Director of Facilities and Laboratory Operations

About the Role >>> Director of Facilities and Laboratory Operations 

As the Director of Facilities, Laboratory Operations reporting to the VP of IT, Real Estate, and Facilities Lab Operations, you will play a critical leadership role in shaping and scaling the environments that power Olema’s science and innovation. You will lead the strategy, operations, and long-term planning for Olema’s facilities and laboratory infrastructure across multiple sites, ensuring our spaces evolve alongside the company’s ambitious growth trajectory. 

In this role, you will own the full lifecycle of facilities and laboratory operations — from driving day-to-day operational excellence to leading complex, high-impact initiatives including laboratory buildouts, expansions, and office and lab relocations. You will oversee three Olema locations spanning BSL-2 laboratory environments and corporate office space, creating safe, efficient, and collaborative environments where teams can do their best work. 

As a trusted cross-functional partner to Research, IT, Real Estate, Finance and Executive Leadership, you will help build the operational foundation that enables Olema to scale with agility, support groundbreaking science, and foster a culture of innovation, safety, and continuous improvement. 

This role is based in our San Francisco office and will require 15% travel. 

Your work will primarily encompass:

Facilities, Real Estate & Capital Execution

• Lead and execute all facilities operations and physical infrastructure activities across Olema’s locations 
• Own the execution of Real Estate strategy, including site readiness, lease transitions, expansions, consolidations, and exits 
• Lead office and laboratory moves and building relocations, with full accountability for planning, execution, risk management, and stabilization 
• Direct laboratory and office buildouts end-to-end, from programming and design through permitting, construction, commissioning, and occupancy 
• Execute capital projects in active lab environments while maintaining safety, compliance, and continuity of scientific operations 
• Develop and enforce facilities standards, policies, procedures, and SOPs 
• Own physical security programs, including access control, badging, alarms, vendor oversight, and incident response 
• Control facilities operating and capital budgets, including forecasting, spend management, and cost accountability 
• Lead emergency planning and response across all facilities 
• Direct shipping and receiving operations, including Hazardous Materials and Dangerous Goods compliance 
• Own all workplace services across all locations, including office supplies, beverage and food programs, janitorial services, and waste management, with accountability for vendor performance, cost control, and service quality  

Laboratory Operations 

• Support the research team with all infrastructure needs, including vendor relationships and management, service and maintenance of scientific equipment, hazardous waste management, and cell culture support 
• Monitor critical systems and provide 24-hour on-call support in case of system failure 
• Develop and maintain awareness of health and safety issues within the company, ensure compliance with company policies through appropriate training of employees, and manage safety consultants effectively. 
• Manage and Maintain Cryo storage, liquid nitrogen, compressed gas system, emergency generator system, vacuum and compressed air systems 
• Manage critical laboratory systems, including but not limited to HVAC, monitoring, systems and equipment maintenance, to ensure uninterrupted functionality and optimal performance
• Oversee all aspects of shipping and receiving operations, including inventory management, packaging, and transportation logistics, to facilitate efficient and timely movement of goods
• Lead and execute laboratory operations to ensure uninterrupted, compliant research support

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Ownership

• Accountable owner of Olema’s Environmental Health and Safety program 
• Design, implement, enforce, and continuously improve EHS policies, procedures, training, and compliance programs 
• Lead all regulatory inspections, audits, and agency interactions 
• Own hazardous waste permitting, reporting, corrective actions, and compliance documentation 
• Embed EHS requirements into lab design, construction, moves, and daily operations 
• Direct EHS consultants and contractors with clear accountability for outcomes 
• Maintain, train and scale EHS programs supporting BSL-2 laboratory environments 

Ideal Candidate Profile: 

A love of challenging, important work. We are a pragmatic team, driven to imagine and develop meaningful therapies for improving lives. All employees within our company play a unique and crucial role in our success, both in accomplishing our mission and building a positive company culture. As such, we are looking for someone with the right combination of knowledge, experience, and attributes for this role. 

Knowledge

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• Strategic Facilities Manager (SFM) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certifications required 
• Proven track record of successful facilities leadership experience 
• Expert-level knowledge of facilities, laboratory operations, and EHS in biotech or life sciences 
• Strong project management, planning, organization, and time management skills 

Experience

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience with a minimum of 5 years of facilities management experience, including oversight of lab environments 
• Created and ran an EHS program for a BSL2 Lab a must have 
• Demonstrated ownership of lab buildouts relocations, and real estate execution 
• Hands-on facilities, lab operations, and leadership experience who can move seamlessly between strategic planning and tactical execution, particularly in challenging laboratory settings that require sound judgment, calm decision-making, and rigorous operational discipline 
• Demonstrated experience working in a demanding and fast-paced lab environment where uptime, safety, compliance, and responsiveness are critical, and where competing priorities and situational ambiguity are the norm rather than the exception

Attributes

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, clarity, and accuracy 
• Solutions-oriented with a meticulous eye for detail and thrives in a fast-paced, problem-solving environment
• Proactive, self-motivated, and results-oriented with a "bias for action" 
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a cross-functional environment
• Flexible and adaptable to evolving business needs and technology trends
• Excellent written verbal and interpersonal communication skills and ability to adapt communication styles to varied internal and external partners

The base pay range for this position is expected to be $210,000 - $220,000 annually, however the base pay offered may vary depending on location, market, job related knowledge, skills and capabilities, and experience. The total compensation package for this position also includes equity, bonus, and benefits. 

#LI-MT1