Translational Lab Manager - CICET

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $90,000 - $100,0000

Position Summary

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the daily operations of the CICET Translational Laboratory, ensuring efficient and high-quality execution of all laboratory activities.
• Oversee laboratory personnel, including direct supervision, training, and performance management of the Cell Therapy Correlative Study Specialists.
• Ensure laboratory readiness, organization, and compliance with institutional biosafety, regulatory, and quality standards.
• Oversee laboratory space planning, workflow optimization, and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Manage laboratory budgets, resource allocation, and cost control to ensure operations remain on time and within budget.
• Ensure all project-related expenses are accurately allocated and charged to the appropriate sponsor-designated budgets in accordance with financial and contractual requirements.

• Partner with Principal Investigators, the Scientific Director of the CICET Translational Laboratory, and the Director of CICET to design and implement correlative study plans for clinical studies.
• Oversee execution of immune monitoring, biomarker, and translational assays using patient-derived samples.
• Ensure scientific rigor, assay reproducibility, and data integrity across all correlative studies.
• Guide development, validation, and implementation of assay panels and analytical workflows.
• Support interpretation of translational data to inform clinical development and mechanistic insights.

• Oversee end-to-end lifecycle of clinical samples, including collection coordination, processing, storage, tracking, and data integration.
• Ensure alignment of laboratory workflows with clinical trial protocols, timelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate closely with CICET Clinical Trials Management to ensure seamless sample logistics and protocol adherence.
• Establish and maintain robust chain-of-custody, biobanking, and sample tracking systems.

• Oversee validation, maintenance, and lifecycle management of laboratory equipment and instrumentation.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance, service contracts, and vendor relationships for laboratory systems.
• Ensure compliance with institutional, federal, and sponsor requirements, including biosafety, GCP-aligned practices, and data integrity standards.
• Maintain laboratory policies and documentation frameworks to support consistent operations.

• Ensure that laboratory deliverables are achieved according to agreed-upon clinical and operational timelines.
• Monitor project progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies to ensure the successful execution of translational objectives.
• Align laboratory priorities with CICET programmatic goals and clinical development milestones.
• Oversee primary data analysis, including spectral flow cytometry, Olink proteomics, single-cell RNAseq, and spatial transcriptomic datasets in collaboration with Cell Therapy Correlative Study Specialist and bioinformatician support.
• Prepare translational results for internal governance, sponsors, and regulatory submissions.

• Serve as a key interface between the Translational Laboratory and CUIMC stakeholders, including clinical investigators, research teams, and institutional leadership.
• Collaborate with CICET GMP/QC teams, external partners, and collaborators to support integrated translational efforts.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication to ensure alignment across clinical and translational activities.

• Drive continuous improvement of laboratory workflows, assay platforms, and operational processes.
• Implement best practices in translational research, including the adoption of emerging technologies and methodologies.
• Support grant applications, publications, and scientific presentations related to translational research efforts.
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, or related life science discipline.
• Minimum of four (4) years of relevant laboratory experience, including experience in translational or clinical research environments.
• Demonstrated experience managing laboratory operations, personnel, and workflows.
• Experience handling human clinical samples (e.g., blood, bone marrow, tissue).
• Hands-on experience with PCR-based assays.
• Hands-on experience with designing and validating spectral flow cytometry panels of >20 colors.
• Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary and fast-paced academic medical center environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD degree in a related life science discipline.
• Minimum of 1-2 years of relevant laboratory experience supporting correlative studies for cell or gene therapy clinical trials, preferably in immunology-focused research.
• Hands-on experience in sample preparation for single-cell genomics assays.
• Familiarity with immune monitoring, transcriptomics, biomarker development, or translational assay workflows.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.