Manager, Laboratory Operations (CAMI) (Phoenix, AZ)

The Manager of Laboratory Operations will play a pivotal role in the establishment, management, and transition of lab operations for the Center for Advanced Molecular & Immunological Therapies (CAMI), starting in the current lab space and leading up to the transition into a newly built facility in 2027. As the inaugural holder of this position, the successful candidate will have the unique opportunity to shape the operational framework for a rapidly growing research program, ensuring seamless day-to-day lab operations while preparing for the future expansion.

This position requires a balance of hands-on lab management, strategic planning, regulatory compliance, and leadership, particularly in navigating the transition to the new state-of-the-art research facility. The Manager will have oversight and operational responsibility for all shared laboratory spaces, reagents and equipment within CAMI. This position will be a hybrid position requiring both wet bench skills as well as detailed organizational, communication and regulatory skills. The primary function of this position is to maintain the smooth operation, readiness and compliance both within and amongst all research teams and spaces within the center.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Wet bench/Laboratory activities:

• Oversee the maintenance and proper storage of shared cell line stocks, ensuring optimal viability and stability of tissue culture resources across all research projects.
• Lead the QC/QA process for CAMI cell lines, establishing and refining protocols for validation, batch testing, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
• Develop and manage the production of shared CAMI lab reagents and stocks, ensuring the highest quality and availability to support diverse research initiatives.
• Supervise the procurement of all laboratory reagents, materials, and consumables, while optimizing cost efficiency and quality by establishing relationships with vendors and managing purchasing budgets.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for scheduling, logistics, and coordination with animal care facilities, ensuring smooth integration of animal studies with laboratory operations.
• Take responsibility for the assessment, evaluation, and purchase of laboratory equipment, ensuring the latest technologies and tools are implemented, maintained, and calibrated for research excellence.
• Spearhead core facility set-up, planning, and usage, providing technical oversight and training for lab personnel on proper utilization of equipment and systems.

New researcher onboarding and compliance activities:

• NetID and UA System Integration: Ensure all new researchers are successfully entered into the University of Arizona (UA) system, including assigning and activating their NetID for access to institutional resources and systems.
• Key Card/Security Access Management: Oversee the appropriate security access for new researchers, ensuring they have appropriate access to research labs, offices, and other relevant spaces.
• Ensure that all necessary compliance certifications (e.g., biosafety, IACUC, chemical safety) are completed in a timely manner and maintained for audit purposes.
• System Access and IT Setup: Coordinate with IT departments to ensure new researchers have the necessary hardware, software, and network access to effectively contribute to research activities.

Administrative Ops Activities:

• Oversee lab-related work orders, equipment maintenance, and ensure timely repairs and service contracts for lab
  equipment to minimize downtime.
• Manage inventory of shared CAMI equipment, reagents, hazardous materials (compressed gases, liquid nitrogen), and consumables, ensuring proper ordering, receiving, and compliance with safety regulations.
• Monitor CAMI PCard usage, track expenses, ensure compliance with institutional policies, and conduct audits for accurate financial documentation.
• Act as the point of contact for IT work orders, ensuring prompt resolution of technical issues and managing shared software licenses, renewals, and compliance with licensing agreements.
• Oversee training, regulatory compliance, and record-keeping for lab activities, including maintaining accurate logs for inventory, service contracts, and safety certifications.

Regulatory Compliance & Safety:

• Take a leading role in the preparation, review, and submission of IACUC, chemical, and biosafety protocols, ensuring they meet all necessary regulatory standards and institutional requirements.
• Act as the primary point of contact for regulatory bodies, ensuring that CAMI lab space is in full compliance with RLSS standards and other relevant regulations.
• Lead the lab's participation in university-wide emergency operations meetings and committees, taking the lead in crafting and implementing emergency preparedness plans, and ensuring the laboratory's role in disaster response is well-coordinated and effectively communicated.
• Oversee the maintenance of CAMI employee safety records, implementing regular audits and training sessions to ensure that safety protocols are understood and consistently followed.
• Serve as the main point of contact for animal safety training, ensuring all lab personnel are properly trained in animal care and handling procedures and that certifications are kept up to date.
• Assume full responsibility for managing all hazardous materials and biosafety-related activities within the CAMI laboratory, ensuring adherence to safety guidelines, regulatory reporting, and maintaining up-to-date records for all hazardous materials in use.
• Ensure continuous safety education for lab personnel, promoting a culture of safety through regular workshops, trainings, and safety drills.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of how to maintain common laboratory equipment and experience in working with vendors to ensure timely repairs.
• Knowledge of and laboratory experience with basic principles and techniques of molecular and cell biology, including animal models.

• Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences, Immunobiology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related field is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of related work experience, including 2 years of managerial experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Bachelor of Science in the biological sciences and 5+ years of direct laboratory experience.
• Three or more (3+) years of managerial experience.
• Experience in complying with laboratory safety regulations, interfacing with institutional compliance officers, and drafting regulatory compliance documents.