast-paced research environment.
Strong customer-service mindset with a commitment to enabling scientific success.

Nice To Haves

Experience with laboratory automation and high-throughput environments is highly desirable.
Experience supporting automated assay development or high-throughput screening laboratories.
Knowledge of laboratory facilities management, infrastructure planning, and laboratory expansion projects.
Familiarity with lean operations, process improvement methodologies, and operational excellence practices.
Experience managing laboratory capital projects and vendor relationships.
Experience supporting assay development, screening operations, compound management, or laboratory automation is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage the inventory, tracking, and utilization of laboratory equipment and shared resources, including cold storage infrastructure and specialty instrumentation.
Coordinate equipment scheduling, user access, and reservation systems to maximize availability and operational efficiency.
Monitor equipment performance and reliability through routine inspections, calibration programs, and preventive maintenance activities.
Partner with scientific teams to identify opportunities for equipment optimization and improved laboratory workflows.
Oversee the full lifecycle of laboratory assets, including procurement support, installation, qualification, maintenance, upgrades, and retirement.
Maintain equipment records, service histories, and asset documentation to ensure operational readiness and compliance.
Manage vendor relationships, service agreements, and maintenance contracts to optimize performance, minimize downtime, and control costs.
Coordinate service visits and repair activities, ensuring timely resolution of equipment issues.
Provide day-to-day operational leadership to support a safe, efficient, and collaborative laboratory environment.
Translate organizational priorities into actionable operational plans that support scientific productivity.
Promote effective communication, accountability, and constructive problem-solving across laboratory teams.
Foster a culture of operational excellence, continuous improvement, and customer-focused service.
Support the development and management of departmental operating and capital budgets.
Oversee inventory planning and procurement activities for laboratory consumables, reagents, and operational supplies.
Work closely with Procurement and vendors to ensure uninterrupted supply chains and cost-effective purchasing strategies.
Track expenditures and identify opportunities for cost savings and resource optimization.
Collaborate with Research Operations, Facilities, EHS, Procurement, IT, and external service providers to maintain laboratory infrastructure and services.
Support laboratory expansion, equipment installations, facility upgrades, and technology implementation projects.
Serve as a key liaison between scientific users and support functions to proactively address operational needs and challenges.
Establish and monitor laboratory operational metrics, equipment performance indicators, and quality measures.
Implement processes that improve reproducibility, efficiency, data integrity, and equipment uptime.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on workflow optimization, standardization, and operational effectiveness.
Maintain accurate documentation, SOPs, and operational records in accordance with company standards.
Ensure compliance with company policies, laboratory regulations, and industry best practices.
Promote and enforce laboratory safety standards, including hazardous material handling and waste management procedures.
Support laboratory inspections, audits, corrective actions, and compliance initiatives.
Partner with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) teams to maintain a safe and compliant working environment.