About this opportunity
Original employer descriptionJob Description
General Summary:
Vertex is seeking a Manager to lead the Process Development weekend and holiday shift supporting a cell-based therapy for diabetes. This role is accountable for building, coaching, and coordinating a high-performing team that provides reliable continuity for ongoing cell therapy process development studies. The Manager will translate study plans into clear weekend execution priorities, ensure appropriate staffing and training, remove operational barriers, and maintain strong communication and handoffs across shifts. The Manager will also provide scientific and technical leadership by guiding study design, reviewing and interpreting data, challenging assumptions, and helping the team translate experimental results into sound technical decisions and next steps. Through hands-on coaching and scientific oversight, the Manager will foster rigorous, data-driven problem solving while developing the technical capabilities of the team.
This is a full-time weekend and holiday shift position based in Vertex facilities in Boston, MA. The role requires consistent on-site leadership during assigned shifts and close partnership with weekday Process Development, Engineering, Facilities, EHS, and other cross-functional teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide direct people management for the weekend shift team of bioprocess associates, scientists, and engineers, including goal setting, regular one-on-ones, performance feedback, development planning, recognition, and support for career growth.
- Build an inclusive, accountable team culture that prioritizes safety, quality, collaboration, respectful communication, and reliable delivery.
- Mentor team members in technical execution, troubleshooting, documentation, decision making, and effective cross-shift communication; identify skill gaps and coordinate training and qualification plans.
- Own weekend and holiday staffing plans, schedules, rotations, on-call coverage, and workload assignments. Balance study needs, employee capacity, required competencies, and facility constraints.
- Partner with weekday study leads to understand objectives, critical process steps, acceptance criteria, risks, and escalation paths, then convert those inputs into clear and executable weekend coverage plans.
- Lead structured handoffs before and after weekend operations, ensuring that priorities, deviations, observations, samples, materials, equipment status, and follow-up actions are clearly documented and communicated.
- Coordinate logistics required for successful execution, including room and equipment availability, material readiness, inventory, sample movement, documentation, access, and support from partner functions.
- Manage and/or execute pluripotent stem cell culture and differentiation to support process development, optimization, and characterization.
- Ensure the team follows approved procedures, study instructions, established documentation practices, safety requirements, and applicable GMP expectations.
- Collaborate effectively within departmental teams, contribute to deliverables and drive development activities in a cross-functional environment, engage on team discussions to resolve issues, and lead projects with a fully integrated team to facilitate successful outcomes.
- Partner with technical leads on review of execution records and study outputs. The Manager may contribute technical perspective but is not expected to be the primary owner of experimental design or statistical analysis.
- Coordinate team priorities and resources with departmental leadership, contribute to capacity planning, and identify opportunities to improve weekend operating models, training systems, handoffs, and team effectiveness.
- Participate in hiring, onboarding, succession planning, and retention activities for the weekend team.
- Communicate team progress, capacity, risks, and support needs to Process Development leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Generate and review technical reports, regulatory filings, source documents, patents and external publications, as applicable.
- Demonstrated experience leading teams in a laboratory, process development, manufacturing, or technical operations environment with complex schedules and changing priorities.
- Commitment to maintaining a weekend and holiday shift schedule and providing consistent on-site leadership for the assigned team.
- Strong workforce planning and organizational skills, including scheduling, delegation, prioritization, resource coordination, and cross-shift handoffs.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to create clarity, build trust, resolve conflict, and partner effectively in a matrixed organization.
- Working technical knowledge of cell culture or bioprocess operations sufficient to understand study instructions, recognize execution risk, support troubleshooting, and engage technical subject matter experts.
- Experience with controlled documents, deviation or investigation support, and disciplined documentation practices. Working knowledge of GMP requirements is preferred.
- Ability to lead calmly through operational issues, make timely decisions within role authority, and escalate appropriately when safety, quality, study integrity, supply, or timelines may be affected.
- Pluripotent stem cell culture experience in 2D and/or 3D is preferred but not required.
- Familiarity with cell processing equipment and bioreactor systems such as stirred-tank reactors, Unifuge Mini, ATF systems, and Ambr250 is preferred.
- High attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple concurrent activities while maintaining employee engagement, quality, and reliable execution.
Requirements
- BS in Biochemistry, Engineering, Biology, or a related discipline with 8+ years of relevant industry experience; MS with 5+ years; or PhD with 2+ years. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
- Minimum of 2 years of direct people management experience, with demonstrated success coaching employees, setting expectations, providing feedback, and supporting development across different experience levels.
At Vertex, we embrace continuous learning and encourage employees to stay informed on advances in AI, technology, automation, and industry trends. We seek talent who bring an external perspective, demonstrate curiosity and sound judgment, and thoughtfully adopt new capabilities that improve decision-making, drive innovation, increase efficiency, and help deliver better outcomes for patients.
Pay Range:
$123,200 - $184,800
Disclosure Statement:
The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the base salary pay range for this job at the time of posting. This role is eligible for an annual bonus and annual equity awards. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. Actual base salary pay will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.
At Vertex, our Total Rewards offerings also include inclusive market-leading benefits to meet our employees wherever they are in their career, financial, family and wellbeing journey while providing flexibility and resources to support their growth and aspirations. From medical, dental and vision benefits to generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), educational assistance programs including student loan repayment, a generous commuting subsidy, matching charitable donations, 401(k) and so much more.
Flex Designation:
On-Site Designated
Flex Eligibility Status:
In this On-Site designated role, you will work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.
Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.
#LI-Onsite
Company Information
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.
Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at [email protected]