Lab Manager

Switch Bioworks | San Carlos, CA | Full-Time, On-Site | Operations & R&D

About Switch Bioworks

Switch Bioworks is a deep tech biotech company engineering microbes to replace energy-intensive, fossil fuel-dependent industrial processes. Our initial focus is transformational sustainable agriculture, enabling biological nitrogen fertilizer production directly at plant roots rather than through industrial chemical manufacturing. Using proprietary genetic switches that separate cell growth from bio-production, we are building a scalable platform for biological manufacturing starting with agriculture and expanding into broader industrial applications.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced, industry-savvy, proactive, collaborative, and highly organized Lab Manager to lead our laboratory operations and maintain world-class facility infrastructure in San Carlos, CA. In this role, you will be the backbone of our operational excellence ensuring a safe, efficient, and seamlessly functioning laboratory environment for our fast-paced research teams.

 

As Lab Manager, you will oversee daily lab operations, environmental health & safety (EHS), equipment lifecycles, purchasing and procurement, vendor relationships, and lab IT, while directly managing and mentoring a Lab Technician. This is a hands-on leadership role with real ownership. Success means our scientists can stay focused on science: the lab is well supplied, safe, clean, and uncluttered; equipment is maintained and calibrated; lab computers have the software and licenses they need; and purchasing is never a bottleneck.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Operations & Infrastructure

  • Run daily laboratory operations across molecular biology, microbiology, bioprocessing, growth rooms, and glasswasher/autoclave areas.

  • Oversee workspace design, bench allocation, workflow optimization, and physical facility expansion or reconfigurations as the R&D team scales.

  • Standardize and implement digital tools (LIMS, ELN, electronic inventory tracking, equipment booking) to streamline operations.

  • Own lab purchasing and procurement, working with Finance and Ops, from requisition to receipt and payment, for reagents, chemicals, consumables, and equipment; manage vendor relations, pricing agreements, procurement software integrations, and inventory replenishment, with clear turnaround times to minimize bottlenecks and delays for research.

  • Maintain inventory for general consumables, reagents, chemicals, and media components, setting reorder points so the lab is always well supplied and critical items never run out.

  • Manage shipping and receiving, including hazardous materials and cold-chain shipments, and coordinate dry ice, liquid nitrogen, and compressed gas supply.

  • Manage the lab operations budget (consumables, service contracts, and equipment), track spend, and find cost savings through vendor negotiation, consolidation, and startup pricing programs.

  • Set and enforce lab housekeeping standards so the lab stays clean, organized, and clutter-free, including shared benches, common equipment areas, cold storage, freezers, and storage spaces; lead periodic clean-outs and disposal of expired or unused materials.

  • Able and willing to respond in case of a lab safety emergency.

  • Oversee monthly laboratory floor cleaning and maintenance.

  • Support R&D project work as required during crunch time. 

Equipment & Asset Management

●      Oversee installation, commissioning, preventative maintenance, calibration, and repair for all lab equipment (autoclaves, centrifuges, bioreactors, growth chambers, BSCs, thermal cyclers, liquid and gas chromatography).

●      Service contract negotiation, service technician coordination, and emergency troubleshooting.

●      Develop SOPs for equipment usage, cleaning, and maintenance.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) & Compliance

●      Serve as the company’s EHS lead, including Chemical Hygiene Officer and Biosafety Officer, and own the EHS program for the San Carlos site.

●      Ensure ongoing compliance with local, state, and federal regulations (e.g., Cal/OSHA, San Mateo County hazardous materials and waste requirements including Hazardous Materials Business Plan filings, and NIH Guidelines for recombinant DNA work), and serve as the point of contact for regulatory inspections.

●      Manage biological and chemical waste streams, hazardous waste manifests, and safety inspections.

●      Conduct safety onboarding and recurring training (maintaining training records), emergency response planning, and regular lab safety inspections and audits.

●      Manage the PPE program, chemical inventory and storage segregation, and routine checks of safety equipment (eyewash stations, safety showers, fire extinguishers, and spill kits).

●      Lead incident and near-miss reporting and investigation, maintain required injury and illness records, and drive corrective actions.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

●      Directly supervise and mentor the Lab Technician (with room to grow the team as the company scales), setting priorities, conducting performance reviews, and defining growth pathways.

●      Partner closely with scientific research leads to anticipate operational requirements for upcoming experimental pipelines.

●      Manage relationships with external vendors, property management, and facilities contractors.

●      Act as the go-to operations point of contact for the ~15-person R&D team, setting clear lab policies and holding lab users accountable for shared-space standards.

●      Track and report lab operations metrics (e.g., order turnaround, equipment uptime, safety inspection findings, and spend vs. budget) to leadership.

Required Qualifications

●      Education: BS or MS in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Bioengineering, Chemistry, or a related field.

●      Experience: 7+ years of hands-on laboratory experience, primarily in industry biotech, with at least 3 years in lab management or senior lab operations roles, including direct supervision of lab staff.

●      Industry Savvy: Proven track record running lab operations in a commercial biotech setting (startup or scale-up preferred), with established vendor and service-provider networks and good judgment on balancing cost, speed, and compliance.

●      Technical Familiarity: Deep understanding of standard molecular biology and microbiology equipment, aseptic technique, media preparation, and routine microbial workflows.

●      EHS Expertise: Demonstrated experience with hazardous material handling, chemical hygiene plans, biosafety protocols, and regulatory compliance, ideally as the designated EHS lead, Chemical Hygiene Officer, or Biosafety Officer at a company without a dedicated EHS department; working knowledge of Cal/OSHA requirements.

●      Procurement & Equipment: Hands-on experience owning lab purchasing, inventory systems, and equipment maintenance and calibration programs.

●      Lab IT: Comfortable administering lab computers and instrument software, managing software licenses and updates, and working with an external IT provider.

●      Location: Must be authorized to work in the US and available full-time on-site in San Carlos, CA.

●      Physical Capability: Ability to stand for extended periods and regularly lift up to 25 - 40 lbs as needed for facility and equipment maintenance.

Preferred Qualifications & Traits

●      Prior experience in a high-growth early-stage biotech startup environment.

●      Experience managing growth rooms, plant incubators, or agricultural biotechnology infrastructure.

●      Familiarity with vendor negotiation, procurement platforms, and LIMS/ELN integrations (e.g., Quartzy, Benchling, or similar).

●      Relevant certifications such as Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP), Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer (CCHO), OSHA 30, IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), and DOT Hazmat Certification.

●      Experience supporting a lab move, build-out, or rapid headcount growth.

●      Ownership & Accountability: Takes deep pride in creating an organized, safe, and highly functional work environment.

●      Problem Solver: Calm under pressure with a strong generalist ability to troubleshoot operational and mechanical bottlenecks.

 

 

Salary Range: $101,000 - $121,000

Job Type: Full time, Onsite/In Person