Head of UK Operations

Job description

Adaptyv is building an automated lab that lets AI agents run biology experiments. We're entering the era of agentic science where AI models can now design novel proteins, propose hypotheses, and iterate on experimental results. But they can't run the experiments themselves - that's still a manual, months-long process. We're building the infrastructure that gives AI agents access to the physical world. We are one of the fastest growing biotech companies, trusted by leading biopharmas, frontier AI labs, and the techbio companies pushing the field forward. This is a rare chance to help advance some of the most important work happening in biotech today. Our automated lab is powered by a deep software + hardware stack: lab instruments worth millions of USD reverse-engineered into API-controllable hardware, dozens of devices orchestrated through complex workflows, full observability on everything that happens in the lab, processing pipelines for messy physical-world data, and AI systems that troubleshoot production results and accelerate assay development. We’re growing rapidly and are hiring for talented people to scale and support the massive demand for AI-driven wet lab experimentation. ABOUT THE ROLE Adaptyv is expanding from Switzerland to the UK. Following our oversubscribed funding round, we are opening a lab in London in 2026. This will be more than a second production site. We want the London lab to become a hub for the UK protein engineering ecosystem: giving biotech companies and researchers access to high-throughput protein production and characterisation, running work for partners such as Anthropic and Boltz, and building ambitious new capabilities of our own. We are looking for the person to build and run it. As the founding operator for Adaptyv UK, you will own the UK operation end to end. You will establish the company, get the lab open, build the first team, and then run the business day to day. Lausanne gives you a working blueprint — technology, processes, systems, and a team that has already built this once — but London is yours to make work. This is a general manager role in the literal sense: if something needs to happen for Adaptyv UK to succeed, it is ultimately your responsibility. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Build the London lab. Take the site from lease to an operational lab: fit-out, contractors, equipment, suppliers, permits, timelines, and budget. You will work closely with the Head of Lab Operations you help hire, but you own getting the site open. - Build the founding UK team. Hire across lab operations, automation, and science together with the founders. Put the basic people infrastructure in place and create a team that can operate with the same speed and ownership as Lausanne. - Set up and run Adaptyv UK. Own the UK entity, banking, accounting, payroll, insurance, budgeting, contracts, and the other operational machinery required to run the company properly. - Own the local customer experience. Work with UK customers from onboarding through experiment delivery, coordinating closely with our commercial and scientific teams in Lausanne. - Build the local network. Develop relationships with landlords, contractors, vendors, universities, biotechs, partners, and the broader London life-science ecosystem. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR - You have built something from zero before. Ideally you have launched a new site, geography, business unit, or physical operation for a fast-growing company. Experience with labs, clinics, manufacturing, hardware, or other infrastructure-heavy businesses is particularly relevant. - You are an exceptional generalist. You can move comfortably between property, finance, legal, hiring, customers, and operations. You do not need to be the expert in every room, but you learn quickly, ask the right questions, and know when specialist input matters. - You get things over the line. You negotiate well, make decisions, follow up, and keep complex projects moving. - You operate with a high degree of ownership. You do not need a predefined process or someone telling you what comes next. You figure out what needs to happen and make it happen. - You have a strong life-sciences background. A degree and/or professional experience in the life sciences is highly preferred. You will be building a lab, hiring scientists, working with biotech customers, and negotiating with lab landlords and instrument vendors, so familiarity with the industry matters. - You use AI as part of how you work. We use tools like Claude Code and our own software throughout Adaptyv, including in operations. We expect you to be comfortable using AI to move faster and do better work. - You are in London. This is a hands-on, on-site role. You are already based there or ready to move. DETAILS - Location: London, UK — on-site - Type: Full-time - Start: As soon as possible - Target lab opening: 2026 Application deadline We are reviewing applicants on a rolling basis.