The Director for Facility Development and Technical Operations will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute (FBRI) as it continues to expand. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director will be a key member of the senior management team, responsible for overseeing many day-to-day operations and planning for growth of the Institute.
Key responsibilities include:
• Facilities Leadership.
o Participate in institutional planning committees, contributing engineering input to long-term research infrastructure strategy.
o Partner with faculty, lab managers, IT, EHS, vivarium staff, and research support teams to understand operational needs and constraints.
o Provide technical expertise and consultation to research groups during grant planning, lab setup, or experimental scale-up.
o Provide technical consultation for new equipment installations or departmental moves.
o Serve as the point of contact for emergency facilities response affecting research operations (e.g., equipment failure, power outage).
o Represent facilities engineering in planning meetings and operational reviews.
o Develop emergency preparedness protocols and support incident response.
o Collaborate with leadership on capital planning and long-term infrastructure strategies.
o Develop and maintain business continuity and disaster recovery plans for research operations.
• Operational Oversight.
o Oversee the operation, maintenance, and performance of complex MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing), HVAC, and life safety systems supporting biomedical research environments.
o Ensure uninterrupted operation of mission-critical spaces such as BSL labs, cleanrooms, vivariums, imaging suites (e.g., MRI, PET/CT), and tissue culture rooms.
o Troubleshoot and resolve system failures or performance issues in real-time.
o Establish and enforce maintenance schedules to ensure equipment reliability.
o Review and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for systems management.
o Maintain high-performance environmental controls (temperature, humidity, air exchange) critical to research integrity.
o Coordinate preventive and corrective maintenance to avoid disruption to time-sensitive experiments and specialized equipment.
o Ensure optimal performance of autoclaves, fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, and lab gas delivery systems.
o Develop cost projections and prepare financial analyses related to facility growth and maintenance.
o Perform cost analysis on bundled services and service agreement life cycles.
o Liaise with Valley Metro and VT Fleet services to manage campus transportation.
• Project Management.
o Plan, initiate, and lead facilities projects from concept through completion.
o Define project scope, goals, deliverables, and ensure alignment with institutional needs.
o Prepare detailed project budgets, manage expenditures, and control costs.
o Create and manage timelines, ensuring milestones are met on schedule.
o Coordinate cross-functional teams, including architects, contractors, engineers, and vendors.
o Oversee on-site construction and system commissioning to ensure compliance with project plans.
o Lead infrastructure and capital improvement projects including lab renovations, new lab build-outs, and utility upgrades.
o Develop and manage scopes of work, project plans, construction phasing, and budgets aligned with scientific program needs.
o Liaise with principal investigators (PIs), lab managers, and research administrators during project planning and implementation.
o Coordinate with architects, engineers, and specialized contractors to meet research-specific infrastructure and biosafety requirements.
o Oversee commissioning and validation of systems critical to scientific reproducibility and regulatory compliance.
• Compliance and Safety.
o Interpret and enforce compliance with applicable building codes and regulatory standards.
o Schedule and participate in inspections, audits, and certification processes.
o Maintain accurate and up-to-date records for compliance documentation and reporting.
o Identify and mitigate system risks through regular assessments and corrective action planning.
o Stay current with evolving regulations (e.g., ASHRAE standards, NFPA codes).
o Ensure all building systems and operations comply with local, state, and federal codes, including NIH, CDC, EPA, OSHA, ASHRAE, NFPA, and AAALAC standards.
o Support compliance for controlled environments (e.g., GLP labs, BSL-2/3 spaces) and regulated equipment.
o Conduct risk assessments focused on research-specific hazards (e.g., hazardous materials, animal research).
o Maintain compliance documentation for inspections by regulatory and funding agencies.
o Partner with EHS teams to support emergency procedures, biosafety protocols, and hazardous material containment.
• Equipment and Core Facilities.
• Team Management
o Supervise facilities engineering staff, including technicians, engineers, and contract personnel.
o Direct daily activities of engineering and maintenance teams.
o Assign tasks, set priorities, and monitor team performance.
o Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
o Develop and implement training programs tailored to research infrastructure (e.g., BSL-3 protocols, GMP system operations).
o Set performance goals aligned with institutional mission and scientific needs.
o Foster a team culture that emphasizes responsiveness, precision, and support of the scientific enterprise.
o Lead workforce planning and development efforts to meet evolving facility and research demands.
