Technology has transformed almost every single aspect of our lives. Yet in biopharma, it still takes 12 years to develop a drug. Even today, thousands of diseases affecting hundreds of millions of people have no effective treatment. Accelerating the pace of bringing effective, new medicines to patients is one of the greatest opportunities for humanity. Our mission is to develop better drugs, faster using technology. We have built an end-to-end technology-driven drug discovery platform centered around one of the field’s largest human genomics databases in neuroscience. We use machine learning to map the complex causes of disease and turn those insights into promising drug candidates on our internal biology and chemistry platforms. We are developing drugs to treat some of the biggest medical challenges today: ALS, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia. Our first drug entered the clinic in 2022 as a new treatment for ALS and was discovered entirely from our platform. We have raised $175M from top tier investors (e.g. BlackRock, Eli Lilly, Merck, Section 32, Threshold Ventures, Y Combinator, etc.). We are a team of engineers, neuroscientists, and drug developers united around an audacious vision: to build the next Genentech of the digital age.

Who You Are:

Verge Genomics is a leading innovator in the life sciences and biotech industry, dedicated to advancing scientific research and delivering groundbreaking therapies. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and dynamic work environment where employees can thrive and make a meaningful impact. The Director, Laboratory Operations and Safety Management is responsible for overseeing all laboratory and office operations, including testing, quality control, staffing, budgeting, safety and regulatory compliance. The Director is the subject matter expert on all regulatory, biological and workplace safety requirements, staying abreast and communicating with external safety and regulatory bodies to ensure compliance of laboratory operations. The Director will work closely with constituents and leadership in Finance, Contract & Vendor Management, Quality, IT, R&D and other functions to ensure the delivery of high-quality laboratory services and to drive continuous improvement in laboratory and office operations.

You will...

Laboratory and Office Operations

Proactively oversee the daily laboratory and office operations to ensure seamless, efficient and cost-effective functioning aligned with Verge's strategic goals and objectives. Solve complex issues where problems are not clearly defined and where fundamental principles do not fully apply.
Make final decisions that may significantly impact laboratory operations, and on implementation to ensure operational effectiveness.
Develop and implement strategies for the organization and general upkeep of laboratories and offices. Set policies and procedures for use of equipment and space.
Manage and participate in coverage and on-call support of laboratory services and tasks, ensuring appropriate response to equipment issues as needed for 24-7 operation of laboratory.
Serve as financial steward of the laboratory operating budget, develop and manage annual laboratory operating budget, monitor and reconcile expenses, complete month-end-close activities and budget reforecasts.
Prepare and present reports on laboratory and office operations and performance to leadership.
Communicate key information and critical updates timely and with discretion to scientists and leadership, including shutdowns, new processes and regulations, etc.
Manage laboratory and/or facilities staff (permanent and contract laboratory service providers), including hiring, training, development and performance evaluations. Develop and clearly communicate expectations for staff, provide direction, manage oversight of work being performed and provide feedback to ensure operational effectiveness of labs and office. Work collaboratively with scientists on troubleshooting and improving laboratory workflows with regards to safety and efficiency.
Manage, create, and execute onboarding and offboarding of laboratory employees and contractors, including maintaining training records

Safety

Function as Safety Officer and serve as Chair of the Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Committee to lead internal safety programs (occupational health and safety management, environmental compliance, emergency response planning, hazardous material management, workplace ergonomics and injury prevention), develop strategies to continually improve safety in the laboratory and office, develop and influence safety policies and procedures using expertise in different biosafety level safety standards, develop and administer training programs to ensure laboratory safety standards are followed, monitor and report safety concerns and compliance with regulatory agencies, and maintain all licenses are up to date.

Quality and Process Improvement

Functions as Laboratory Quality Officer to oversee laboratory quality control and quality assurance measures, creating and implementing high quality standards of good laboratory practices. Develop and implement laboratory policies, procedures and protocols to ensure compliance with regulatory agencies, relevant laws and industry standards.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to review and identify opportunities and implement plans to enhance laboratory and office operations and services. Collaborate with scientists to address any workflow bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or opportunities for process improvements. Evaluate new technologies and procedures and apply this knowledge to drive improvements in laboratory operations. Identify and troubleshoot technical and logistical issues/problems to develop proactive solutions to circumvent possible emergent situations and improve laboratory and office operations.

Equipment, Supplies and Services

Partner with Finance and Contract & Vendor Management to lead procurement of reagents, materials, supplies, equipment and services.
Following Verge’s Procurement Policy, ensure execution of applicable contracts and changes to agreements and purchase order approval. Troubleshoot procurement issues and manage review and approval of invoices. Manage external vendor relationships, in collaboration with Vendor Management.
Manage all lab equipment, preventative maintenance, service contracts, corrective repairs and installations with applicable vendors.
Develop tracking systems to monitor and maintain laboratory and office equipment and supplies inventory, storage, re-stocking, shipping and receiving.

Corporate Planning

Partner with scientific and corporate leadership to establish strategic plans, contribute to the development of corporate policies and procedures, and participate in evaluation criteria for operational projects, programs and people.
Lead space planning and strategic designing, facilitating and overseeing projects, including moves, build-outs and renovation of the labs and office areas. Primary point of contact for scientists and leadership for space management of labs and office areas.

You have...

Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline, such as biology, chemistry, or medical technology; Master's degree preferred
Advanced knowledge of laboratory management principles, including budgeting, strategic planning, and project management.
Extensive experience and knowledge of laboratory operations and a deep understanding of laboratory techniques and technologies, specifically with respect to the workflow of BSL2 and cell biology labs.
Extensive experience with EH&SStrong knowledge of laboratory regulations, such as CAP and CLIA
Experience in managing laboratory staff and implementing quality control measures
Appropriately manage information of a highly confidential and critical nature
Must be capable of and willing to independently learn new systems.
Strong organizational skills and a problem-solving mindset are required
Naturally proactive with the ability to take initiative and ownership of responsibilities
Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills
Ability to work independently and in a team environment

Performance Metrics...

Conduct independent assessment of laboratory and office operations and governance, recommend remediation of identified gaps/issues/concerns, and present prioritized implementation plans to leadership within 90 days of hire
Evaluate and oversee Verge relocation project, secure sublease tenant for The Cove, and smaller footprint property for Verge
Financial stewardship of laboratory operations budget

Help us revolutionize the way drugs are discovered & developed:

The startup nature of Verge Genomics provides multiple growth opportunities into other areas of the company. As one of the early employees at Verge, your work will have a direct impact on the foundation of a groundbreaking new drug development model.

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