Lab & Facilities Manager

Location: Mountain view, CA Team: Operations The Impact You’ll Make: 1st Avenue Power is looking for a Lab & Facilities Manager to own the day-to-day operations of our Power Electronics R&D Laboratory and Mountain View office. While this is a dual-scope role, the primary focus is on lab operations (approximately 60-70% of the time as the team ramps up prototyping) supporting a fast-moving power electronics engineering group, with the remainder dedicated to office operations for a ~20-person hybrid team. You will be the connective tissue between a functioning office environment and an active R&D lab; making sure both run cleanly, safely, and without friction so the teams inside them can focus on building. Key Responsibilities: Lab Operations Own Employee Health & Safety (EHS) requirements: fire safety plans, emergency drills, safety postings, and regulatory compliance. Work with the executive team to establish and lead company safety culture. Maintain the physical and operational integrity of the Power Electronics R&D lab: inventory control, equipment lifecycle, and supply availability Manage all lab ordering, receiving, and shipping aligned to engineering team needs and test cycles Develop, document, and enforce lab SOPs, safety standards, and quality practices; ensure team compliance and training Process and manage purchase requests and purchase orders (PRs/POs); track overall lab financial spend and flag variances Coordinate lab space scheduling and cross-functional access across multiple engineering teams Manage lab vendor relationships and external partnerships as needed Operate and provide first-line maintenance for environmental testing infrastructure, including thermal chambers and ovens Serve as the operational liaison for external testing environments; continuity, logistics, and rapid resolution of non-technical blockers Lead lab improvement initiatives: storage reorganization, workflow standardization, scalability of lab processes Office Operations Run day-to-day office operations for a ~20-person hybrid team: supplies, mail, shipping/receiving, and vendor coordination Serve as the primary point of contact for building management, lease logistics, janitorial, security, maintenance, and facilities requests Liaise with IT team for IT and AV first-line support; troubleshoot or upscale issues with printers, displays, video conferencing, and networking equipment Coordinate guest reception, visitor access, and front-of-house logistics Support team events and all-hands meetings; catering, swag, logistics, and setup; partner with EA team on executive-driven events Coordinate meeting room and office space utilization across hybrid teams Support new hire physical onboarding: desk setup, badge access, equipment readiness in coordination with People and the EA teams Identify and drive continuous improvement in office operations, vendor contracts, and cost efficiency At approximately four months, this role expands to include the following engineering responsibilities. The timeline will be confirmed based on the state of lab build-out and team readiness. Lead end-to-end development and operation of the Power Electronics R&D and Compliance Laboratory from concept through full operation Lead and supervise lab technicians in completing jobs and tickets across multiple engineering teams to meet their lab requirements Create and track project schedules for lab activities and equipment builds Serve as the primary technical liaison for external testing environments; ensuring continuity and rapid resolution of technical blockers Respond to dynamic engineering needs with flexible problem-solving across ambiguous and evolving tasks Partner with engineering leads on new lab capability builds, test setup design, and validation infrastructure The Skills You Bring: Experience with EHS requirements, safety compliance, and emergency preparedness 5+ years of experience in lab operations, office management, or a combined facilities role Strong understanding of mechanical and electrical systems Extensive hands‑on experience with lab instruments such as oscilloscopes, RLC analyzers, impedance analyzers, spectrum analyzers, electronic (AC/DC) loads, and signal/power generators Familiarity with lab or R&D environments; power electronics, hardware, or similar technical settings preferred Experience managing a small-to-mid-size office (10-30 people) in a hybrid work environment Strong vendor management skills; sourcing, negotiating, and maintaining contractor and supplier relationships Experience processing PRs/POs and tracking operational budgets Highly organized, self‑directed, and comfortable managing competing priorities without close oversight Demonstrated ability to transition from operational to technical thinking and guide others through that transition Strong communicator; comfortable working across engineering, people ops, and executive stakeholders Demonstrated ability to build and document processes where none previously existed Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related STEM field preferred Experience in a startup or early‑stage company where the facilities function is being built from scratch Familiarity with high‑voltage or power electronics lab environments Experience with lab instruments (oscilloscopes, analyzers, electronic loads) Experience with electronic assembly and rework, including soldering of through‑hole and surface‑mount components IPC workmanship standards familiarity Experience with CAD software and mechanical design tools Experience managing outside vendor relationships Benefits and Perks: Competitive Compensation Package Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered. Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match. Additional Information: Minimum salary of $140,000 to maximum salary of $175,000 + benefits. This is an in‑person role without remote flexibility. 1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision‑making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process. #J-18808-Ljbffr 1st Avenue Power