Senior Lab Manager – Metabolomics (Targeted & Untargeted)
About Us
At Isospec, we’re building a new standard for molecular identification to unlock patient-centric drug development and diagnostics. You’ll own the lab engine that turns partner samples into robust, decision-ready insights—fast, reproducibly, and at scale.
Your Impact
Lead our mass-spectrometry lab in biomarker discovery and molecular identification. Within 6–12 months, success means achieving more than 95% instrument uptime, supported by a clear preventive and corrective maintenance schedule and real-time QC dashboards. Turnaround times should be reduced by 30–50% through stable, well-documented workflows. Discovery must be reproducible, with QC pass rates above 90%, robust batch correction, and audit-ready ELNs and SOPs in place. The lab should also be prepared to scale, with an active GLP transition plan and a capacity model aligned to revenue targets.
What You Will Do
- Lead the lab: Manage day-to-day operations, method development and validation, scheduling, capacity planning, vendor relations, inventory, and EHS.
- Team & culture: Hire, coach, and develop scientists; enforce speed, efficiency, and ownership.
- Partner success: Translate objectives into executable lab plans; communicate progress, risks, and results with clarity.
- Work management: Run projects with Jira and maintain an electronic lab notebook.
- Design robust MS workflows: Oversee end-to-end targeted/untargeted metabolomics (sample receipt → prep → LC-MS(/MS)/IMS → QA/QC → reporting).
- Biomarker discovery: Design and manage studies, validate strategies, and deliver statistically sound results.
- Molecular ID: Drive identification pipelines and triage unknowns with MS/MS libraries and orthogonal methods; coordinate with internal tech (e.g., IR-assisted ID).
- Quality & compliance: Operate in non-GLP today, while building SOPs, training, and documentation to transition toward GLP.
- Data rigor: Define data standards and interfaces with data tools (e.g., MS-DIAL, Skyline, vendor suites; R/Python preferred).
- Automation & uptime: Maximize instrument availability, maintain (preventive / corrective maintenance) PM/CM schedules, ensure ELN consistency, and streamline throughput. Lab automation/liquid handling and DoE (Design of Experiment) for method optimization.
Skills and Qualifications
Essentials
- 7+ years running a mass-spectrometry lab in a fast paced environment (CRO metabolomics services or pharma/biotech internal MS labs).
- Deep hands-on experience in sample preparation (plasma/serum/urine/tissues), LC-MS(/MS), and method development (QTOF; IMS a plus).
- Proven track record in biomarker discovery (study design, QC, stats) and metabolite identification (library/structure workflows).
- Strong command of untargeted pipelines (feature detection, alignment, batch correction) and targeted quant (MRM/PRM, calibration, QC).
- Familiarity with data tools (MS-DIAL, XCMS, Skyline, MassHunter) and basic scripting (R/Python) for QC/analysis.
- SOP writing, audits/readiness, and comfort evolving from non-GLP toward GLP.
- Startup mindset: high ownership, structured execution, bias to action; fluent with Jira, ELN/LIMS.
Nice To Have
- Experience with clinical sample chains, biobank interfaces, and chain-of-custody.
- Exposure to glycomics/proteomics and orthogonal ID techniques.
Culture and Perks
- Impact that matters: Help solve one of the most difficult bottlenecks in translational science, trustworthy molecular ID and actionable biomarkers.
- Build the blueprint: Your systems and standards will define how next-gen metabolomics operates at scale.
- Elite collaborators: Work with leading hospitals, biotech, and pharma on programs that change patient outcomes.Ownership & growth: High autonomy, rapid learning, and a direct line from your work to patient benefit.