Facilities Manager

About the role:

We are seeking an experienced Facilities Manager to oversee the daily operations, maintenance, safety, and continuous improvement of Superluminal Medicines’ 27,000 square-foot Boston facilities, including lab, office, and support spaces. The Facilities Manager will ensure the facility infrastructure, building systems, and lab support services operate safely, efficiently, and reliably to enable uninterrupted scientific research.

The Facilities Manager serves as the primary liaison between internal stakeholders, building management, and third-party service providers to deliver operational excellence, execute capital facility improvement projects, maintain regulatory compliance, and support the organization’s continued growth. The ideal candidate is a proactive, solutions-oriented leader with experience supporting laboratory environments and managing complex facilities in a dynamic R&D setting.

The role supports one site with laboratory, office, shared, and support spaces, including multiple incubators. It is primarily onsite because regular facility review, vendor coordination, incident response, and support for laboratory operations are essential parts of the job.

Frequent movement throughout lab, office, and support spaces including occasional lifting

Potential for on-call duties or extended hours during emergencies or urgent facility issues.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Facility Operations and Infrastructure

• Oversee the daily operation, maintenance, and functionality of lab, office, and support spaces to ensure a compliant, efficient, and fully operational work environment
• Develop and manage preventative maintenance programs for building systems and facility assets
• Oversee the maintenance and performance of critical building systems, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, life safety, and other mechanical infrastructures
• Coordinate facility work orders, building services, preventative maintenance, inspections, and corrective actions while serving as the primary point of contact with property management and contractors
• Maintain maintenance records, preventative maintenance schedules, inspections, and compliance documentation
• Perform or coordinate general repairs and maintenance while ensuring minimal disruption to research activities
• Lead facility improvement projects by managing project schedules and execution, contractors, and budgets while minimizing operational downtime
• Responsible for the shipping and receiving operations of the organization
• Oversee facility access and security programs by administering badges, parking passes, visitor access, and security protocols while serving as the primary point of contact for security-related matters

 Lab and Research Support

• Partner with cross-functional teams to support lab operations, renovations, equipment installations, and space planning
• Coordinate lab infrastructure and utility services, including house gas systems, vacuum, DI/RO water, and other building systems that support research activities
• Ensure uninterrupted availability of critical lab utilities by coordinating preventative maintenance, vendor service, emergency response, and contingency plans
• Manage shipping and receiving operations supporting lab equipment, materials, and research activities
• Manage laboratory support utilities and services, including the procurement, inventory, storage, and vendor management of dry ice, wet ice, compressed gases, cryogenic liquids, and other laboratory utilities required to support research operations

Vendor Management

• Manage relationships with external vendors, contractors, and service providers
• Participate in vendor selection, contract negotiations, and performance management
• Monitor service level agreements and vendor performance metrics
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize facility performance

Emergency and On-Call Support

• Participate in an on-call rotation. Schedule to be determined. 
• Assess the operational impact of an incident, communicate with affected teams, escalate material risks, and document follow-up actions.
• Support occasional extended hours for planned shutdowns, urgent repairs, inspections, or emergencies.  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Biotechnology, or related technical field
• 5-8 years of facilities management experience supporting biotech, pharmaceutical, or laboratory environment required
• Experience managing third-party contractors or service providers, including scopes of work, schedules, performance, documentation, and issue resolution.
• Experience in building systems (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc.)
• Experience leading regulatory requirements (e.g. OSHA, HAZWOPER, DOT)
• Experience managing contractors, vendors, and service agreements
• Experience planning and executing projects, with a demonstrated ability to organize workflows, solve operational problems, and communicate effectively with cross-functional teams
• Experience managing competing priorities and shifting timelines within an R&D environment.
• Ability to participate in the approved onsite and on-call schedule, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life-science, or other research laboratories.
• Experience managing facility renovations, laboratory buildouts, or capital improvement projects
• Experience with computerized maintenance management systems
• Experience working in a growing company with changing space, equipment, and operating needs.