Lab Operations Planner

Job Description Summary:

The Demand Planner/Scheduler is responsible for translating R&D project timelines, experiment pipelines, and study protocols into an executable operational plan for the laboratory. This role owns the demand forecast for lab capacity, equipment, consumables, and personnel, and builds the master schedule that keeps studies, assays, and experiments moving on time. The ideal candidate bridges scientific planning and operational execution, working closely with scientists, lab managers, and procurement to ensure the right resources are in the right place at the right time.

Job Responsibilities

This position is full time on site, in Richmond, VA

• Develop and maintain the demand plan for R&D lab activities by consolidating experiment requests, study protocols, and project timelines from scientists and program leads.
• Build and manage the master lab schedule, sequencing experiments, assays, equipment usage, and instrument time to maximize throughput and minimize conflicts.
• Forecast demand for lab consumables, reagents, and materials based on planned study volume; coordinate with procurement and inventory teams to prevent stockouts or expirations.
• Monitor lab capacity (bench space, shared instruments, fume hoods, specialized equipment) and flag bottlenecks or over-allocation before they impact study timelines.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with R&D scientists, lab operations, procurement, quality, and facilities to align schedules with study milestones and regulatory deadlines.
• Maintain planning systems (ERP, LIMS, scheduling software, or spreadsheets) with accurate, current data on demand, capacity, and schedule status.
• Track schedule adherence and demand forecast accuracy; report variances, root causes, and corrective actions to lab leadership.
• Manage schedule changes driven by experiment delays, equipment downtime, priority shifts, or resource constraints, and communicate impacts to stakeholders.
• Support capacity planning for new studies, new equipment, or lab expansions by modeling demand scenarios.
• Partner with quality/EHS to ensure scheduling accounts for calibration, maintenance, and compliance requirements for lab equipment.
• Continuously identify process improvements to planning and scheduling workflows to increase lab efficiency and on-time study delivery.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities of this job at any time.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, operations, life sciences, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 3+ years of experience in demand planning, scheduling, or production/lab operations planning, ideally within an R&D, laboratory, life sciences, or manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of laboratory operations, experiment/study workflows, or scientific project timelines.
• Hands-on experience with planning or scheduling tools (e.g., ERP systems, LIMS, MRP/APS software, or advanced Excel/Smartsheet-based scheduling).
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to forecast demand and translate it into an actionable schedule.
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills; comfortable working directly with scientists and lab personnel.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and shifting timelines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting a regulated R&D environment (GLP, GMP, or similar) where scheduling must account for compliance and documentation requirements.
• Familiarity with lab instrumentation scheduling and sample management
• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent supply chain planning credential.
• Experience with data visualization or planning dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) to communicate schedule and demand status.

Working Environment:

• Must be able to work in a laboratory, controlled environments requiring personal protective equipment (e.g., lab coat, safety glasses, etc.) in laboratory.
• Job pace may be fast and job completion demands may be high.
• The person needs to occasionally move between labs, corridors, adjoining rooms, and buildings onsite Frequently operate on instruments, objects, tools or controls, which will require regularly bending, squatting, stretching and reaching in order to perform in a service function.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include without limitation, the ability to observe details at close range distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus in order to perform the essential service functions of this position.
• Employee may be required to handle hazardous waste according to local, state, and federal regulations. Duties may include identifying, handling, generating, accumulating, storing and labeling hazardous waste.
• Potential risk to lab-based hazards including but not limited to extreme temperature, biological materials, and hazardous chemicals.
• May be required to complete Medical Clearance, Respiratory Protection Training, and Fit Testing to wear a respirator as protection against hazards present in the laboratory environment.

The annual compensation range for this full-time position is $70,000 to $85,000. The final base pay offered to the successful candidate will be determined by factors including internal equity, work location, as well as individual qualifications, such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.