Hybrid - South San Francisco

Job Description: Operations Project Manager, Research

Department: Research Operations

Reporting To: Director, Research Operations

Role Purpose

• The Operations Project Manager is a key strategic partner to the Director of Research Operations, responsible for the execution of initiatives that modernize, streamline, and financially optimize the Research environment. This role serves as a bridge between high-level strategy and laboratory execution, ensuring that scientists have the tools, technologies, and operational frameworks required to innovate. The incumbent will navigate a complex matrix of stakeholders, driving consensus and managing change for both departmental and enterprise-wide initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

I. Strategic Operational Leadership

• Lab Modernization & Innovation: Lead the end-to-end lifecycle of initiatives to bring new technologies and automated workflows into the labs.
• Operational Optimization: Design and implement "best-in-class" operating models to improve laboratory efficiency and establish "better ways of working" for the scientific community.
• Enterprise Change Management: Represent the Research organization in enterprise-wide initiatives, driving tailored change management strategies to ensure seamless adoption of corporate shifts among the scientific staff.
• 
  

II. Financial Stewardship

• Fiduciary Oversight: Support the Director in ensuring labs meet or exceed budget targets; lead specific workstreams dedicated to cost-savings, spend optimization, and resource allocation.
• Investment Support: Assist in the development of business cases for capital expenditures and strategic laboratory investments.
• 
  

III. Governance & Execution

• Stakeholder Management: Facilitate multiple weekly project team meetings, expertly navigating perspectives ranging from VP-level executives to bench scientists to drive consensus.
• Action & Accountability: Maintain a high level of organizational rigor by tracking assigned action items, coordinating complex schedules across departments, and ensuring milestone delivery.
• Executive Storytelling: Partner with the Director to architect and draft high-impact slide decks and briefing materials for leadership presentations and executive reviews.

IV. Community Partnership

• Influence without Authority: Build strong relationships across the Research community to act as a trusted advisor and change agent.
• Strategic Alignment: Ensure that all operational and financial initiatives are aligned with the overarching scientific priorities of the Research organization.
• 
  

Qualifications

• Professional Experience: 7–10+ years of progressive project management experience, preferably within a biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or complex R&D setting.
• Matrix Leadership: Proven ability to influence senior leadership and lead cross-functional teams in a non-hierarchical, science-driven culture.
• Communication: Exceptional formal communication skills; ability to distill complex operational or financial data into clear, persuasive narratives for executive audiences.
• Technical Proficiency: Expert-level capability modern project management software

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree (Scientific or MBA) or PMP certification is highly desirable.

The hiring range for this position is $63 to $73 per hour. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity, and may also vary depending on candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience amongst other factors

Harvest Technical Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, Sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

#ZR