The Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) is a unique interdisciplinary Research Centre of Excellence (RCE), funded by National Research Foundation, Ministry of Education, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS). Hosted by NTU in partnership with NUS, SCELSE is linking new insights from the life sciences with expertise from emerging technologies in engineering and natural sciences to understand, harness and control microbial biofilm communities.

Our organization is seeking an experienced and dynamic Project Manager to lead our Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) lab. The successful candidate will have a strong background in NGS library preparation, sequencing, and data analysis. A successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the NGS lab's day-to-day operations, including managing NGS research projects, providing technical expertise on Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, and supervising a team of lab technicians. Additionally, the NGS Lab/Project Manager will oversee the transfer of sequencing data to on-site computer storage. Strong leadership qualities are required to manage and advise co-workers, as well as to oversee their training and development. The NGS project manager will also lead the SCELSE business development team for genomic services and will interact with existing and future industry partner organisations.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership/Management of the NGS lab

• Oversee and manage NGS research projects to ensure all samples processed meet high-quality standards
• Work closely with SCELSE's research groups and external collaborators to support their sequencing projects by serving as the primary contact to provide information for NGS services (pricing, turnaround time, and technical enquiries)
• Ensure all team members are properly trained, adhere to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and report results to the team for record-keeping
• Actively look to optimize, refine, and enhance the NGS workflow, including validating new NGS library preparation kits and sequencers
• Managing sequencing requests by generating quotations and providing submission documents
• Ensure proper approval and documentation are in place upon sample submission from internal requesters
• Sending DOs to NTU and external requesters for acknowledgment, and forwarding signed DOs to NGS Facility Manager to trigger billing and payment process
• Communicate with key PIs/collaborators by providing regular updates on major projects
• Oversee and manage the workflow of 3 -5 co-workers and to advise them on day-to-day operations
• Head the SCELSE business development team for genomic services and interact with industry partner organisations
• Conduct lab tours for NTU/SCELSE visitors

Laboratory Operations

• Lead NGS team meetings on the progress of current sequencing projects, and informing of new sequencing submissions
• Communicate with the NGS Facility Manager to ensure equipment and consumables are available for sequencing requests
• Identify problems that may affect the NGS workflow, take corrective action, and notify team members
• Provide technical expertise in Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, including library construction, sequencing, and quality control of data generated

Management of NGS data

• Troubleshooting any quality and/or technical issues related to sequencing data
• Work closely with HPC team to ensure sequencing data links are generated and data are delivered to researchers
• Provide bioinformatic support for external research projects

Job Requirements:

• Master's or PhD in biological sciences, genomics, bioinformatics or related field
• At least 5 years of experience in managing an NGS lab, with experience in Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing
• Strong project management skills with a track record of delivering high-quality sequencing data on time and on budget
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated experience in managing budgets and inventory
• Proficiency in NGS data analysis
• Experience in preparing and submitting grant proposals is a plus

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Hiring Institution: NTU