Laboratory Operations Manager in Slough

We have an exciting opportunity for a talented and highly motivated Laboratory Operations Manager to join Laverock Therapeutics, an early‐stage biotech company applying its proprietary gene‐silencing platform to the development of novel human therapeutics. Laverock's technology enables programmable, tunable and multiplexable gene silencing, differentiating it from alternative gene regulation approaches and supporting the development of next‐generation cell and gene therapies. You will join a multidisciplinary team of experimental and computational scientists working at the forefront of translational biology. Due to the early‐stage nature of the company, this role is critical to ensuring the labs function smoothly, safely and efficiently.

Role Purpose

The Laboratory Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring that Laverock's laboratory infrastructure, supply chain and safety systems are robust, compliant and fit for scientific delivery. The role owns day‐to‐day laboratory operations and acts as the central point of coordination between scientists, facilities, suppliers and external stakeholders. This is a five‐days‐per‐week, on‐site role.

Key Responsibilities

• Supply Chain, Procurement and Inventory
  • Own end‐to‐end laboratory procurement: consumables, reagents, services and equipment.
  • Maintain accurate, audit‐ready inventories of consumables, reagents and assets.
  • Build and manage strong supplier relationships; negotiate pricing, lead times and service levels.
  • Drive cost‐effective purchasing decisions in collaboration with procurement and finance.
  • Implement and continuously improve ordering and inventory systems.
• Operational Excellence and Equipment Management
  • Act as primary point of contact for laboratory operations, equipment servicing, waste management and out‐of‐hours emergencies.
  • Arrange service contracts and engineer visits; manage preventative maintenance schedules.
  • Work closely with equipment superusers and scientists to minimise downtime.
  • Troubleshoot operational and equipment‐related issues efficiently and pragmatically.
  • Lead operational audits and ensure readiness at all times.
  • Deliver and coordinate training on key laboratory platforms (e.g. LN systems, T‐Scan), ensuring safe, effective and consistent use across the team.
• Health and Safety Leadership
  • Coordinate development, review and maintenance of H&S policies, procedures and risk assessments.
  • Conduct regular safety inspections and internal audits; implement corrective and preventive actions.
  • Ensure incidents, near misses and observations are documented, investigated and followed up in a timely manner.
  • Act as a key interface with landlords, regulators, external auditors and emergency services.
  • Provide regular, concise H&S and operational reports to senior management.
• Hands‐on Laboratory Support
  • Support routine laboratory tasks as needed (e.g. media preparation, sequencing runs or other enabling activities).
  • Assist with inductions and practical lab training to ensure safe and effective onboarding of new staff.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Proven experience working in a busy molecular and/or cellular biology research laboratory.
• Strong track record managing lab operations, including ordering, inventory control, equipment maintenance and facilities interfaces.
• Demonstrated experience with supplier management and vendor negotiations.
• Solid understanding of laboratory health and safety requirements, including GM/COSHH risk assessment and audit processes.
• Highly organised with a systematic, troubleshooting mindset and exceptional attention to detail.
• Confident using IT systems for lab operations.
• Pragmatic, calm and solutions‐focused; able to operate autonomously once objectives are set.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the diplomacy to work across scientific, operational and external groups.

Desirable

• Experience establishing or scaling laboratory operations in a start‐up or growing environment.
• Prior responsibility for coordinating H&S activities.
• Familiarity with HTA and/or advanced therapy regulations.
• Experience developing SOPs, templates and operational workflows.
• Working knowledge of laboratory automation and ability to support scientists using automated systems.
• Experience supporting wet‐lab training and lab inductions.

Qualifications / Profile

• BSc or MSc in a relevant life science discipline, with 3–5+ years industry experience.
• Strong communicator, able to translate operational constraints clearly and constructively to scientists.
• Team‐oriented, collaborative and service‐minded, with a strong sense of ownership.
• Committed to reproducibility, traceability and high operational standards.

This position is offered on a 12-month FTC basis.