Director of Facilities, Laboratory Operations and EHS

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

As the Director of Facilities, Laboratory Operations and EHS reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, you will be responsible for the strategic leadership, operational excellence, and long-term planning of Olema’s facilities and laboratory environments across multiple sites. In this role you will own the full lifecycle of facilities and lab operations, from day-to-day execution to large-scale initiatives including laboratory buildouts, office and lab relocations. The Director, Facilities, Laboratory Operations & EHS will oversee three Olema locations, including BSL2 laboratory environments and corporate office space, and serves as a senior partner to Research, IT, Real Estate, Finance, and Executive Leadership.

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

Your work will primarily encompass:

Facilities, Real Estate & Capital Execution:

• Responsible for the day-to-day facility operations, upkeep, and maintenance of a multi-site business
• 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.
• Experience managing sample inventories and vendors.
• 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

Knowledge:

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• Strategic Facilities Manager (SFM) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certifications preferred
• 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 12 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 and ability working in a demanding and fast-paced lab environment where uptime, safety, compliance, and responsiveness are critical, and where competing priorities and 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 - $225,000 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.

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