Director of Operations

The Hire Standard

$180K — $200K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 8+ years of operational leadership experience in technical or scientific environments
  • Proven experience managing high-performing teams
  • Strong financial skills in budgeting and forecasting
  • Experience in building operational systems in growing organizations
  • Strategic thinker capable of balancing planning with execution
  • Excellent communicator with ability to align senior stakeholders
  • High judgment and problem-solving skills
  • Comfortable in a collaborative, onsite environment

Responsibilities

  • Guide project planning to clarify priorities and timelines
  • Track initiative progress and proactively identify risks
  • Manage and mentor a small operations team
  • Build and scale operational processes to support growth
  • Forecast resource needs including capital and operational capacity
  • Strengthen planning and execution practices across teams
  • Oversee financial operations including budgeting and vendor management
  • Align operational strategy with scientific leadership goals

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Generous paid time off and holidays
  • Parental leave and wellness allowance
  • Daily meals in a collaborative onsite environment
  • Opportunity to work on impactful scientific initiatives
Full Job Description
03rd August, 2026

Job Brief

A mission-driven organization tackling a neuroscience moonshot is seeking an experienced Head of Operations / Operations Lead to architect and lead its operational engine. This is a high-impact leadership role with ownership over building the systems, infrastructure, and processes that support ambitious scientific work.

You will partner closely with scientific leadership to translate complex technical goals into coordinated, scalable execution-ensuring that research efforts are supported by strong operational rigor. This role is ideal for a systems-minded operator who thrives in high-intensity, mission-driven environments.

The Job:

This role sits at the center of the organization, overseeing operational strategy, leading a small but critical team, and ensuring the infrastructure and planning systems can support rapid growth and scientific advancement.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Guide project planning processes to ensure clarity on priorities, timelines, and dependencies
    • Track progress across initiatives, proactively identifying risks and improving cross-team communication
    • Manage and mentor a small operations team, including lab, facilities, and administrative functions
    • Build and scale operational systems and processes to support organizational growth
    • Forecast resource needs, including capital planning and operational capacity
    • Strengthen planning cadence and execution discipline across teams
    • Oversee financial operations including budget review, forecasting, and vendor/contract management
    • Partner with leadership to align operational strategy with scientific goals
    • Drive accountability, follow-through, and operational excellence across the organization
About You:
  • 8+ years of operational leadership experience in technical, scientific, or research-driven environments
    • Proven experience managing and developing high-performing teams
    • Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and contract oversight
    • Experience building and scaling operational systems in growing organizations
    • Strategic thinker with the ability to balance big-picture planning and hands-on execution
    • Strong communicator with the ability to align senior stakeholders
    • High level of judgment, discretion, and problem-solving ability
    • Comfortable working onsite in a highly collaborative environment
Bonus Points For
  • Experience in neuroscience, biotech, or related scientific fields
    • Background in research-driven nonprofits or startup environments
    • Familiarity with lab operations or infrastructure scaling
    • Experience supporting complex, multidisciplinary teams
Perks & Benefits
  • Competitive base salary ($180,000-$200,000) + performance bonus (flexible)
    • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
    • Generous paid time off and holidays
    • Parental leave and wellness allowance
    • Daily meals and collaborative onsite environment
    • Opportunity to work on a field-defining scientific initiative with real-world impact
If you're a systems-driven operator ready to build the backbone behind transformative science and lead at a level where your impact truly matters, we'd love to connect. Apply today.

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at The Hire Standard

More Pharmaceuticals & Biotech Jobs

Find similar Director of Operations jobs: