Lab Manager

University of Wisconsin Madison • Madison, WI

6h • Onsite

About The Position

The Handelsman Lab is seeking a Lab Manager to direct, coordinate, and manage laboratory operations and play a central role in the Lucida Project, a large, complex, collaborative research effort involving internal and external partners, including international collaborators. This position requires a highly organized, communicative, and detail‑oriented individual who can manage complex logistics, ensure regulatory compliance, and facilitate coordination across multidisciplinary teams. As part of the Lucida Project coordination, this position will create, manage, and execute large‑scale human sample collection efforts, as well as manage the expansive digital dataset associated with the project. This position will serve as a key communication liaison between the Principal Investigator and project‑associated lab members, team at the Center for Healthy Minds, and external collaborators and international partners and is responsible for coordinating meetings and ensuring participation of appropriate personnel. This position is responsible for tracking and supporting compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements and biosafety protocols. The Laboratory Manager will oversee the day-to-day operations of the lab, including but not limited to maintaining laboratory supply inventory, tracking and organizing laboratory equipment, managing vendor relationships, and sending and receiving materials using the Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs). In addition, the Laboratory Manager is responsible for onboarding and offboarding lab members. The Laboratory Manager is required to maintain the Hazardous Materials (HazMat) shipping certification through UW Environmental Health & Safety (EHS). This position will ensure compliance with safety, chemical hygiene, OSHA, and UW-Madison standards by developing and maintaining required safety documentation, overseeing chemical storage, and facilitating required training for the lab members. This position will also develop and facilitate trainings on scientific experimentation, technical procedures, equipment operations, and laboratory best practices for various audiences.

Requirements

• Laboratory techniques in microbiology, molecular biology.
• Knowledge of aseptic technique.
• Strong organizational, coordination, and time‑management skills.
• Ability to work with diverse members of the laboratory from many scientific disciplines with various levels of training.
• Ability to supervise others with respect, compassion, and kindness.
• Bachelor’s Degree: Required degree in microbiology or a closely related field

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple complex projects independently.
• Commitment to laboratory safety, compliance, and ethical research practices.
• Ability to be flexible, resourceful, and independent when research requirements change.

Responsibilities

• May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees
• Serves as the unit liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing information, making recommendations to leadership, and representing the interests of the unit
• Monitors program budgets and expenditures
• Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures in alignment with strategic initiatives and objectives
• Develops and facilitates trainings regarding scientific experimentation, technical procedures, and equipment operations to various audiences
• Directs and supervises the day-to-day laboratory operations, quality control programs, and/or staff of a work unit to ensure compliance with organization and regulatory agency standards

Benefits

• generous paid time off
• competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance
• tax-advantaged savings accounts
• participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level