Position Summary

The Associate Director will serve as a senior scientific and operational leader within the Genomics Core Facility, partnering with the Core Director to oversee a large, centralized institutional core supporting high-throughput sequencing for internal and external investigators. This individual will provide strategic and operational oversight across all genomic service lines, including short- and long-read sequencing platforms, and will drive innovation, operational excellence, and financial sustainability.

The Associate Director will lead a cross-disciplinary team in a high-volume production environment, ensuring delivery of accurate, high-quality genomic data while advancing workflow efficiency, utilization growth, and cost recovery goals.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide senior operational leadership for day-to-day activities of the Genomics Core within a high-throughput production environment.
• Partner with the Core Director to develop and implement strategic initiatives that expand services, improve performance, and strengthen institutional competitiveness.
• Ensure rigorous quality control and adherence to SOPs across DNA/RNA/Protein library preparation and sequencing workflows.
• Serve as subject matter expert in genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and multi-omic technologies, including single-cell, short-read, and long-read sequencing platforms.
• Evaluate, implement, and scale emerging technologies and automation strategies to enhance efficiency, data quality, and turnaround time.
• Provide high-level consultative support to investigators on experimental design, assay selection, and methodological approaches.
• Drive a strong service culture focused on responsiveness, scientific excellence, and user satisfaction.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and mentor scientific and technical staff, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Monitor utilization, workflow capacity, and operational metrics to support revenue growth and cost recovery targets.
• Contribute to financial oversight, including budgeting, pricing models, vendor negotiations, and service agreements.
• Ensure compliance with institutional, federal, and regulatory requirements related to biosafety, data security, and ethical research conduct.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with institutional stakeholders and external collaborators.
• Act on behalf of the Core Director as needed to maintain operational continuity.

Education

• PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in genomics, molecular biology, genetics, or a related discipline.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of extensive experience in in high-throughput sequencing approaches, applications, and technologies in a core facility or industry R&D setting.
• Strong interpersonal skills, experience leading multidisciplinary teams, and proven capability to manage client relationships.
• Strong technical, organizational and communication skills and ability to troubleshoot are essential.
• Deep expertise in next-generation and third-generation sequencing platforms and familiarity with library preparation workflows.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Profound knowledge of genomics technologies and biological data analysis principles.
• Deep hands-on experience in DNA and RNA-based methodologies, including sample preparation for next generation sequencing, etc.
• Strong operational and organizational management skills in complex laboratory settings.
• Experience with budget development, financial management, and cost recovery models.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage investigators and senior leadership.
• Ability to help academic and industrial researchers with experimental design, planning, and execution of research projects, develop research collaborations, and assist with writing grant proposals and manuscripts.
• Results-driven, highly collaborative, and service-oriented.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to evaluate and implement new technologies aligned with institutional priorities.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

• Laboratory-based position requiring adherence to institutional safety policies.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and handle biological samples using appropriate PPE.