Laboratory Manager - Plant Biology Institute

• Improved plant productivity, both indoors and outside.
• Reduced reliance on inputs including water, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides.
• Novel decarbonised plant-based production platforms for food and medicines.
• Advanced technologies that speed up discovery and deployment in plants.

• Oversee daily facilities of the laboratories, ensuring efficient workflow and adherence to quality standards.
• Manage laboratory technicians and stores manager, including hiring, training, mentoring, and evaluating team members to ensure optimal performance and professional development.
• Implement and enforce laboratory safety procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, such as GM licence requirements, GLP, ISO, and other relevant standards.
• Monitor lab conditions, including temperature, humidity, and air quality, to ensure that they meet the specifications required for operations.

• Work with laboratory technicians and the technical procurement specialist to ensure the laboratory is properly maintained and organised, with all equipment, consumables, and reagents available for research projects.
• Manage laboratory facilities, including cleanliness, space optimisation, and ensuring that all equipment and instruments are operational.
• Oversee maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment. Work with external vendors and service providers to maintain or repair laboratory equipment as needed.

• Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for relevant laboratory processes, ensuring consistency and compliance with quality standards.
• Maintain library of up-to-date COSHH forms and risk assessments for all relevant substances within the laboratory and ensure regular monitoring, review, and updating as necessary.
• Troubleshoot technical and operational issues in workflows and provide solutions to prevent delays in project timelines.
• Manage access / use of equipment including establishment of appropriate training procedures for new users.
• Optimise laboratory space and equipment usage to support the work of a rapidly growing research team while maintaining flexibility for diverse research projects.

• Work closely with scientific leadership to understand research objectives and adapt laboratory operations to support evolving needs.
• Serve as the key point of contact for the central EIT facilities team and provide updates on equipment, facilities, and operational issues. Suggesting improvements or modifications for consideration.
• Contribute to project planning and strategy, ensuring that laboratory facilities support the scientific development goals of the organisation.
• Maintain communication with research teams, establish a scheduling system for shared facility and equipment access. Ensure improvements are identified to manage scheduling conflicts when facility restrictions are identified.

• Working alongside the technical procurement specialist, laboratory technicians and relevant finance departments, manage inventory levels for laboratory consumables, reagents, and critical supplies, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
• Track and maintain proper documentation of inventory and ensure the timely ordering of supplies to avoid stockouts or delays.
• Maintain a system for tracking the usage, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

• Oversee compliance with relevant safety, regulatory, and quality standards (e.g., GLP and ISO regulations) in all aspects of laboratory operations including GMO assurance and compliance.
• Implement and maintain quality control (QC) processes for relevant processing workflows, ensuring high accuracy and reproducibility of results.
• Participate in internal and external audits and inspections, ensuring the lab meets all compliance requirements.
• Ensure proper documentation of processes, workflows, and sample handling procedures in accordance with regulatory requirements.

• Educated to a minimum of BSc up to PhD in a relevant field.
• At least 5 years of experience working in a laboratory environment, with a minimum of 2 years in a management or supervisory role.
• Strong background in Plant Sciences, with familiarity with the requirements of molecular biology techniques, cell culture, Plant growth
• Familiarity with laboratory safety protocols, regulatory requirements, and quality management systems (e.g., GLP, ISO).

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and manage a diverse group of laboratory professionals.
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills in a high-tech laboratory environment.
• Strong organisational skills, with an ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• In-depth knowledge of laboratory operations, including equipment maintenance, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Proficiency in laboratory management software, inventory systems, and data tracking tools.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with a flexible, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Strong commitment to maintaining a safe, efficient, and compliant laboratory environment.

• Competitive salary
• Enhanced holiday pay
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Hospital Cash Plan
• Therapy Services
• Perk Box
• Electric Car Scheme

• You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary.
• You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford.
• During peak periods, some longer hours may be required and some working across multiple time zones due to the global nature of the programme.

Ellison Institute of Technology