Description

About Lumenara Health

Lumenara Health is an early-stage diagnostics company focused on advancing blood-based approaches for earlier disease detection. We work at the intersection of analytical chemistry, biology, and data science to generate high-quality molecular data that supports translational and clinical research. We are hiring a Director of Mass Spectrometry & Laboratory Operations to own the execution, optimization, and scale-up of our mass spectrometry workflows.

Role Details

Location: Phoenix, AZ (in-person)

Employment Type: Full-time

Position Summary

This role will begin embedded in an academic research lab environment and will transition into leading Lumenara’s own dedicated wet lab as we bring key capabilities in-house. This is a rare opportunity to build the lab function from the ground up – from protocol rigor and reproducibility to infrastructure, SOPs, and team foundations – while working on cutting-edge diagnostics with direct clinical relevance.

Key Responsibilities

Experimental Execution & Oversight

Execute and oversee mass spectrometry experiments within and in collaboration with an academic partner lab

Ensure experiments are conducted consistently and according to Lumenara-defined protocols

Monitor data quality, reproducibility, and instrument performance

Troubleshoot experimental and operational issues as they arise

Maintain clear documentation of procedures, changes, and outcomes

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with broader technical team to align experimental design with downstream analysis

Serve as Lumenara’s primary on-site scientific representative within the partner lab environment

Communicate progress, risks, and findings clearly to internal stakeholders

Lab Operations & Future Build-Out

Contribute to planning for Lumenara’s future internal laboratory, including workflow design and operational needs

Help establish standard operating procedures, quality controls, and lab best practices

Support the transition of selected workflows from partner labs into Lumenara’s own facilities over time

Assist with vendor interactions, equipment planning, and operational readiness as needed

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

PhD or equivalent experience in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, metabolomics, or a related field

Strong hands-on experience with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), including targeted and/or untargeted applications

Demonstrated ability to execute experiments with a high degree of rigor and reproducibility

Comfort working in collaborative academic or shared lab environments

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Clear written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Experience

Working across both academic and industry or startup settings

Managing efforts across translational, clinical, or regulated laboratory environments

Contributing to the setup or scaling of laboratory operations

Working with data-driven or machine learning-enabled analysis of high-dimensional biological data

Interpreting complex LC-MS datasets, including exploratory analysis and characterization of

previously unannotated or unknown features

Leading and long-term ownership of lab functions