Lab Manager

About Arc Institute

The Arc Institute is a new scientific institution conducting curiosity-driven basic science and technology development to understand and treat complex human diseases. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Arc is an independent research organization founded on the belief that many important research programs will be enabled by new institutional models. Arc operates in partnership with Stanford University, UCSF, and UC Berkeley.

While the prevailing university research model has yielded many tremendous successes, we believe in the importance of institutional experimentation as a way to make progress. These include:

• Funding: Arc will fully fund Core Investigators’ (PIs’) research groups, liberating scientists from the typical constraints of project-based external grants.
• Technology: Biomedical research has become increasingly dependent on complex tooling. Arc Technology Centers develop, optimize and deploy rapidly advancing experimental and computational technologies in collaboration with Core Investigators. 
• Support: Arc aims to provide first-class support—operationally, financially and scientifically—that will enable scientists to pursue long-term high risk, high reward research that can meaningfully advance progress in disease cures, including neurodegeneration, cancer, and immune dysfunction.
• Culture: We believe that culture matters enormously in science and that excellence is difficult to sustain. We aim to create a culture that is focused on scientific curiosity, a deep commitment to truth, broad ambition, and selfless collaboration. 

Arc scaled to nearly 100 people in its first year. With $650M+ in committed funding and a state of the art new lab facility in Palo Alto, Arc will continue to grow quickly to several hundred in the coming years.

About the position

We are seeking a Lab Manager to support research operations within the Technology Centers at the Arc Institute. By coordinating cross-functional operations and streamlining shared resources across Arc’s Technology Centers, this role will be key for enabling the execution of ambitious, highly technical research initiatives that combine cutting-edge genome engineering, advanced molecular tools, and complex cellular models to tackle challenging problems like Alzheimer's Disease. The ideal candidate will bring a combination of laboratory experience and operational expertise, with a proactive mindset focused on anticipating and removing obstacles that could slow down scientific progress, and a genuine enthusiasm for supporting breakthrough research by creating systems that allow scientists to work at their highest potential. 

About You

• You thrive on creating organized, efficient lab spaces and take pride in maintaining well-documented inventory systems.
• You enjoy working with diverse groups of people and helping facilitate the team to have smooth operations and enable great science.
• You have hands-on experience with laboratory information management systems (preferably Benchling) and enjoy implementing systematic approaches to resource tracking.
• You're proactive in identifying and addressing maintenance needs for shared equipment and spaces.
• You have strong coordination skills and enjoy being the go-to person for laboratory operations.
• You understand the importance of well-maintained shared resources in advancing scientific research.
• You're detail-oriented in managing schedules, trainings, and maintenance calendars.
• You have experience with (or interest in) automated laboratory systems and can assist with basic wet lab work when needed.
• You excel at establishing and maintaining clear communication channels between different teams.

In This Position You Will

• Serve as the primary point of contact between the various research groups within the Technology Centers and SciOps team, effectively communicating and implementing changes while providing context on group-specific needs.
• Maintain accurate tracking of shared reagents and supplies and implement efficient storage and organization systems within our Benchling LIMS system. 
• Manage the ordering and restocking of common supplies, and coordinate with vendors for optimal pricing and delivery.
• Create and maintain standard operating procedures for lab equipment and processes, ensuring consistency and quality across all operations.
• Coordinate maintenance schedules for shared instruments, oversee tissue culture maintenance and cleaning procedures, and organize and optimize shared laboratory spaces. 
• Track equipment usage and maintenance records and coordinate with service providers for repairs and maintenance. 
• Manage and coordinate Tech Center recharge processes where applicable, ensuring accurate tracking and efficient implementation of recharge protocols.
• Schedule and coordinate user training sessions on shared equipment, maintain training records and certifications. 
• Assist with running established automated assays and support basic wet lab work as needed.
• Manage the onboarding and offboarding processes for researchers within the Technology centers, ensuring all important items and information are properly tracked and transferred.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 3+ years of laboratory operations experience.
• Proficiency with Benchling or similar laboratory management systems.
• Strong organizational and inventory management skills.
• Experience with laboratory equipment maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Strong communication skills with ability to work effectively with researchers at all levels.
• Demonstrated track record of improving operational efficiency in a laboratory setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with automated laboratory systems and high-throughput systems.
• Hands-on experience with common molecular biology techniques.
• Background in implementing inventory management systems.
• Experience with vendor management and procurement.
• Background in developing and implementing training programs.
• Experience with quality control systems and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated success in improving laboratory efficiency and productivity.

The base salary range for this position is $84,450 - $104,250. These amounts reflect the range of base salary that the Institute reasonably would expect to pay a new hire or internal candidate for this position. The actual base compensation paid to any individual for this position may vary depending on factors such as experience, market conditions, education/training, skill level, and whether the compensation is internally equitable, and does not include bonuses, commissions, differential pay, other forms of compensation, or benefits. This position is also eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus, with the amount dependent on individual and institute performance factors.