Scientific Operations Manager, Drug Discovery & Development Sciences

About the role

This role strengthens laboratory, contract, and budget operations to support cell rejuvenation missions. The position removes bottlenecks and improves team effectiveness by partnering with scientific and cross-functional stakeholders. Success relies on independent judgment and coordination within a fast-paced biotech environment. The hire will own the end-to-end execution of operational workflows that connect research activities with financial and compliance requirements. They will serve as the primary operations partner for scientific teams, ensuring that processes remain transparent and efficient. This position is responsible for designing and maintaining the operational backbone that enables repeatable, scalable discovery science. The role requires proactive problem-solving to anticipate risks and implement controls before they impact critical timelines.

Key facts

What you'll do

Resources and workflows are aligned with scientific objectives as organizations grow, ensuring that operational capacity matches research ambitions.

Agreements are tracked, initiated, maintained, and renewed in partnership with Legal, Procurement, Finance, and external vendors to maintain compliance and performance.

Expenses are tracked, invoices processed, spending overseen, and Finance priorities advanced through disciplined budget management and forecasting.

Resource visibility is supplied to align plans with Finance priorities, enabling data-driven decisions across the drug discovery pipeline.

Department meetings, offsites, team-building activities, and organizational events are supported through managed agendas, logistics, communications, and follow-up actions.

New employee onboarding is supported, and internal processes are evolved for scalability, creating systems that work as the organization expands.

Templates and trackers are streamlined to reduce friction and strengthen team execution, making complex work simple and reliable.

Project and vendor management activities are coordinated across functions, with clear documentation and defined ownership for every deliverable.

Analytical routines are applied to operational data, turning raw information into insights that improve planning and prioritization.

Cross-functional collaboration is orchestrated to resolve dependencies, manage timelines, and keep key initiatives moving forward efficiently.

Process diagnostics are conducted on an ongoing basis, identifying root causes and designing targeted improvements to workflows and controls.

Stakeholder communication is structured to ensure that scientific, finance, and executive audiences receive the right level of detail at the right time.

Continuous improvement initiatives are owned end-to-end, from baseline measurement through implementation, validation, and knowledge sharing.

Risk management is integrated into day-to-day operations, with proactive monitoring and contingency planning for critical projects.

Standardized procedures are created and maintained, enabling consistent execution even as teams, tools, and timelines evolve.

Requirements

The posting states a pay range of $163000 to $209000.

A PhD with 3 5 years of laboratory-based industry experience or a Master's with 7+ years in biotech or pharmaceutical operations.

Strong organizational and project coordination skills to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic setting.

Excellent written and verbal communication for collaboration across functions and organizational levels.

Proven ability to work independently with attention to detail, sound judgment, and execution excellence.

Experience with project management, vendor management, budgeting, or scientific operations tools is preferred.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the Redwood City location and adhere to company policies on confidentiality and compliance.

A demonstrated track record of managing complex operational workflows in a regulated life sciences environment is expected.

The ability to translate strategic objectives into operational plans and measurable milestones is essential.

Comfort with quantitative analysis and the use of data to drive operational decisions is required.

Reliability under pressure and consistent follow-through on commitments are non-negotiable standards for this role.

Strong integrity and discretion when handling sensitive business, financial, and personnel information.

The capacity to manage competing demands while maintaining a clear focus on priorities and timelines.

Willingness to partner closely with scientific, finance, and legal teams to align on shared goals and constraints.

Nice to have

Experience with process improvement frameworks such as Lean or Six Sigma.

Familiarity with contract research organizations and vendor management best practices.

Proficiency in tools used for project tracking, budgeting, and operational reporting.

Background in cell rejuvenation or regenerative medicine research contexts.

Practical notes

This role may require work authorization in the Redwood City location and adherence to company policies on confidentiality and compliance. Typical interview steps

Operations interviews usually include a process scenario, an analytics question, and behavioral rounds. Candidates may be asked to improve a workflow or plan an event. Attention to detail and clear communication are tested throughout. Interviewers often ask how you would fix a process that is failing. Walking through diagnosis, a plan, and measurement is the winning structure.

Good to know

Roles in scientific operations often bridge laboratory workflows, finance, and cross-functional project coordination.

Biotech operations rely on tools for project tracking, vendor management, and budget oversight.

Effective process improvement combines data review, stakeholder input, and iterative changes to workflows.

Clear communication and attention to detail support efficient decision-making in fast-paced environments.

This position contributes directly to organizational resilience by standardizing and scaling core operational processes.

Questions to ask

Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.

Career growth

Operations careers grow from coordinator to manager, director, and chief operating officer roles. Some people specialize in supply chain, facilities, or program management. Success depends on reliability and on improving the systems you own. Operations careers reward reliability and continuous improvement. Operators who quantify the impact of their fixes move into leadership fastest.