Biobank Operations Lead

The Biobank Operations Lead drives the day-to-day operation and continuous improvement of the Clinical Research Biobank, with ownership of biospecimen management, inventory systems, repository organization, data integrity, process standardization, and training. This is a full-time, onsite position reporting directly to the Biobank Manager. The role is a key operational and technical resource connecting Biobank Operations with Sample Acquisition, Discovery, New Product Development, Assay Dx, Reference Laboratories, and other Research groups.

In this role, you safeguard the availability, integrity, and traceability of the research biospecimens used across Clinical Research and diagnostic-development programs, protecting high-value and difficult-to-replace samples through sound storage, documentation, monitoring, and emergency planning.

As the primary technical resource for BSI and Biobank processes, you shape the workflows, inventory-system configuration, repository organization, and data standards that multiple teams depend on, and you coordinate across upstream sample-acquisition groups and downstream research teams to keep specimen movement timely and accurate. You exercise independent judgment on complex specimen, data, and system issues and lead initiatives spanning multiple departments, research programs, and locations that advance the Biobank as a scalable, reliable research-support function.

• Lead daily Biobank activities including specimen receipt, processing, storage, retrieval, transfer, distribution, shipment, and disposition, while prioritizing workload against research timelines, operational capacity, and urgency.
• Maintain specimen identity, integrity, and traceability, including accurate alignment between physical inventory and associated data.
• Serve as system administrator and subject matter expert for the Biological Sample Inventory (BSI) system, including workflow development, configuration, troubleshooting, reporting, imports, and user support.
• Safeguard data quality through validation, reconciliation, standardized identifiers, and inventory audits; support barcode and labeling workflows, including BSI/Bar Tender integration.
• Manage freezer, refrigerator, archive, and staging-area organization, including repository mapping, storage-capacity planning, and legacy sample integration.
• Coordinate incoming and outgoing specimen logistics, including manifests, shipment reconciliation, inter-facility transfers, and domestic and international shipping.
• Support research programs through specimen selection, preparation, pooling, and retrieval, in coordination with research and instrument-development teams.
• Identify and implement process improvements that reduce turnaround time, improve traceability, and standardize operations; monitor capacity, volume, and workflow performance to inform planning.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, training materials, and other operational documentation.
• Train and support employees and collaborators on Biobank systems, workflows, specimen-handling practices, and data standards.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives, including system implementation, repository improvements, legacy inventory, workflow standardization, and resolution of operational issues spanning multiple teams, systems, or locations.
• Serve as the primary business-hours contact for freezer emergencies and specimen-storage events, coordinating response, relocation, communication, and business continuity; promote safe specimen handling and laboratory safety.

• BS in a life science with 5+ years of biorepository or laboratory operations experience, or equivalent, preferred. BA with comparable experience will be considered.
• Strong knowledge of biospecimen handling, storage, traceability, repository management, and research-support workflows.
• Experience administering laboratory or biological inventory management systems; proficiency with BSI, Excel, and barcode and labeling tools.
• Strong data-management skills, including validation, reconciliation, import preparation, inventory tracking, and large dataset organization.
• Ability to translate operational requirements into practical system workflows, standardized processes, and clear documentation.
• Process-improvement and problem-solving skills, including root-cause analysis and workflow optimization, and the ability to troubleshoot specimen, system, data, and repository issues.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to…