Head of Logistics

About the role

Plasmidsaurus scientists move fast, logistics can't be the reason they wait. The Head of Logistics builds and leads our global logistics function from the ground up: the systems, partnerships, and team behind thousands of international shipments each week, across regions, time zones, and regulatory environments. You'll turn a scrappy, high-growth operation into one that's fast, compliant, and proactive. Shipments moving seamlessly across first-mile routes and global borders, risks caught before they happen, turnaround times that keep getting better. This is a 0-to-1 builder's seat: real scope, real ownership, from day one. In this role, you will develop and lead the global logistics function, supporting thousands of international shipments each week and coordinating across regions, time zones, and regulatory environments. You will design logistics systems that minimize delays, reduce costs, and enhance reliability for moving biological materials and that scale alongside global launches and company growth. You will ensure business continuity, developing contingency plans for day-to-day and emergency scenarios, building redundancy and sustainability into our logistics playbooks. You will develop and enforce global compliance and regulatory processes, including import/export, customs management, and relevant material handling standards. You will establish tools and dashboards to monitor shipment status, turnaround times, and key performance metrics, using data and metrics to proactively identify risks and opportunities.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Develop and lead the global logistics function, supporting thousands of international shipments each week and coordinating across regions, time zones, and regulatory environments.
• Design logistics systems that minimize delays, reduce costs, and enhance reliability for moving biological materials and that scale alongside global launches and company growth.
• Ensure business continuity, developing contingency plans for day-to-day and emergency scenarios, building redundancy and sustainability into our logistics playbooks.
• Develop and enforce global compliance and regulatory processes, including import/export, customs management, and relevant material handling standards.
• Establish tools and dashboards to monitor shipment status, turnaround times, and key performance metrics, using data and metrics to proactively identify risks and opportunities.
• Collaborate with sales and marketing, operations, product, customer success, and finance to forecast demand, support new services and market launches, and anticipate logistical challenges.
• Evaluate and optimize courier and carrier relationships, driving improvements around cost, service and reliability in both first-mile planning and international shipping.
• Build and manage a high-performing logistics team, cultivating a culture of accountability and collaboration in support of our customers.
• Partner with the scientific community to refine service level expectations and ensure that logistics solutions align with the realities of real-world research workflows.
• Drive continuous improvement by analyzing operational data, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing process enhancements that increase speed and reliability.
• Define and track end-to-end service level objectives to ensure predictability and transparency for internal and external stakeholders.
• Implement robust risk management frameworks to identify, assess, and mitigate issues related to regulatory compliance, carrier performance, and supply chain disruptions.
• Lead the integration of new carriers and third-party logistics providers into our operating model, ensuring consistent service quality and compliance.
• Own the end-to-end cost structure for logistics, balancing speed, reliability, and cost-efficiency to support company growth and customer needs.

Requirements

• 10+ years in logistics or supply chain, including proven success managing international logistics/shipping and first-mile transport providers.
• Track record building and scaling a logistics function, ideally at a high-growth startup moving through rapid scale.
• 0-to-1 builder experience. You've built and led a logistics function before, not just run one someone else built.
• Strong grip on customs, import/export regulations, and compliance frameworks (e.g., IATA, DOT, or similar).
• Demonstrated success building scalable, data-driven logistics systems that improve speed, efficiency, and reliability.
• Proficiency in data analysis and logistics reporting tools, with a track record of shipping software that measurably improves performance.
• Team leadership experience. Hiring, coaching, and developing people through growth and change.
• Experience partnering cross-functionally to launch products and deliver strong customer experiences.
• A proactive, strategic mindset: you anticipate challenges and design systems to prevent them.
• Comfort with complex or regulated shipping (cold chain, hazmat, or similar) a plus, not a requirement.
• Biotech or Life Sciences experience is a plus, not a requirement.
• Willingness to be an owner-operator in a fast-moving, high-growth environment where processes are constantly evolving.
• Ability to work effectively with distributed teams across multiple time zones and cultural contexts.
• Commitment to maintaining the highest standards of data integrity, safety, and regulatory compliance in all logistics operations.

Practical notes

The role is remote-friendly with a primary location in San Francisco. The successful candidate will operate with a high degree of autonomy and ownership, moving quickly to build a best-in-class logistics operation that scales with the business. Travel may be required to support global partners and scientific conferences as needed. The candidate must be eligible to work in the United States and comply with all applicable regulatory requirements for handling sensitive materials. This position requires close collaboration with scientific, commercial, and operational teams to ensure that logistics capabilities keep pace with product and market expansion.