Technical Program Manager

Who we are

Cultivarium builds scientific tools that turn biological discovery into real-world capability. As a Frontier Research Contractor, we provide technical solutions and hands-on support to partners working on the problems of today. Born a Focused Research Organization, we are drawn to the hardest technological problems in biology and built to tackle them with intensity. We prize builders who efficiently leverage resources to deliver tangible solutions at the frontier, for outsized societal benefit. Our ambition is to study and engineer non-model organisms across the entire tree of life.

What we are looking for

Great science ships faster when someone owns the connective tissue between teams. We're looking for a driven, resourceful Technical Program Manager to be the hub for technical and organizational needs across Cultivarium, working with leadership to keep multidisciplinary programs aligned, resourced, and moving. A successful candidate pairs deep technical understanding with the instinct to zoom out and see the whole board, and has a track record of shepherding large scientific programs to completion.

This is an in-person role at either our Watertown, MA USA or London, UK location.

The role rests on three strengths

1. Scientific fluency. Speak enough molecular and synthetic biology to earn the trust of the bench, and comfortable navigating across software, hardware, and wet-lab domains.

2. People skills. You build alignment without relying on authority, keeping scientists, engineers, and leadership rowing in the same direction

3. Communication. You turn complexity into clear decisions whether that is in person, in writing, and/or in the room where priorities get set.

Responsibilities:

• Manage cross-team execution of multiple technical projects, acting as the systems integrator accountable for outcomes.

• Serve as the central hub between leadership and technical leads, keeping every stakeholder aligned, informed, and resourced to meet company goals.

• Surface and prioritize scientific needs so bottlenecks and resource gaps get addressed early.

• Act as the primary point of contact for internal stakeholders: leadership, team leads, scientists, and engineers to drive regular communication and inform decisions.

• Work with leadership to continuously evaluate scope, milestones, timelines, and resource allocation across programs.

• Run regular program reviews, summarize data and insights, assess project risk, and propose mitigations.

• Bring high agency and high standards. Take ownership, give and receive candid feedback, and push the team to be its best in service of the science.

Basic Qualifications:

• You believe that ambitious goals are reached by tightly knit teams, ones that both solve the problems of today and chart where to go next, and that connecting domain experts and translating fluently across them is how the work moves.

• Authorized to work without sponsorship.

• PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, synthetic biology, or a related life-science field.

• 3+ years of project or program management experience in a biotech startup environment.

• Demonstrated ability to deliver on milestones, deadlines, and budgets, and to see a project through its full life cycle.

• Experience managing cross-functional teams across biology, software, and hardware, and running multiple projects in parallel.

• Experience working with internal and external leadership along with integrating and presenting high-level insights and progress.

• An excellent communicator who builds productive relationships at every level and stays composed under pressure.

• Exceptionally organized and analytically sharp, with a knack for picking up new tools fast.

• An opportunity to refine your craft in service of science and society.

US

• Paid time off, company holidays, and a year-end closure

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with employer match

UK

• Annual leave, plus bank holidays, and a year-end closure

• Private medical insurance

• Employer pension contribution, with optional salary sacrifice

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or prohibited by Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.