Lab, Research, and Operations Manager

Becoming•San Francisco, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Becoming is building a Developmental Intelligence™ platform that combines biology, engineering, and AI to understand, model, and guide development. We design and operate integrated biological and technological systems that enable new approaches to tissue generation, regenerative medicine, and therapeutic discovery. Our team brings together expertise across developmental biology, tissue engineering, hardware, software, and operations. We are mission-driven, highly collaborative, and focused on building foundational capabilities that can scale from early research through clinical and translational applications. We are seeking a highly capable Lab , Research & Operations Manager to join our growing team in San Francisco. This is a manager-level, hands-on role that combines in vivo research execution with ownership of laboratory operations, safety, compliance, and operational excellence. This role is a steward of lab health and safety and a central operational leader. You will establish and maintain SOPs, ensure inspection-ready lab and vivarium operations, manage projects across teams, and track KPIs that keep the organization running safely, efficiently, and on schedule. The ideal candidate thrives in an early-stage environment, enjoys both bench work and systems-building, and takes pride in creating order, safety, and repeatability in complex scientific operations.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Biology, Bioengineering, or a related scientific or engineering discipline
Minimum of 2 years of experience in in vivo research and laboratory operations
Hands-on experience with animal handling, dosing, pathology, and surgical procedures
Demonstrated understanding of laboratory safety, biosafety, and animal welfare best practices
Proven ability to create, maintain, and enforce SOPs in a laboratory or vivarium environment
Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
Clear written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a fast-paced startup environment

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in cell culture, molecular biology, and biochemistry techniques
Experience supporting preclinical or IND-enabling studies
AALAS certification or equivalent
Experience with electronic inventory systems or LIMS
Knowledge of GLP standards
Prior experience supporting IACUC, EH&S, or regulatory inspections
Experience managing projects and tracking operational KPIs

Responsibilities

Own day-to-day laboratory and vivarium operations, ensuring a safe, clean, compliant, and inspection-ready environment at all times
Serve as a primary steward of lab health and safety, including biosafety, chemical hygiene, animal welfare, waste management, and equipment safety
Establish, document, implement, and continuously improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering lab operations, vivarium workflows, animal handling, biosafety, equipment use, and waste disposal
Ensure SOPs are version-controlled, actively followed, trained on, and audited, not just written
Lead onboarding and recurring training for staff on SOPs, lab safety, and compliance requirements
Support and coordinate IACUC, EH&S, and internal audits, inspections, and protocol updates
Coordinate equipment maintenance, calibration schedules, certifications, and vendor service visits
Manage animal deliveries, cage cleaning coordination, and accurate animal care documentation
Handle, breed, and maintain animal colonies and perform tissue collection as required
Perform mouse embryo dissections and tissue isolations from early developmental stages
Conduct in vivo procedures including IV, IP, and PO dosing; necropsy; tissue collection; and sample processing in rodent models
Monitor animal health and maintain accurate experimental records in compliance with ethical and regulatory standards
Validate and perform in vitro assays to evaluate tissue-engineered constructs
Perform primary and iPSC cell culture using aseptic techniques
Prepare samples for flow cytometry, RNA sequencing, and histological staining
Analyze and interpret histological and experimental data and present findings to cross-functional teams
Collaborate closely with research, engineering, and manufacturing teams to advance therapeutic programs
Own operational project management across lab, vivarium, and biomanufacturing workflows
Create and maintain lightweight project plans, timelines, and dependencies for research, infrastructure, and operational initiatives
Define, track, and report key operational KPIs, including but not limited to: Lab uptime and equipment availability, Inventory accuracy and stockout rates, Safety incidents and corrective actions, Animal colony health, utilization, and throughput, Experiment turnaround times
Build and maintain dashboards or reporting systems (e.g., spreadsheets, Notion, Airtable, or similar) to provide visibility into operational performance
Identify operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies and drive process improvements through execution
Partner with leadership and cross-functional teams to align operational execution with company priorities and milestones
Manage ordering of lab supplies, reagents, consumables, and office materials
Maintain accurate, real-time inventory systems and optimize stock levels
Coordinate with vendors and sales representatives on delivery timelines, backorders, and issue resolution
Ensure safe storage, labeling, and tracking of chemicals, biologicals, and controlled materials
Operate biomedical-grade resin 3D printers
Perform post-processing
Assist with assembly, bonding, tubing, and fittings
Conduct testing and basic quality control checks
Sterilize equipment and components in accordance with safety and quality standards