Laboratory Operations Manager (Humanoid Robotics)

TL;DR

Laboratory Operations Manager (hirify.global Robotics): Managing safe, compliant, and high-performing laboratories, workshops, integration spaces, and prototype manufacturing environments with an accent on health and safety, equipment readiness, and operational excellence. Focus on designing risk controls, improving asset uptime and space utilisation, and supporting rapid robotics engineering and prototype development in UK facilities.

Location: On-site in London, UK

Company

hirify.global develops commercially scalable and safe hirify.global robots, including the HMND-01 Alpha platform used in industrial pilots.

What you will do

• Lead health, safety, compliance, inspections, audits, incident investigations, and corrective actions across technical spaces.
• Manage daily operations, access, scheduling, space allocation, housekeeping, and reconfiguration of UK laboratories and workshops.
• Own shared equipment, tooling, fixtures, consumables, inventories, maintenance, calibration, inspection, and certification programmes.
• Ensure facilities and equipment are ready for engineering, prototype production, testing, debugging, data collection, demonstrations, and builds.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement KPIs, 5S, visual management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Product, IT, Operations, and the Global Workplace & Facilities Director across technical spaces.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience managing laboratories, workshops, prototype facilities, technical operations, or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Strong health and safety background, ideally supported by NEBOSH, IOSH, or an equivalent qualification.
• Experience supporting hardware development, robotics, mechatronics, electronics, aerospace, automotive, or prototype manufacturing.
• Knowledge of laboratory equipment management, maintenance, calibration, asset control, and operational systems.
• Familiarity with ESD-controlled environments, machinery safety, electrical safety, and workshop operations.
• Strong process-building, organisation, communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.

Nice to have

• Experience implementing asset, maintenance, or laboratory management systems.
• Background in Lean, 5S, or operational excellence methodologies.

Culture & Benefits

• Stock options with meaningful upside as the company scales.
• 30+ paid days off, including annual leave, UK bank holidays, and company closure days.
• Private healthcare with virtual and in-person care.
• Pension scheme with an 8% total contribution on full earnings.
• Daily breakfast, catered lunch, and snacks in the office.
• Daily collaboration with engineers, researchers, and product experts building AI-powered hirify.global robotics.