Senior Lab Manager – Cryo-EM facility

Our Organization

FairJourney Bio is a globally recognized Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in antibody discovery, engineering, characterization, and production. We proudly serve leading pharmaceutical companies and top-tier biotech firms across the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Our cutting-edge facilities are based in Porto, Portugal, where innovation and scientific excellence drive every project. For more information, please visit FairJourney Bio (fjbio.com).

The Role

FairJourney Bio is building a state-of-the-art structural biology and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) facility in San Diego to support antibody discovery and engineering. We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and technically capable Senior Lab Manager to oversee daily laboratory operations, infrastructure, and logistics for this rapidly growing division. This role is critical to ensuring seamless execution across wet lab, cryo-EM sample preparation, and facility operations. The Senior Lab Manager will partner closely with scientific leadership, operations, and external vendors to maintain a high-performance, client-ready environment.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Operations & Infrastructure

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the cryoEM and supporting wet lab spaces (~7,500 sq ft facility).

• Ensure laboratory readiness, organization, and compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

• Manage lab layout, equipment placement, and workflow optimization during buildout and scale-up.

• Maintain inventory of consumables, reagents, and lab supplies across multiple functional areas.

Equipment & Vendor Management

• Equipment & Vendor Management

• Coordinate installation, maintenance, and service contracts for major equipment (e.g., cryo-EM microscopes, vitrification devices, chromatography systems).

• Serve as primary point of contact for vendors, service engineers, and facility contractors.

• Track equipment uptime, preventative maintenance schedules, and service history.

Procurement & Budget Tracking

• Manage purchasing workflows, vendor relationships, and cost tracking.

• Work with finance to monitor lab-related budgets and optimize spend.

• Negotiate with suppliers to ensure cost-effective procurement.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with EH&S regulations, biosafety protocols, and chemical hygiene plans.

• Maintain documentation for inspections, audits, and certifications.

• Lead lab safety training and onboarding for new employees.

Sample & Workflow Coordination

• Support coordination of sample flow across discovery, purification, and cryoEM workflows.

• Implement systems for tracking samples, reagents, and experimental throughput.

• Partner with scientific teams to ensure efficient turnaround for client projects.

Facilities & Buildout Support

• Oversee utilities, cryogens (LN2), gas systems, and environmental monitoring.

Your Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, biochemistry, or related field.

• 5+ years of laboratory operations or lab management experience (biotech, pharma, or CRO environment).

• Strong organizational and project management skills.

• Experience managing vendors, procurement, and lab infrastructure.

• Working knowledge of laboratory safety and compliance requirements.

• Experience supporting structural biology, cryo-EM, or protein sciences labs.

• Familiarity with capital equipment (e.g., cryo-EM, chromatography systems).

• Experience in a fast-paced, client-facing or CRO environment.

• Experience with LIMS or lab tracking systems.

• Highly proactive and solutions-oriented.

• Strong communicator across scientific and operational teams.

• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Comfortable in a fast-growing, build-from-scratch environment.

• Takes ownership and drives execution.

We Offer

• Build a world-class cryoEM facility from the ground up.

• Work at the intersection of structural biology and therapeutic antibody discovery.

• Be part of a high-growth, private equity-backed organization with strong momentum.

• Collaborate with leading scientists and industry experts.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career path, we’d love to hear from you.

Deadline for applications: 31st May 2026