Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager

SonoThera•South San Francisco, CA

6d•$140,000 - $190,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager will oversee the infrastructure, maintenance, and continuous improvement of SonoThera’s laboratory and manufacturing environment. This role is essential to ensuring uninterrupted, compliant operations of key utilities — including HVAC, RODI water systems, and compressed dry air (CDA) — and the complex laboratory equipment that supports our scientific and production goals. As SonoThera transitions to a new facility, this individual will lead the buildout coordination, establish operational processes, and serve as the primary owner of facility readiness. The Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager will partner closely with Laboratory Operations, EH&S, IT, and scientific departments to build a safe, efficient, and fully compliant environment that scales with company growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
Minimum of 5–7 years of facilities management experience within a biotech, pharmaceutical, or highly regulated laboratory environment.
Experience managing a facility buildout, relocation, or significant capital project from planning through commissioning.
Deep working knowledge of critical lab utilities including HVAC, RODI water systems, compressed dry air (CDA), and cryogenic/cold-chain storage.
Familiarity with regulatory frameworks applicable to laboratory and manufacturing facility operations, including relevant ISO standards.
Working knowledge of EH&S regulations including OSHA standards, fire code, and hazardous materials management relevant to a biotech setting.
Demonstrated ability to plan and execute capital projects, vendor engagements, and facility transitions concurrently in a fast-paced startup environment.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with contractors, vendors, regulators, and internal stakeholders at all levels.
Resourceful, hands-on approach to diagnosing and resolving facility and equipment issues quickly; comfortable making decisions under pressure with incomplete information.
Highly organized with the ability to maintain SOPs, asset inventories, calibration logs, service records, and vendor contracts with accuracy.
Proficiency with CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems), space planning tools, and standard productivity software (Excel, Word, etc.).

Nice To Haves

Certifications in IFMA CFM (Certified Facility Manager), PMP (Project Management Professional), or Lean Six Sigma are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Oversee preventive maintenance and repair of building systems and critical laboratory infrastructure, including HVAC, RODI water, compressed dry air (CDA), electrical, and plumbing.
Manage the maintenance and service schedules for complex laboratory hardware such as autoclaves, bioreactors, incubators, biosafety cabinets, and cold-chain storage systems.
Establish asset tracking and calibration records for all facility-managed equipment to support ongoing compliance and service continuity.
Coordinate with building management and landlord representatives on lease-related facility matters, repairs, and capital improvement work.
Enforce applicable regulatory standards governing laboratory and manufacturing facility operations, and maintain associated documentation.
Partner with the EH&S Specialist to ensure facility operations comply with OSHA, fire code, building codes, and hazardous material handling regulations.
Coordinate fire suppression, emergency egress, and safety system inspections; maintain all compliance records.
Support biosafety programs, chemical hygiene plans, and hazardous waste management in collaboration with EH&S and lab operations.
Source, negotiate, and manage service contracts for facility-related vendors including janitorial, pest control, waste management, security, and specialty lab equipment service providers.
Monitor vendor performance against SLAs, manage escalations, and maintain a preferred vendor list.
Work with Finance and Operations to track facility spend against budget and flag variances or unplanned costs.
Lead the facility move-in process, coordinating vendor installations, equipment commissioning, and space readiness for scientific and operational teams.
Manage facility reconfigurations and expansions in collaboration with engineering, operations, and scientific teams.
Maintain accurate floor plans, space assignments, and room inventory for all departments; anticipate growth-driven space needs.
Partner with construction and fit-out contractors to deliver tenant improvements on schedule and within budget.
Draft, review, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for facility use, equipment access, and infrastructure management.
Conduct routine facility compliance audits and walkthroughs; document findings and drive corrective actions to closure.
Ensure all facility SOPs are current, version-controlled, and accessible to relevant staff.
Oversee facility budgets and manage procurement of maintenance supplies, spare parts, and facility consumables.
Optimize resource utilization and identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising safety or operational continuity.
Support lab supply chain operations as needed, particularly for items tied to facility infrastructure.
Coordinate installation, relocation, and decommissioning of laboratory equipment, including utility connections (gas, compressed air, RODI water, electrical).
Ensure lab environments — including temperature, humidity, and cleanroom conditions where applicable — are continuously monitored and maintained within specification.
Serve as the day-to-day resource for facility-related service requests from scientific and operations staff, triaging and resolving issues promptly.
Develop and maintain facility-specific emergency response and business continuity plans.
Coordinate with EH&S and Operations to conduct facility emergency drills and staff training.
Serve as the primary on-call contact for after-hours facility emergencies and critical system failures.