Associate Director Laboratory Operations Jobs in California

Join the transformative team at City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. Our dedicated and compassionate employees are driven by a common mission: To deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today.

A Director of Biobank Laboratory Operations opportunity is available at City of Hope. This is a senior leadership role responsible for providing scientific, operational, and strategic direction for the Henderson Biorepository’s laboratory enterprise across City of Hope. This position partners closely with institutional leaders, researchers, and external collaborators to support biorepository growth, ensure operational scalability, and advance biospecimen‑based research initiatives. The Director plays a key role in business planning, service expansion, integration of biorepository functions, and fostering a collaborative, high‑performance laboratory culture while upholding quality standards and alignment with the Henderson Biorepository’s mission.

As a successful candidate, you will:

Laboratory Operations

• Provide scientific and operational leadership for Henderson Biorepository laboratory operations, including biospecimen collection and processing, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocol oversight, process validation, quality control, regulatory compliance, and College of American Pathologist (CAP) biobank accreditation efforts.

• Serve as the laboratory subject matter expert, supporting IRB protocols, integrating biorepository operations across City of Hope, leading capital equipment and automation initiatives, and collaborating with internal stakeholders and external partners.

Biospecimen Research and Teaching

• Partner with the Scientific Director to expand biospecimen research programs, establish external collaborations, support grant funding efforts, and promote Henderson Biorepository services.

• Contribute to academic and training programs by teaching biospecimen best practices to COH’s graduate students and supporting workforce development.

Budget and Revenue Management

• Oversee laboratory budgets, expenditures, contracts, service pricing, and vendor agreements to ensure financial stewardship and 100% cost recovery.

• Ensure appropriate Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), and contractual frameworks are in place to support external partnerships and revenue‑generating services.

Informatics and Data Management

• Collaborate with Research Informatics and leadership to ensure accurate biospecimen data management within LabVantage and other laboratory information systems.

• Maintain high standards of data integrity and documentation to support research quality, compliance, and operational efficiency.

People Leadership and Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing laboratory team, promoting collaboration, technical excellence, and professional growth.

• Support staff training across a broad range of biospecimen collection, processing, and preservation techniques.

Your qualifications should include:

• PhD degree in biology, immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pathology or a related discipline.

• 7+ years of hands-on industry or academia experience with collecting and processing human whole blood, histology tissue processing, organoid preparation, nuclei acid extraction, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolation and cryopreservation, aseptic technique, and automated cell and liquid processing platforms.

• 5 years of experience at a managerial level.

Required certification/licensure:

• IATA certification (within 6 months of hire)

Preferred qualifications:

• Familiarity with GLP guidelines and CLIA certification

City of Hope employees pay is based on the following criteria: work experience, qualifications, and work location.

City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.

To learn more about our Comprehensive Benefits, please CLICK HERE.