Head of Laboratory Operations (Organoids & Cell Biology)

Role Overview

This role will take full responsibility for the day-to-day operations and management of an Organoid and Cell Biology Laboratory within a regional innovation and research center. The position leads the execution and delivery of CRO service projects, oversees internal R&D programs and technology platform development, and guides the laboratory team through the full pipeline from technology development to clinical and industrial translation.

I. Key Responsibilities

1. Laboratory Operations & Management

• Oversee daily laboratory operations, including equipment maintenance, consumables procurement, laboratory safety and compliance, SOP development and execution, and quality control system establishment.
• Manage end-to-end CRO service project delivery, including requirement alignment, experimental design, execution, data analysis, reporting, and client communication, ensuring timely and high-quality outcomes.
• Recruit, train, and manage laboratory technical staff; allocate resources effectively to enhance team capabilities and operational efficiency.
• Establish and continuously optimize standardized operating procedures (SOPs) and quality management systems (e.g., ISO/GLP-aligned processes) to ensure data traceability and reproducibility.

2. Technology Platform Development & Optimization

• Develop and optimize automated organoid culture platforms, integrating liquid handling systems, high-content imaging, and other automation solutions to support high-throughput and standardized workflows.
• Establish organoid-based platforms for drug screening, efficacy evaluation, and toxicity assessment, supporting both external service programs and internal research initiatives.
• Develop advanced in vitro systems such as organoid–microfluidic chips or multi-organ co-culture models to better replicate human physiological microenvironments.

3. Research & Translational Applications

• Develop organoid models for aging-related diseases (e.g., cardiac, hepatic, neural, dermal), conduct high-throughput compound screening, and perform pharmacological efficacy and toxicity assessments to establish predictive drug-response models.
• Drive precision medicine applications using organoid-based drug sensitivity testing, fostering collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, clinical institutions, and regulatory or translational partners, and contributing to the development of technical standards or best-practice guidelines.
• Collaborate with leading academic institutions and research leaders to apply for national or regional research funding and to publish high-impact scientific papers, patents, and technical white papers.

II. Qualifications & Requirements

1. Education & Experience

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, Aging Biology, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of relevant professional experience, including 2–3 years of direct organoid-related experience, with demonstrated leadership or project management responsibilities.

2. Core Technical Competencies

Organoid & Model Development

• Extensive experience developing and applying multiple organoid models, including aging models, drug efficacy/toxicity systems, immune or multi-organ co-culture platforms, and organ-on-chip technologies.
• Hands-on experience with both tumor-derived and normal tissue organoids (e.g., liver, kidney, brain, heart, intestinal).
• Strong expertise in iPSC/ESC culture, expansion, directed differentiation, and reprogramming technologies.

Drug Evaluation & Toxicology

• Proven ability to design and validate organoid-based in vitro drug evaluation systems, including drug sensitivity and efficacy assays.
• Experience in organ-specific toxicity assessments across major physiological systems (neurological, hepatic, cardiac, renal, respiratory, gastrointestinal).

Automation & High-Throughput Screening

• Familiarity with automated liquid handling systems, high-content imaging platforms, and scalable organoid culture in 96-/384-well formats.
• Experience conducting high-throughput screening of large compound libraries (synthetic compounds, natural products, or complex libraries).

Leadership & Communication

• Strong small-team leadership experience with excellent communication, coordination, and project management skills.
• Ability to engage effectively with internal stakeholders and external partners, including pharmaceutical companies, CRO clients, and academic collaborators.

III. Preferred Qualifications

• Research Excellence: First-author publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals; ability to independently design and lead multidisciplinary research projects.
• Aging Biology Expertise: Experience establishing aging-related organoid models; familiarity with cellular senescence markers, telomere biology, mitochondrial function analysis, and aging intervention strategies.
• Clinical Translation: Experience with clinically oriented organoid drug sensitivity testing and correlating in vitro results with patient outcomes.
• PK/PD & Drug Development: Understanding of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and modern biologic or complex drug development workflows.
• Advanced Technologies: Exposure to AI-assisted organoid image analysis, machine learning–based drug prediction, CRISPR gene editing, live-cell imaging, lineage tracing, and laboratory automation systems.
• Language & Background: International education or research background preferred; proficiency in English required, with additional Asian languages considered a plus.