Lab Manager - Materials & Devices for Life Sciences Institute in Oxford

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, policy makers, and entrepreneurs to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas: Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology, Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change & Managing CO₂, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics. This is ambitious work – work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from the lab to society.

Welcome to the Institute of Materials & Devices for Life Sciences (MDLS). The vision for the Institute of Materials & Devices for Life Sciences (MDLS) at the Ellison Institute of Technology is to advance human health by scaling interdisciplinary science at the interface of chemistry, biology and engineering. Led by Professor Hagan Bayley, it will house more than 100 researchers engaging in three interrelated endeavors: Nanopore Sensing and Sequencing, 3D Tissue Construction, and Device Engineering. The MDLS Institute will expand nanopore science to detect a wider range of biological molecules, including volatiles in human breath, while pioneering novel methods that integrate synthetic and living tissues into structures for organ repair. All the research will be underpinned by the development of new devices capable of serving as powerful tools in clinical settings.

EIT is seeking an organised and experienced Laboratory Manager to lead operational, technical, and compliance functions for a rapidly expanding MDLS research laboratory. This pivotal role covers all aspects of facility management, safety compliance, workflow optimisation, and resource allocation, ensuring seamless support for cutting‑edge scientific research. The successful candidate will drive rigorous quality assurance across Nanopore science, Tissue Construction, and device engineering, acting as the primary liaison between MDLS research teams and EIT facilities, procurement, quality, and H&S teams. Responsibilities include SOP development, space management, inventory oversight, and audit readiness, enabling scientific excellence, operational resilience, and scalability in a dynamic, mission‑driven environment. A solid understanding of Nanopore, Tissue Construction, and device engineering is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Facility Management: Oversee daily facilities of the laboratories, ensuring efficient workflow and adherence to the quality standards specifically required for the MDLS Institute. Implement and enforce laboratory safety procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Manage training and mentoring of MDLS researchers to ensure researchers are operating compliantly across all workflows and procedures. Monitor lab conditions, including temperature, humidity, and air quality, to ensure that they meet the specifications required for operations. Work closely with scientific leadership to understand research objectives and adapt laboratory operations to support evolving needs. Serve as the key point of contact for the central EIT facilities team and provide updates on equipment, facilities, and operational issues, suggesting improvements or modifications for consideration.
• Equipment Management: Work with MDLS researchers and the EIT procurement specialist to ensure the laboratory is properly maintained and organised, with all equipment, consumables, and reagents available for research projects including inventories and COSHH assessments. Oversee the set‑up of laboratory facilities and work with Lab Technicians and Lab staff to ensure these protocols are maintained, including cleanliness, accident reporting procedures, signage for biohazards. Work with team members to ensure that all logs and systems for overseeing the maintenance equipment and instruments are in place, and appropriate reporting mechanisms are in place for the MDLS. Oversee maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment. Work with external vendors and service providers to maintain or repair laboratory equipment as needed. Maintain communication with research teams, establishing a scheduling system for shared facility and equipment access. Ensure improvements are identified to manage scheduling conflicts when facility restrictions are identified.
• Operational Support: Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for relevant laboratory processes, ensuring consistency and compliance with quality standards. Maintain an up‑to‑date library of specialist risk assessment forms and COSHH forms for all relevant lab substances and ensure regular monitoring, review, and updates as needed. Troubleshoot technical and operational issues in workflows and implement solutions to prevent delays in project timelines. Manage access and user training of equipment, including establishment of appropriate training procedures for new users. Optimise laboratory space and equipment usage to support the work of a rapidly growing research team while maintaining flexibility for diverse research projects. Oversee effective and compliant waste‑management processes for the MDLS.
• Inventory and Supply Chain Management: Working alongside the technical procurement specialist, laboratory technicians and relevant finance departments, manage inventory levels for laboratory consumables, reagents, and critical supplies, ensuring uninterrupted operations. Track and maintain proper documentation of inventory and ensure the timely ordering of supplies to avoid stockouts or delays. Maintain a system for tracking the usage, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.
• Quality Assurance and Compliance: Oversee compliance with relevant safety, regulatory, and quality standards in all aspects of laboratory operations. Induction and protocol development for MDLS lab compliance areas. Implement and maintain quality control (QC) processes for relevant processing workflows, ensuring high accuracy and reproducibility of results. Participate in internal and external audits and inspections, ensuring the lab meets all compliance requirements. Ensure proper documentation of processes, workflows, and sample handling procedures in accordance with regulatory requirements. Designated person for Human Tissue Authority (HTA) license, and sample workflow mapping and protocols to prepare labs for license.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Educated to a minimum of BSc up to PhD in a relevant field.
• At least 5 years of experience working in a laboratory environment, with a minimum of 2 years in a management or supervisory role.
• Familiarity with laboratory safety protocols, regulatory requirements, and quality management systems.
• Familiar with biosafety across tissue engineering/biological/chemistry research (e.g., Chemicals/radioactivity/lasers).

Key Attributes

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and manage a diverse group of laboratory professionals.
• Excellent problem‑solving and troubleshooting skills in a high‑tech laboratory environment.
• Strong organisational skills, with an ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• In‑depth knowledge of laboratory operations, including equipment maintenance, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Proficiency in laboratory management software, inventory systems, and data tracking tools.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Detail‑oriented with strong analytical and critical‑thinking skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment with a flexible, solutions‑oriented mindset.
• Strong commitment to maintaining a safe, efficient, and compliant laboratory environment.

Our Benefits

• Enhanced holiday pay
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Hospital Cash Plan
• Therapy Services
• Perk Box
• Electric Car Scheme

Working Together – What It Involves

You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford.