About the RoleTBC is hiring a Director of Biology to lead our San Francisco laboratory and manage the biology team there.
You will be responsible for the scientific quality, experimental throughput and operational performance of the wet lab. You will lead scientists and research staff working across neuronal culture, tissue preparation, multi-electrode array experimentation, electrophysiology, animal research support, laboratory operations and compliance.
This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines strong scientific judgment with effective people management and operational execution. You will remain close to the science while building the people, systems and processes required to make TBC's biological platform more reliable, reproducible and scalable.
Lead the SF biology team- Manage, mentor and develop scientists, research associates and laboratory staff.
- Set team priorities, allocate resources and ensure high-quality execution across experimental programs.
- Support recruiting, onboarding, performance management and professional development for the biology organization.
- Build a culture centered on scientific rigor, documentation, collaboration, safety, accountability and speed.
Own San Francisco Laboratory Operations- Oversee day-to-day wet-lab operations, including equipment, supplies, inventory, purchasing, vendor relationships and laboratory readiness.
- Ensure that facilities, equipment and workflows support current research priorities and future growth.
- Lead planning for laboratory expansion, new equipment, maintenance, process improvements and additional experimental capacity.
- Identify operational risks and implement systems that allow the laboratory to run safely, consistently and efficiently.
Drive Biological Platform Execution- Oversee neuronal culture systems, tissue preparation and experimental workflows involving living neural networks.
- Maintain and improve culture viability, consistency, reproducibility and experimental throughput.
- Establish clear quality-control standards for biological preparations and experimental readiness.
- Partner with scientists across disciplines to design stimulation, recording and analysis workflows tied to TBC's biological computing platform.
Oversee Electrophysiology and MEA Workflows- Lead experimental programs involving multi-electrode array systems for neural stimulation and recording.
- Ensure the collection of high-quality electrophysiological data with appropriate documentation, quality control and data management.
- Develop repeatable experimental protocols that support rapid iteration across biology, computational neuroscience and AI.
- Work closely with computational and engineering teams to connect biological measurements to model performance and company milestones.
Maintain Quality, Safety and Compliance- Own laboratory safety, quality and regulatory standards, including GLP-aligned practices, biological safety procedures and standard operating procedures.
- Ensure that experimental protocols, training records and laboratory documentation are complete, accurate and current.
- Oversee animal research support and compliance with approved IACUC protocols where applicable.
- Maintain appropriate practices for equipment use, biological materials, tissue handling, waste disposal and experimental recordkeeping.
Partner Across the Company- Work closely with AI, computational neuroscience, engineering, product and leadership teams to align biology priorities with company objectives.
- Translate experimental results, risks and resource requirements into clear recommendations for the technical roadmap.
- Help define biological milestones and determine which experimental programs should receive additional investment.
- Serve as a senior scientific and operational leader as TBC scales biology from individual research workflows into a repeatable platform.
What Success Looks Like- TBC's neuronal culture systems are consistent, viable and reproducible across experiments.
- Laboratory throughput increases without sacrificing scientific quality, safety or documentation.
- MEA experiments generate reliable data that can be translated into measurable AI and model-performance improvements.
- Biology priorities, staffing and resources remain aligned with the company's technical and commercial milestones.
- The biology team operates with clear ownership, strong collaboration and high scientific standards.
- Laboratory systems and processes scale effectively as TBC expands its team, equipment and experimental programs.
Required Qualifications- B.S., M.S. or Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Bioengineering or a related field.
- At least seven years of relevant wet-lab experience, including two or more years managing scientists, research associates or laboratory teams.
- Experience with mammalian cell culture, primary neuronal culture or neural tissue systems.
- Strong understanding of laboratory operations, equipment management, biological safety, documentation and quality systems.
- Experience managing vendors, inventory, purchasing and complex experimental workflows.
- Demonstrated ability to lead interdisciplinary scientific teams and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work full-time on site in TBC's San Francisco laboratory.
Preferred Qualifications- Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Bioengineering or a related field.
- Experience with multi-electrode array systems, patch clamp or other electrophysiology methods.
- Experience with in vivo animal research, including rodent handling, surgical procedures, injections, tissue collection or IACUC compliance.
- Familiarity with GLP standards, immunoassays, immunohistochemistry, viral transduction or chemogenetic methods.
- Experience in biotechnology, neurotechnology, AI-adjacent research or another interdisciplinary environment.
- Experience building or scaling a laboratory through a period of rapid organizational growth.
- Experience implementing laboratory quality systems, operational metrics or reproducibility standards.
