Startup Operations Manager

About the Role

At Cytely, we’re building a world where science accelerates itself. Where every experiment becomes a reusable asset, every insight compounds, and every researcher is amplified. We are building the foundation for compounding discovery. To achieve this, we need a world‑class operational foundation that allows our team to do their best work, unhindered.

As our first Operations Manager, you will be the central hub that connects our people, processes, and mission - the architect of our company’s operating system. You are the ultimate enabler, a master of process and problem‑solving who removes friction and creates an environment where a high‑performing, multidisciplinary team can thrive. We are a fast‑moving startup, so you will need to get your hands dirty, and you will also be a strategic partner responsible for building the scalable systems that will support our rapid growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the business engine: establish core business functions, liaise with external consultants, manage contracts, and support leadership with planning and reporting.
• Design people operations: create a world‑class employee experience including onboarding, team events, benefits administration, and a collaborative culture that bridges science and software.
• Create scalable systems: identify bottlenecks and design, document, and implement robust processes and tools - from procurement to project tracking - to make work repeatable and efficient.
• Wear multiple hats: take ownership of special projects in a fast‑growing startup, from coordinating a scientific collaboration to organizing our presence at a key conference.

Qualifications

• Operational background: experience running operations in life sciences (e.g., postdoc or lab management) or building ops in a fast‑growing startup.
• Project management excellence: proven ability to organize people and resources to achieve complex goals.
• Builder mindset: structured, methodical approach to building a company - not just executing a predefined playbook.
• Scientific curiosity: hands‑on experience or strong interest in deep tech; microscopy experience is a plus and eagerness to learn new scientific domains.
• Extreme ownership: proactive, decisive, and biased toward action; you see problems and solve them.
• Systems thinker: create elegant, simple, and scalable processes balancing immediate impact with long‑term repeatability.
• Unflappable and organized: thrive amid competing priorities and bring calm, clarity, and follow‑through.
• Mission‑driven: passion for accelerating discovery, unlocking human biology, and helping cure preventable disease; you understand operational excellence is critical to the mission.