DescriptionSENIOR DIRECTOR, FACILTIIES & ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY (EH&S)
The Opportunity
Sutro Biopharma is seeking an experienced facilities leader to oversee the company's Facilities, Engineering, Equipment Maintenance & Reliability, and Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) functions.
Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, this highly visible leadership role is responsible for ensuring Sutro's laboratory, manufacturing support, and office environments operate safely, reliably, and efficiently in support of our scientific mission. The Senior Director will develop and execute the company's facilities strategy while leading day-to-day operations, capital projects, laboratory infrastructure, equipment reliability, and EH&S programs.
The successful candidate will be a collaborative leader who combines technical expertise with strong business judgment and a passion for building high-performing teams.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the company's facilities, operations, and EH&S strategy aligned with business growth and scientific priorities.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on facilities, infrastructure, safety, capital planning, and operational risk.
- Lead departmental planning, budgeting, vendor management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Facilities, Engineering & Equipment Reliability
- Lead all aspects of facilities operations supporting GLP laboratory, GMP manufacturing support, and office environments.
- Oversee critical building systems, utilities, engineering services, equipment maintenance and reliability, workplace services, and preventive maintenance programs.
- Ensure facilities remain safe, reliable, compliant, and capable of supporting uninterrupted scientific operations.
- Review, assess, and develop policy, SOP, and documentation framework to improve continuity and reproducibility of operations.
Environmental Health & Safety
- Lead the company's EH&S program, ensuring compliance with OSHA, Cal/OSHA, environmental, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
- Promote a strong culture of safety through training, risk management, emergency preparedness, and continuous improvement.
- Partner with Quality and operational leaders to maintain inspection readiness and regulatory compliance.
Capital Projects & Business Partnership
- Lead laboratory renovations, infrastructure upgrades, facility expansions, and workplace planning initiatives.
- Partner with Research, Technical Operations, Quality, IT, HR, and Finance to deliver facilities that enable scientific excellence and operational efficiency.
- Support future facility relocations or site expansions with minimal disruption to operations.
People Leadership
- Build and lead a high-performing Facilities & EH&S organization.
- Develop talent, foster accountability, and create a customer-focused culture while effectively leveraging external partners and service providers.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will bring:
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Environmental Health & Safety, or a related discipline; advanced degree preferred.
- 15+ years of progressive facilities leadership experience, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or another regulated industry.
- Demonstrated experience supporting GMP and non-GMP laboratory environments.
- Strong knowledge of laboratory infrastructure, building systems, equipment maintenance and reliability, capital projects, and EH&S programs.
- Experience leading facility expansions, renovations, or laboratory relocations is highly desirable.
- Proven success managing budgets, vendors, capital projects, and high-performing teams.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and executive leadership skills.
Leadership Profile
The ideal candidate is:
- A strategic leader who understands how facilities enable science.
- An operationally excellent executive who builds reliable, scalable systems.
- A collaborative partner who works effectively across scientific and corporate functions.
- A developer of people who builds engaged, accountable, high-performing teams.
- A calm, decisive leader who excels in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 12-18 months, the Senior Director will:
- Strengthen the reliability and resilience of Sutro's facilities and laboratory infrastructure.
- Advance equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, and safety programs.
- Successfully deliver priority capital projects while preparing the organization for future growth.
- Build a Facilities & EH&S organization recognized as a trusted strategic partner that enables world-class science.
- Assess and advance development of the policy and procedure framework sufficient to enable resilient and repeatable operational practices.
Sound exciting? Apply today and join our team!
The anticipated salary range for fully qualified candidates applying for this role at Sutro Biopharma's California based locations will be $264,000 - $308,000 (not including bonus, equity, and benefits). The final salary offered will be dependent on several factors that include and are not limited to relevant previous experience, job responsibilities and duration of experience, the type and length of experience within the industry and education.
