Product Manager, Sample Management
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Job Description
POSITION LOCATION:
This is a hybrid role based in our Austin, TX location. On-site presence in the lab will be required as needed, based on project and team requirements.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Natera is seeking a strategic and technically adept Product Manager to lead initiatives in biorepository and sample management operations. This role will be responsible for developing and executing a long-term product strategy that supports R&D, clinical, and operational needs across Natera's growing sample ecosystem. The ideal candidate will drive innovation in sample storage, retrieval, and tracking, enhance digital inventory systems, and promote process standardization across multiple sites.
This role is pivotal in ensuring Natera’s biorepository infrastructure can support high-throughput research and diagnostics, while maintaining integrity, efficiency, and compliance at scale.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Product Strategy & Roadmap:
- Develop and execute a long-term strategy for R&D sample management operations, aligning with business and R&D needs.
- Define and prioritize enhancements to sample storage, retrieval, and tracking processes.
- Identify opportunities to improve sample management efficiency, compliance, and scalability.
- Develop and manage long-term freezer capacity planning to support growing sample volumes.
Stakeholder Collaboration & Needs Assessment:
- Work closely with R&D, Clinical, and Operations teams to understand sample management requirements.
- Gather feedback from internal users (lab managers, regulatory teams) to optimize biorepository workflows.
- Translate business needs into product features and process improvements.
- Promote facility offerings and services and develop robust networking within Natera to ensure high efficiency.
Technology & System Optimization:
- Partner with data science, engineering, and IT teams to enhance database and digital inventory tracking.
- Drive automation initiatives to improve sample retrieval, data accuracy, and reporting.
- Evaluate and integrate new tools and technologies for better biorepository management.
- Collaborate with engineering, data science, and operational teams to deliver impactful solutions for customer needs and R&D road maps.
Process & Workflow Enhancement:
- Standardize workflows to ensure consistency across multiple locations and SOPs
- Implement process improvements to enhance accurate sample lifecycle tracking
Compliance & Risk Management:
- Collaborate with Quality and Compliance teams to mitigate risks related to sample integrity and data security.
- Develop strategies for proper chain-of-custody and audit readiness.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication:
- Serve as the key point of contact between biorepository operations, IT, and business stakeholders.
- Communicate project updates, risks, and opportunities to leadership teams.
- Drive alignment between scientific, operational, and business objectives.
Cross-Site Coordination & Team Enablement:
- Ensure alignment between Austin and SC teams in biorepository operations.
- Support team growth by identifying training and resource needs for supervisors and technicians.
- Act as a key liaison between sample management teams and leadership to communicate progress and challenges.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's degree in a life science, engineering, or relevant technical discipline required
- 8+ years experience
- Minimum 2+ years of experience in product management or development within the diagnostics, oncology, or medical device industries
- Relevant biobanking certifications like Certified Biobank Specialist (CBS) credential through its collaboration with BBMRI-ERIC and the Biobanking Academy is a plus
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Strong technical expertise in molecular and cell biology research
- Familiarity with GLP, CLIA, CAP, HIPAA, and GDPR for handling clinical/research samples.
- Experience with Laboratory Information like Management Systems (LIMS) and databases for sample tracking
- Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., AWS QuickSight, Snowsight) to analyze trends and optimize storage usage
- Experience in managing sample-related projects using agile frameworks, sprint planning etc.
- Ability to collaborate with R&D, clinical teams, procurement, and IT for system enhancements.
- Understanding end-user needs (researchers, collaborators, lab personnel) and translating them into product requirements
- Clearly conveying technical requirements to IT, lab teams, and leadership
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills to engage cross-functional teams and external stakeholders
- Ability to align sample repository goals with broader company objectives
- Quickly resolving storage issues, sample discrepancies, or process bottlenecks
- Driving adoption of new processes and systems
OUR OPPORTUNITY
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.
The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.
WHAT WE OFFER
Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!
For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.
If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.
Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/
Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.
For more information:
- BBB announcement on job scams
- FBI Cyber Crime resource page