DST Lab Operations Specialist (United States - California - Foster City)

This job is with Gilead Sciences Inc., an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

At Gilead, we're creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we've tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer - working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world's biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

 

Every member of Gilead's team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we're looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

 

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Job Description

 

The Discovery Sciences & Technology (DST) Operations and Equipment Specialist is responsible for ensuring the seamless operation, maintenance, and optimization of laboratory infrastructure, equipment, and shared resources that support high-throughput assay development and screening activities. This role serves as a critical operational partner to DST scientists, enabling efficient, reproducible, and compliant scientific workflows.
The successful candidate will combine technical expertise in laboratory operations and equipment management with strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills. Acting as a bridge between scientific teams, Research Operations, Facilities, Procurement, IT, and external vendors, this individual will drive operational excellence, maximize equipment availability and utilization, and ensure laboratory readiness to support Discovery research objectives. Experience with laboratory automation and high-throughput environments is highly desirable.

Laboratory Equipment & Resource Management

• Manage the inventory, tracking, and utilization of laboratory equipment and shared resources, including cold storage infrastructure and specialty instrumentation.

• Coordinate equipment scheduling, user access, and reservation systems to maximize availability and operational efficiency. Monitor equipment performance and reliability through routine inspections, calibration programs, and preventive maintenance activities.

• Partner with scientific teams to identify opportunities for equipment optimization and improved laboratory workflows.

Equipment Lifecycle Management

• Oversee the full lifecycle of laboratory assets, including procurement support, installation, qualification, maintenance, upgrades, and retirement.

• Maintain equipment records, service histories, and asset documentation to ensure operational readiness and compliance.

• Manage vendor relationships, service agreements, and maintenance contracts to optimize performance, minimize downtime, and control costs.

• Coordinate service visits and repair activities, ensuring timely resolution of equipment issues.

Laboratory Operations Leadership

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership to support a safe, efficient, and collaborative laboratory environment.

• Translate organizational priorities into actionable operational plans that support scientific productivity.

• Promote effective communication, accountability, and constructive problem-solving across laboratory teams.

• Foster a culture of operational excellence, continuous improvement, and customer-focused service.

Inventory, Procurement & Budget Management

• Support the development and management of departmental operating and capital budgets.

• Oversee inventory planning and procurement activities for laboratory consumables, reagents, and operational supplies.

• Work closely with Procurement and vendors to ensure uninterrupted supply chains and cost-effective purchasing strategies.

• Track expenditures and identify opportunities for cost savings and resource optimization.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Research Operations, Facilities, EHS, Procurement, IT, and external service providers to maintain laboratory infrastructure and services.

• Support laboratory expansion, equipment installations, facility upgrades, and technology implementation projects.

• Serve as a key liaison between scientific users and support functions to proactively address operational needs and challenges.

Quality Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and monitor laboratory operational metrics, equipment performance indicators, and quality measures.

• Implement processes that improve reproducibility, efficiency, data integrity, and equipment uptime.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on workflow optimization, standardization, and operational effectiveness.

• Maintain accurate documentation, SOPs, and operational records in accordance with company standards.

Compliance, Safety & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with company policies, laboratory regulations, and industry best practices.

• Promote and enforce laboratory safety standards, including hazardous material handling and waste management procedures.

• Support laboratory inspections, audits, corrective actions, and compliance initiatives.

• Partner with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) teams to maintain a safe and compliant working environment.

Technical Expertise

• Strong knowledge of laboratory instrumentation, equipment maintenance practices, and asset lifecycle management.

• Familiarity with automated laboratory systems and robotics platforms, such as Thermo Fisher, Beckman Coulter, Hamilton, or similar technologies.

• Experience with laboratory operations software, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and equipment tracking systems.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and data reporting tools.

• Demonstrated experience managing laboratory equipment, facilities, and operational processes in a complex scientific setting.

• Experience supporting assay development, screening operations, compound management, or laboratory automation is preferred.

Basic ​ Qualifications

• 5+ Years with BS in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related scientific discipline

OR

• 3+ Years with MS in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related scientific discipline

• Minimum of 5-8 years of experience supporting laboratory operations within the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or high-throughput research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting automated assay development or high-throughput screening laboratories.

• Knowledge of laboratory facilities management, infrastructure planning, and laboratory expansion projects.

• Familiarity with lean operations, process improvement methodologies, and operational excellence practices.

• Experience managing laboratory capital projects and vendor relationships.

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent organizational, project management, and prioritization skills.

• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities, with a proven ability to work effectively across functions.

• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to operate independently in a fast-paced research environment.

• Strong customer-service mindset with a commitment to enabling scientific success.

People Leader Accountabilities:

•Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.

•Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.

•Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

 

The salary range for this position is: $126,820.00 - $164,120.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic loc