Lab, Research, and Operations Manager at Becoming in San Francisco, CA

About Us

Becoming is building a Developmental Intelligence™ platform that combines biology, engineering, and AI to understand, model, and guide development. We design and operate integrated biological and technological systems that enable new approaches to tissue generation, regenerative medicine, and therapeutic discovery.

Our team brings together expertise across developmental biology, tissue engineering, hardware, software, and operations. We are mission-driven, highly collaborative, and focused on building foundational capabilities that can scale from early research through clinical and translational applications.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly capable Lab , Research & Operations Manager to join our growing team in San Francisco. This is a manager-level, hands-on role that combines in vivo research execution with ownership of laboratory operations, safety, compliance, and operational excellence.

This role is a steward of lab health and safety and a central operational leader. You will establish and maintain SOPs, ensure inspection-ready lab and vivarium operations, manage projects across teams, and track KPIs that keep the organization running safely, efficiently, and on schedule.

The ideal candidate thrives in an early-stage environment, enjoys both bench work and systems-building, and takes pride in creating order, safety, and repeatability in complex scientific operations.

Key Responsibilities

Lab, Vivarium & Safety Operations

• Own day-to-day laboratory and vivarium operations, ensuring a safe, clean, compliant, and inspection-ready environment at all times
• Serve as a primary steward of lab health and safety, including biosafety, chemical hygiene, animal welfare, waste management, and equipment safety
• Establish, document, implement, and continuously improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering lab operations, vivarium workflows, animal handling, biosafety, equipment use, and waste disposal
• Ensure SOPs are version-controlled, actively followed, trained on, and audited, not just written
• Lead onboarding and recurring training for staff on SOPs, lab safety, and compliance requirements
• Support and coordinate IACUC, EH&S, and internal audits, inspections, and protocol updates
• Coordinate equipment maintenance, calibration schedules, certifications, and vendor service visits
• Manage animal deliveries, cage cleaning coordination, and accurate animal care documentation
• Handle, breed, and maintain animal colonies and perform tissue collection as required

Research & Histology Support

• Perform mouse embryo dissections and tissue isolations from early developmental stages
• Conduct in vivo procedures including IV, IP, and PO dosing; necropsy; tissue collection; and sample processing in rodent models
• Monitor animal health and maintain accurate experimental records in compliance with ethical and regulatory standards
• Validate and perform in vitro assays to evaluate tissue-engineered constructs
• Perform primary and iPSC cell culture using aseptic techniques
• Prepare samples for flow cytometry, RNA sequencing, and histological staining
• Analyze and interpret histological and experimental data and present findings to cross-functional teams
• Collaborate closely with research, engineering, and manufacturing teams to advance therapeutic programs

Operations, Project Management & KPI Tracking

• Own operational project management across lab, vivarium, and biomanufacturing workflows
• Create and maintain lightweight project plans, timelines, and dependencies for research, infrastructure, and operational initiatives
• Define, track, and report key operational KPIs, including but not limited to:
  • Lab uptime and equipment availability
  • Inventory accuracy and stockout rates
  • Safety incidents and corrective actions
  • Animal colony health, utilization, and throughput
  • Experiment turnaround times
• Build and maintain dashboards or reporting systems (e.g., spreadsheets, Notion, Airtable, or similar) to provide visibility into operational performance
• Identify operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies and drive process improvements through execution
• Partner with leadership and cross-functional teams to align operational execution with company priorities and milestones

Purchasing & Inventory Management

• Manage ordering of lab supplies, reagents, consumables, and office materials
• Maintain accurate, real-time inventory systems and optimize stock levels
• Coordinate with vendors and sales representatives on delivery timelines, backorders, and issue resolution
• Ensure safe storage, labeling, and tracking of chemicals, biologicals, and controlled materials

Biomanufacturing & Hardware Support

• Operate biomedical-grade resin 3D printers
• Perform post-processing
• Assist with assembly, bonding, tubing, and fittings
• Conduct testing and basic quality control checks
• Sterilize equipment and components in accordance with safety and quality standards

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Biology, Bioengineering, or a related scientific or engineering discipline
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in in vivo research and laboratory operations
• Hands-on experience with animal handling, dosing, pathology, and surgical procedures
• Demonstrated understanding of laboratory safety, biosafety, and animal welfare best practices
• Proven ability to create, maintain, and enforce SOPs in a laboratory or vivarium environment
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a fast-paced startup environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in cell culture, molecular biology, and biochemistry techniques

• Experience supporting preclinical or IND-enabling studies

• AALAS certification or equivalent

• Experience with electronic inventory systems or LIMS

• Knowledge of GLP standards

• Prior experience supporting IACUC, EH&S, or regulatory inspections

• Experience managing projects and tracking operational KPIs

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity depending on experience level

• Full benefits

• High-trust, high-ownership environment

• The opportunity to define a new scientific category from the ground up