Director, Lab Operations & Maintenance Management

Your Impact at LILA Lila is building AI Science Factories (AISFs) — highly automated, AI-directed labs that generate the proprietary experimental data powering our AI platform. As we scale from one AISF to many, the operational infrastructure that keeps those factories running is a first-class strategic capability. The Director of Lab Operations & Maintenance Management (LOMM) owns the physical and logistical foundation of Lila's science operations: consumables and reagent supply chains, equipment asset management, CMMS management, waste coordination, space readiness, preventative maintenance (PM), first response equipment/instrument demand maintenance, and multi-shift logistics continuity. This role will build out and manage Lila's Maintenance Management (MM) function from the ground up — hiring the initial team, developing best practices, and establishing the operational handoff as we mature and scale. But this role is as much about building these systems as running them — you'll define the LOMM operating model, lead its expansion to new sites, drive AI-enabled innovation in how we manage lab resources, and author the standards that travel with every AISF we open. You'll operate as a recognized authority on lab operations within Lila, partnering directly with VPs and senior leaders across Autonomous Science Platform (ASP), Finance, EHS, and Facilities. You'll be a principal contributor to the Blueprint program — the global deployment framework that defines how Lila builds and runs AI Science Factories at scale. What You'll Be Building Lab Operations Strategy & Operating Model Define and own the LOMM operating model across Lila sites — from single-shift pilot to multi-site, continuous operations Establish the systems, org structure, staffing model, and governance framework that enable LOMM to scale reliably Set and track operational KPIs (inventory accuracy, stockout rate, PM scheduling compliance, asset data integrity, ticket resolution time); use data to drive structured improvement cycles and report trends to ASP leadership Consumables, Reagents & Supply Chain Own end-to-end supply chain continuity for all lab consumables, reagents, and PPE across all shifts and sites Design and govern the par-level inventory system, reorder triggers, cold storage management, and expiry tracking infrastructure Lead dual-source qualification strategy for high-risk consumables; build the satellite site supply chain playbook for future AISFs in support of the Blueprint project CMMS & Equipment Asset Management Own CMMS strategy, selection, implementation, and long-term governance — accountable for data accuracy across all commissioned instruments and mobile assets Define asset tagging standards and location tracking protocols in alignment with Blueprint's asset taxonomy Own PM coordination across sites; ensure calibration access and instrument readiness for production operations Maintenance Management— Build & Oversight Build out the Maintenance Management function from scratch in collaboration with Hardware & Controls Engineering (HCE) team: define the team structure, hire initial MM staff, and establish the operating model for instrument PM, calibration, and first-response troubleshooting Stand up a dedicated L1 (Level 1) maintenance support team as the first line of response for lab-floor issues across shifts: triage incoming requests, execute standard work (resets, swaps, basic mechanical/electrical checks, consumables replenishment for instruments as defined), and escalate efficiently to HCE- L2/L3 Sustaining Engineering, vendors, or Integration Automation Engineering when deeper troubleshooting or design changes are required Establish the escalation and handoff protocols between MM, LabOps, Research Operations (production team), and HCE/Automation; define the boundary between maintenance of commissioned instruments that are best serviced by MM and engineering modifications Explore and define the HCE onboarding/training model for MM technicians, including potential rotational program for cross-training and augmentation AI Integration & Continuous Improvement Lead Lila's thinking on AI-enabled lab operations — evaluate, pilot, and scale intelligent solutions across inventory management, predictive reordering, asset tracking, and operational reporting Build a continuous improvement culture within LOMM: baseline metrics, run structured improvement cycles, and bring external best practices from the biotech/life sciences industry into Lila's operating model Define the innovation roadmap for LOMM in partnership with engineering and operations teams Vendor & Logistics Management Own vendor relationships for all lab supplies and logistics within approved frameworks; partner with Finance on contract strategy for key suppliers Oversee lab-side receiving, intake, space readiness for new instrument deployments, waste and hazmat scheduling, gas management,