Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager (Hiring Immediately)

Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager

South San Francisco

About SonoThera:

SonoThera is a venture-backed genetic medicine company advancing ultrasound-mediated, non-viral targeted therapies to unlock the full potential of genetic medicines. Our platform is designed to overcome key limitations in the field, enabling precise, redosable delivery across a broad range of diseases with high unmet need. Headquartered in South San Francisco, SonoThera brings together a world-class, interdisciplinary team focused on translating breakthrough science into transformative therapies.

The Role:

The Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager will oversee the infrastructure, maintenance, and continuous improvement of SonoThera's laboratory and manufacturing environment. This role is essential to ensuring uninterrupted, compliant operations of key utilities — including HVAC, RODI water systems, and compressed dry air (CDA) — and the complex laboratory equipment that supports our scientific and production goals. As SonoThera transitions to a new facility, this individual will lead the buildout coordination, establish operational processes, and serve as the primary owner of facility readiness.

The Facilities Manager/ Senior Facilities Manager will partner closely with Laboratory Operations, EH&S, IT, and scientific departments to build a safe, efficient, and fully compliant environment that scales with company growth.

What You Will Do:

• Facility Operations & Maintenance:
  • Oversee preventive maintenance and repair of building systems and critical laboratory infrastructure, including HVAC, RODI water, compressed dry air (CDA), electrical, and plumbing.
  • Manage the maintenance and service schedules for complex laboratory hardware such as autoclaves, bioreactors, incubators, biosafety cabinets, and cold-chain storage systems.
  • Establish asset tracking and calibration records for all facility-managed equipment to support ongoing compliance and service continuity.
  • Coordinate with building management and landlord representatives on lease-related facility matters, repairs, and capital improvement work.
• Compliance & Safety:
  • Enforce applicable regulatory standards governing laboratory and manufacturing facility operations, and maintain associated documentation.
  • Partner with the EH&S Specialist to ensure facility operations comply with OSHA, fire code, building codes, and hazardous material handling regulations.
  • Coordinate fire suppression, emergency egress, and safety system inspections; maintain all compliance records.
  • Support biosafety programs, chemical hygiene plans, and hazardous waste management in collaboration with EH&S and lab operations.
• Vendor & Contract Management:
  • Source, negotiate, and manage service contracts for facility-related vendors including janitorial, pest control, waste management, security, and specialty lab equipment service providers.
  • Monitor vendor performance against SLAs, manage escalations, and maintain a preferred vendor list.
  • Work with Finance and Operations to track facility spend against budget and flag variances or unplanned costs.
• Space Planning & Capital Projects:
  • Lead the facility move-in process, coordinating vendor installations, equipment commissioning, and space readiness for scientific and operational teams.
  • Manage facility reconfigurations and expansions in collaboration with engineering, operations, and scientific teams.
  • Maintain accurate floor plans, space assignments, and room inventory for all departments; anticipate growth-driven space needs.
  • Partner with construction and fit-out contractors to deliver tenant improvements on schedule and within budget.
• SOP Development & Compliance Audits:
  • Draft, review, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for facility use, equipment access, and infrastructure management.
  • Conduct routine facility compliance audits and walkthroughs; document findings and drive corrective actions to closure.
  • Ensure all facility SOPs are current, version-controlled, and accessible to relevant staff.
• Inventory & Procurement:
  • Oversee facility budgets and manage procurement of maintenance supplies, spare parts, and facility consumables.
  • Optimize resource utilization and identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising safety or operational continuity.
  • Support lab supply chain operations as needed, particularly for items tied to facility infrastructure.
• Laboratory & Scientific Support:
  • Coordinate installation, relocation, and decommissioning of laboratory equipment, including utility connections (gas, compressed air, RODI water, electrical).
  • Ensure lab environments — including temperature, humidity, and cleanroom conditions where applicable — are continuously monitored and maintained within specification.
  • Serve as the day-to-day resource for facility-related service requests from scientific and operations staff, triaging and resolving issues promptly.
• Emergency Preparedness & Business Continuity:
  • Develop and maintain facility-specific emergency response and business continuity plans.
  • Coordinate with EH&S and Operations to conduct facility emergency drills and staff training.
  • Serve as the primary on-call contact for after-hours facility emergencies and critical system failures.

What You Will Accomplish:

• Seamless Facility Transition:
  • Execute a smooth and well-coordinated move into SonoThera's new facility, ensuring all laboratory and office spaces are operationally ready on schedule and within budget.
  • Establish facility processes, documentation, and infrastructure that create a foundation for scientific productivity from day one.
• Reliable & Well-Maintained Environment:
  • Implement preventive maintenance programs that minimize unplanned downtime, protect capital assets, and ensure all critical systems — HVAC, RODI water, CDA, cold-chain — perform reliably.
  • Create a safe, well-functioning space where scientists and operations staff can focus on their work without facility-related interruptions.
• Compliance & Regulatory Readiness:
  • Maintain full compliance with applicable regulatory standards, building codes, fire safety standards, and environmental regulations, protecting the company from regulatory risk.
  • Maintain an audit-ready facility with current SOPs, complete compliance documentation, and well-organized service and calibration records.
• Vendor & Cost Management:
  • Build and manage a reliable vendor network, ensuring service quality and cost-effectiveness through well-structured contracts and active performance oversight.
  • Provide accurate facility spend tracking, support CAPEX and OpEx planning, and identify savings opportunities without compromising operational continuity.
• Scalable Infrastructure:
  • Develop facility processes and documentation that scale with the company's growth, enabling future expansions or additional locations to be managed efficiently.
  • Act as a trusted internal resource for space planning, equipment commissioning, and operational build-out decisions.
• Cross-Functional Partnership:
  • Establish strong working relationships across Laboratory Operations, EH&S, IT, Finance, and scientific departments, ensuring facility decisions are well-coordinated and aligned with organizational priorities.
  • Foster a proactive safety culture by championing EH&S initiatives and embedding compliance into day-to-day facility operations.

What You Will Bring:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of facilities management experience within a biotech, pharmaceutical, or highly regulated laboratory environment.
• Experience managing a facility buildout, relocation, or significant capital project from planning through commissioning.
• Deep working knowledge of critical lab utilities including HVAC, RODI water systems, compressed dry air (CDA), and cryogenic/cold-chain storage.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks applicable to laboratory and manufacturing facility operations, including relevant ISO standards.
• Working knowledge of EH&S regulations including OSHA standards, fire code, and hazardous materials management relevant to a biotech setting.
• Certifications in IFMA CFM (Certified Facility Manager), PMP (Project Management Professional), or Lean Six Sigma are highly desirable.

Technical Requirements & Skills:

• Project Management:
  • Demonstrated ability to plan and execute capital projects, vendor engagements, and facility transitions concurrently in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Communication Skills:
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with contractors, vendors, regulators, and internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Problem-Solving:
  • Resour