CLIA Lab Director

At Valius, we believe that the future of cancer care will be defined by “maximalist” diagnostics: deep, comprehensive assessments of DNA, RNA, and protein designed to give patients and their care teams the best possible understanding of how their tumor works and what its vulnerabilities are.

We’re building the diagnostics and bioinformatics company to power this future, starting by applying this approach to patients with challenging cancers. In our first year, we worked with over 75 of these patients and, in many cases, identified plausible therapeutic targets which had not been discovered previously. This coming year, we’re on track to scale our patient volume significantly, all while bringing new diagnostic modalities (e.g., single-cell transcriptomics) and analytical approaches into clinical care for the very first time.

We’ve just raised a $13.5M seed round, led by 8VC and Basis Set Ventures, and are looking for people passionate about changing cancer care to join our growing team.

We're hiring a Lab Director to join our team in San Francisco to lead the buildout and operation of Valius's first clinical laboratory. This is a foundational role at a company at the intersection of cancer biology, multi-omic profiling, and precision medicine. You'll own the design, accreditation, and day-to-day operations of our CLIA/CAP-certified lab, establishing the infrastructure that will enable delivery of high-complexity molecular diagnostics directly to our cancer patients and their care teams. This is a rare opportunity to build something from the ground up in a mission-driven environment.

This is an in-person role in either San Francisco or Boston.

Lab design and buildout

Lead the end-to-end design, buildout, and commissioning of Valius's CLIA laboratory, from physical space planning through instrument installation and workflow validation

Define lab infrastructure requirements including equipment, consumables, LIMS, and workflow automation to support clinical-grade reproducibility and scale

Establish and document standard operating procedures (SOPs), quality management systems (QMS), and training programs from the ground up

Accreditation and compliance

Prepare and manage all aspects of laboratory accreditation, including CAP inspection readiness, CLIA certification, and New York State approval

Serve as the CLIA Laboratory Director of record, taking responsibility for all aspects of laboratory compliance across pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic phases

Laboratory operations

Direct day-to-day clinical lab operations, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing of patient samples and reporting of results

Oversee implementation and validation of complex molecular assays, including 10x Genomics next-generation single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing

Manage technical transfer of assays from R&D into clinical operations

Implement metrics for assay performance, turnaround time, and quality

Team and cross-functional leadership

Recruit, train, and lead a team of clinical laboratory scientists, supervisors, and technologists; conduct competency assessments in line with CLIA requirements

Collaborate closely with computational biologists and translational scientists to integrate lab outputs into patient-facing reports

Partner with bioinformatics and operations teams to ensure data integrity and compliant reporting of high-complexity results

Contribute to scientific and operational strategy as a senior leader within Valius

Advanced degree (PhD, MD, or MD/PhD) in a relevant scientific discipline (molecular biology, genomics, clinical laboratory science, or related field)

Eligibility to serve as a High-Complexity Laboratory Director under CLIA regulations (HCLD board certification, or an MD/PhD with the required training and experience per 42 CFR Part 493)

Minimum 8-10 years of experience in clinical laboratory operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership or director-level role overseeing a CAP/CLIA-certified laboratory

Proven track record of successfully establishing or scaling a clinical lab

Expert-level experience implementing and validating advanced molecular diagnostic assays such as bulk RNA sequencing, whole exome sequencing, and/or single-cell RNA sequencing using a 10x Genomics platform

Deep working knowledge of quality systems, documentation control, and regulatory requirements for LDTs, including SOPs, CAPA processes, and proficiency testing programs

Experience with LIMS platforms, electronic quality management systems (eQMS), and workflow automation in a high-complexity testing environment

Strong ability to recruit, develop, and retain scientific staff

Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex laboratory data into clear, actionable information for clinical, scientific, and executive stakeholders

Commitment to our patient-focused mission

Interest in working for a small, early-stage startup

Competitive salary and equity compensation

Generous refresh grants

Comprehensive benefits (health, dental, vision, 401(k))

Genuine investment in your professional development

Fun, mission-driven team culture