Laboratory Manager / CAREN System

Job Title: Laboratory Operation Manager / CAREN System Operator

Duration: 3 years

Location: Lexington, MA 02421

Description: Oversees and manages the operational aspects of ongoing projects and serves as liaison between project management and planning, project team, and line management. Reviews status of projects and budgets, manages schedules, and prepares status reports. Assesses project issues and develops resolutions to meet productivity, quality, and client-satisfaction goals and objectives. Develops mechanisms for monitoring project progress and for intervention and problem solving with project managers, line managers, clients, and other stakeholders.

Background Need: Group is in search of a thorough, detail-oriented individual, with exceptional organizational skills to manage our laboratory spaces and support in-laboratory and field-based data collection efforts. This position spans laboratory space management, hands-on experimental support, fielding execution, and group operations/facilities support. A successful candidate will be comfortable working across multiple lab environments and will be equally proficient coordinating logistics for an in-house data collection as they are traveling to support a field deployment.

Other information relevant to the job requirement?

Laboratory Space Management

• Maintain and operate the Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) system and other clients STRIVE Center equipment including motion capture (Vicon), EMG (Delsys), IMU (Delsys, Xsens), metabolic cost (Cosmed), and projection (Scalable) systems

• Maintain oversight of laboratory spaces owned and managed by Group.

• Ensure all lab spaces remain compliant with EHS safety standards, are well organized, and are ready for daily operations and laboratory tours

• Maintain equipment inventories, coordinate preventative maintenance, and train staff on the proper use of lab equipment and systems

• Interface with research principal investigators, program managers, technical staff, and equipment manufacturers/vendors as needed to support lab operations

In-Laboratory Data Collection Support

• Support experimental design and provide input on hardware system selection, integration, and testing

• Execute in-laboratory data collections with high accuracy, adhering to project timelines and technical specifications

• Perform initial data processing, ensuring collected data is present, organized, and cleaned for hand-off to the broader project team

• Standardize and streamline data collection procedures to minimize setup errors and improve overall data quality.

Fielding Support & Execution

• Support planning for field data collections, including logistics, scheduling, and equipment staging

• Interface with external parties and collaborators to coordinate fielding activities

• Execute field data collections, including travel to field sites as required to support successful data capture and system testing.

Group Operations & Facilities Support

• Support Group facilities changes and lab space renovations, including planning, coordination, and execution

• Assist with resource allocation and timeline management for facilities-related projects to ensure deliverables are completed on time and within budget

• Provide general operational support to the Group as needed

Required Skills:

• Previous experience managing or supporting laboratory operations, including equipment maintenance, inventory tracking, and safety/compliance oversight

• Demonstrated experience executing data collections in a laboratory or field setting, including experimental setup, hardware integration, and initial data processing

• Experience supporting field deployments, including coordination with external parties and travel to field sites

• Ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities across lab operations, data collection, and facilities support

• Exceptional organizational and communication skills

• Ability to maintain equipment involving complex hardware/software systems

• At least five years of experience operating a CAREN System

Preferred Skills:

• Experience integrating measurement hardware (e.g., motion capture, EMG, IMU, physiological monitoring systems) into existing testing environments

• Familiarity with EHS safety standards and lab compliance requirements

• Prior experience coordinating facilities projects or lab space renovations

• Existing relationships with relevant equipment vendors and manufacturers

• Demonstrated track record of laboratory management in a human-subjects research environment.

Others:

• Clearance: - An interim clearance is sufficient for the start of this position.

• Work Location: This position is Hybrid, with a minimum of 80% onsite presence required. Candidates may be asked to come onsite 5 days a week to support programs as needed.

• Interview process: 1st round interview will be a Zoom with the hiring manager. 2nd round interview will be a Zoom with additional team members as needed.

• Travel Requirement: Candidates would be required to support in-field data collections, including travel to the field sites. Field site travel will be domestic.