Manager, Patient Cell Operations

Lyell Immunopharma•Bothell, WA

5h•$150,000 - $170,000

About The Position

Using living cells to treat – and sometimes even cure – cancer is one of the most dramatic advances in modern medicine. Patients with hematologic malignancies have been successfully treated with cell therapies. However, these profound results have not yet been achieved in patients with solid tumors, representing approximately 90% of all cancers. And for patients with hematologic malignancies, there is a need for next-generation cell therapies that can deliver increased response rates and longer duration of response. We are a clinical-stage company advancing a pipeline of next-generation CAR T-cell therapies for patients with solid tumors or hematologic malignancies. Lyell’s product candidates are enhanced with novel technology designed to generate T cells that resist exhaustion and have qualities of durable stemness in order to drive durable tumor cytotoxicity and achieve consistent and long-lasting clinical response. We were founded by cell therapy pioneers whose decades of research elevated the broader understanding of T-cell biology and its interaction with cancer. In our quest to advance next-generation CAR T-cell therapies, we have built a fully integrated company capable of discovering new technologies, translating science into therapies, manufacturing cell therapy products, and clinically evaluating them in patients. Our culture is based on Science, Respect, Collaboration, and Courage and reflects who we are, the environment we create, and our mission's urgency. Position Summary The Manager, Patient Cell Operations is a key member of the Patient Cell Supply Chain team within the Supply Chain organization. This role is responsible for the operational oversight and management of patient cells throughout the cell-therapy lifecycle, including apheresis, tissue collection, and final drug product handling. This highly cross-functional role partners closely with Manufacturing, Clinical Operations, Quality, and external clinical sites and apheresis centers to ensure right-first-time execution of patient cell handling processes that support manufacturing and clinical trial success. To be successful in this role, the individual must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of operating effectively in a dynamic environment. In addition to supporting day-to-day patient cell handling during collections and drug product receipt and administration, this role requires forward-thinking leadership to establish scalable processes, procedures, and training frameworks and to support the future growth of the Patient Cell Operations team.

Responsibilities

Create, manage, and maintain controlled manuals describing processes for apheresis collection and final drug product administration.
Ensure right-first-time apheresis and final drug product handling at clinical sites and apheresis centers.
Manage relationships with Lyell healthy donor apheresis suppliers.
Own and manage CAPAs and deviations related to improper handling of patient cells.
Partner cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Quality, Clinical Operations, and external vendors and service providers.
Ensure materials and shipping containers required for patient cell collection, transport, and final drug product handling are properly validated.
Establish and continuously improve electronic tools, processes, and procedures to support Patient Cell Operations activities.
Lead the oversight and execution of training for clinical sites and apheresis centers on the Apheresis Manual and Drug Product Administration Manual, ensuring procedural compliance and operational excellence.
Develop, deliver, and routinely update training programs to reflect evolving operational practices, regulatory requirements, and feedback from clinical and apheresis sites.
Support clinical site onboarding and requalification through structured training, documentation review, mock runs, and site readiness assessments.
Ensure all personnel involved in patient cell handling are appropriately trained, qualified, and documented in accordance with GxP requirements.

Benefits

Lyell offers its employees a range of compensation and benefits.
The salary range for this position is $150,000 to $170,000, annually, with the opportunity to earn an annual bonus.
Employees are also eligible to participate in Lyell’s Equity Incentive Plan.
Our Employee Benefits program is extensive and includes subsidized medical, dental and vision plans from your first day of employment, FSA, Company provided Life and AD&D Insurance as well as STD and LTD Insurance, ESPP, a 401(k) Plan with Company match, mass transit commuter benefits, cell phone reimbursement and a range of supplemental benefits that you may choose to elect.
Our paid time-off benefits currently include 18 days’ vacation, 9 day’s sick leave, 8 observed holidays as well as a floating holiday.
We also have a summer and a winter office shutdown.

Stand Out From the Crowd

Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.

Upload and Match Resume