Senior Director, Technical Operations & Automation

<p><strong>Company Overview<br></strong>Our mission at Ansa Biotechnologies is to revolutionize the way we make DNA. Compared to<br>reading or editing life’s code, writing new code from scratch has remained one of the field’s most<br>elusive challenges. At Ansa, we are putting nature to work, creating novel enzymatic solutions<br>that will redefine how we build DNA. We believe that the biggest challenges our world faces will<br>be solved using biotechnology and that DNA synthesis is the fuel for that transformation. Our<br>enzyme-based approach (published in Nature Biotechnology) promises to dramatically accelerate<br>innovation in biological research and biotechnology, including therapeutics, diagnostics,<br>biomanufacturing, and synthetic biology.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><br>Job Description</strong><br>Ansa is seeking a deeply capable, visionary leader to partner with the COO in scaling our<br>manufacturing organization and technical capabilities. This is a critical role for a company<br>moving from early commercial traction into industrial-scale operations.<br>This leader will be responsible for the architecture and execution of a world-class lab automation<br>ecosystem, process engineering, bridging the gap between R&amp;D and high-volume<br>manufacturing. The ideal candidate combines strong scientific and engineering depth with<br>operational rigor, capable of leading a multidisciplinary team. The role spans sustaining<br>manufacturing operations support, process scale-up, automation, QA/QC partnership, transfer of<br>processes from R&amp;D into manufacturing, and capacity expansion planning, including future<br>facility build-out.</p> <p>This is an on-site leadership role based in Emeryville, CA. Candidates must be in the Bay Area<br>or willing to relocate.<br>If you are energized by delighting customers and are stoked to help us ship DNA to world-<br>changing biotech companies and research labs, then we want to hear from you!<br><br><strong>Key Responsibilities</strong><br>Process Scale-Up &amp; Industrialization:<br> Develop strategies to scale sensitive biological reactions into robust industrial processes.<br> Establish a disciplined framework for tech transfer from R&amp;D into Manufacturing,<br>ensuring processes are controlled, documented, and scalable.<br> Drive initiatives to maximize first pass yields, reduce COGS through automation and<br>improve cycle time.<br>Automation &amp;&nbsp; Lab Ecosystem Architecture:<br> Architect and execute a multi-year automation strategy for custom enzymatic gene<br>synthesis, prioritizing modularity and extreme scalability.<br> Drive the Automation Index - increasing the percentage of hands-free synthesis<br>workflows while achieving industry-leading first-pass yields.<br> Partner with Software teams to ensure seamless data flow between LIMS, scheduling<br>software, and automated hardware.<br>Operational Excellence &amp;amp; Monitoring:<br> Partner with Software teams to implement real-time Statistical Process Control (SPC) to<br>monitor process performance and robotic precision.<br> Define and track critical KPIs: throughput capacity, cycle time, right-first-time yield,<br>labor productivity, and synthesis cost.<br>Quality, Compliance &amp;&nbsp; Infrastructure:<br> Partner with Quality leadership to build robust systems with “Quality in mind” (ISO<br>9001/13485 readiness) including deviation management, CAPA support, and change<br>control.<br> Partner closely with the COO on future facility build-outs, including equipment strategy,<br>space planning, and infrastructure requirements to meet global demand.<br>Cross-Functional Leadership:<br> Serve as a key cross-functional partner to R&amp;D, Product Management, Commercial<br>teams, Supply Chain, Finance, and Quality.<br> Help translate company strategy into a manufacturing roadmap that supports growth.<br>Working Conditions &amp;amp; Physical Demands:<br> This position operates in both a professional office environment and a biotechnology<br>laboratory/manufacturing environment.<br> Must be able to tolerate lab environments, wear standard Personal Protective Equipment<br>(PPE), and occasionally lift or move equipment up to 25 pounds.<br> Standard regional travel may be required for facility build-outs or vendor site visits.<br><br><strong>Qualifications</strong><br> Education: PhD in Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, or a<br>related field. (Equivalent deep industry experience with a BS/MS will be fully<br>considered).<br> Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in biotech technical operations or<br>manufacturing, with a proven track record of 5+ years leading automation-centric<br>organizations or teams.<br> Technical Expertise: Expert-level knowledge of liquid handling programming, custom<br>hardware integration, and scaling complex biochemical reactions.<br> Scaling Success: Proven track record of moving processes from R&amp;amp;D into reliable, high-<br>volume commercial production.<br> Systems Thinking: Ability to visualize the entire synthesis lifecycle, from digital<br>sequence to purified DNA product.<br> Leadership: Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across functions<br>(R&amp;D, Commercial, Finance) and inspire teams to solve "impossible" engineering<br>challenges.<br> Domain Knowledge: Experience in nucleic acid synthesis, synthetic biology, or genomics<br>tools is strongly preferred.</p> <p><strong>What We Offer</strong><br> Competitive base salary and equity options.<br> Generous benefits package including comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.<br> Ongoing professional development, mentorship, and training opportunities.<br> A collaborative, innovative, and psychologically safe work environment.<br> The opportunity to be part of a company at the forefront of synthetic biology and<br>innovation.<br>California Pay Transparency Disclosure<br> San Francisco Bay Area Base Salary Range: $220,000 – $250,000.<br>Note: This range represents the expected base salary for this role at the time of posting. Actual<br>compensation within this range will be determined based on factors such as specific skills,<br>relevant experience, education, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, this position is<br>eligible for an equity package and our full benefits portfolio.<br>Equal Opportunity &amp; Diversity Commitment<br>Ansa Biotechnologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive<br>consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,<br>gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other<br>characteristic protected by applicable law.</p> <p>At Ansa, we are building a high-performing team focused on changing how scientists access<br>DNA. We look for people who are curious, rigorous, accountable, and excited to work on hard<br>problems. Our hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications, experience, and the needs of<br>the business.</p>