Senior Director, Technical Operations & Automation

Senior Director, Technical Operations & Automation

Emeryville, CA

Our mission at Ansa Biotechnologies is to revolutionize the way we make DNA. Compared to reading or editing life's code, writing new code from scratch has remained one of the field's most elusive challenges. At Ansa, we are putting nature to work, creating novel enzymatic solutions that will redefine how we build DNA. We believe that the biggest challenges our world faces will be solved using biotechnology and that DNA synthesis is the fuel for that transformation. Our enzyme-based approach promises to dramatically accelerate innovation in biological research and biotechnology, including therapeutics, diagnostics, biomanufacturing, and synthetic biology.

Ansa is seeking a deeply capable, visionary leader to partner with the COO in scaling our manufacturing organization and technical capabilities. This is a critical role for a company moving from early commercial traction into industrial-scale operations. This leader will be responsible for the architecture and execution of a world-class lab automation ecosystem, process engineering, bridging the gap between R&D and high-volume manufacturing. The ideal candidate combines strong scientific and engineering depth with operational rigor, capable of leading a multidisciplinary team. The role spans sustaining manufacturing operations support, process scale-up, automation, QA/QC partnership, transfer of processes from R&D into manufacturing, and capacity expansion planning, including future facility build-out.

This is an on-site leadership role based in Emeryville, CA. Candidates must be in the Bay Area or willing to relocate. If you are energized by delighting customers and are stoked to help us ship DNA to world-changing biotech companies and research labs, then we want to hear from you! Key responsibilities include process scale-up & industrialization, automation & lab ecosystem architecture, operational excellence & monitoring, quality, compliance & infrastructure, and cross-functional leadership. Working conditions and physical demands include operating in both a professional office environment and a biotechnology laboratory/manufacturing environment, tolerating lab environments, wearing standard Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and occasionally lifting or moving equipment up to 25 pounds. Standard regional travel may be required for facility build-outs or vendor site visits.

Education: PhD in Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, or a related field. (Equivalent deep industry experience with a BS/MS will be fully considered). Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in biotech technical operations or manufacturing, with a proven track record of 5+ years leading automation-centric organizations or teams. Technical expertise: Expert-level knowledge of liquid handling programming, custom hardware integration, and scaling complex biochemical reactions. Scaling success: Proven track record of moving processes from R&D into reliable, high-volume commercial production. Systems thinking: Ability to visualize the entire synthesis lifecycle, from digital sequence to purified DNA product. Leadership: Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across functions (R&D, Commercial, Finance) and inspire teams to solve "impossible" engineering challenges. Domain knowledge: Experience in nucleic acid synthesis, synthetic biology, or genomics tools is strongly preferred.

What we offer includes competitive base salary and equity options, a generous benefits package including comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, ongoing professional development, mentorship, and training opportunities, a collaborative, innovative, and psychologically safe work environment, and the opportunity to be part of a company at the forefront of synthetic biology and innovation. California Pay Transparency Disclosure San Francisco Bay Area Base Salary Range: $220,000 $250,000. Note: This range represents the expected base salary for this role at the time of posting. Actual compensation within this range will be determined based on factors such as specific skills, relevant experience, education, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for an equity package and our full benefits portfolio.

Ansa Biotechnologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.