Director, Physical Security

Your Impact at Lila

The Director of Physical Security will lead the physical security strategy and will be responsible for protecting employees, executives, laboratories, facilities and high-value research and hosting environments from physical threats. You will also oversee all aspects of physical access control, surveillance, executive protection, travel security program, facility risk assessments, and regulatory site readiness ensuring security standards alignment with applicable compliance frameworks.

Reporting to the CISO, this leader will develop scalable, risk-based physical security program across the organization, while enabling safe, uninterrupted scientific and business operations.

What You'll Be Building

Physical Security Operations & Risk Management

• Design and lead the physical security program for all global sites, including corporate offices and Labs.
• Oversee access control, surveillance (CCTV), badge systems, visitor management, and physical intrusion detection technologies.
• Conduct site risk assessments and implement tailored physical security controls to support research integrity and data protection.

Executive Protection & Personnel Safety

• Implement executive protection and secure travel protocols for senior leadership, including threat assessments and coordination with external security resources.
• Partner with HR and Legal to lead workplace violence prevention programs and behavioral threat assessments.
• Develop employee safety protocols for after-hours work in labs or secure research zones.

Lab & Facility Compliance Support

• Partner with Quality, EHS, Facilities, and Regulatory Affairs to ensure physical controls meet regulatory requirements for GMP, 21 CFR Part 11, and site inspections.
• Support controlled substance, biohazard, and sensitive AI infrastructure access policies.

Security Technology & Incident Response

• Lead physical security incident response and investigations including theft, unauthorized access, vandalism, or safety events.
• Select and manage physical security systems and vendors, ensuring high availability and audit readiness.
• Maintain logs and incident records aligned to company audit requirements.
• Develop and maintain emergency response teams across sites.

Vendor & Guard Force Oversight

• Manage guard force operations across office and lab locations, including vendor contracts, staffing, site procedures, and training.
• Standardize protocols across all sites, including AI hub facilities and hybrid workforce accommodations.

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership

• Serve as the physical security liaison to Legal, HR, Clinical, IT, and Compliance teams.
• Participate in cross-functional crisis response and business continuity planning.
• Build and lead a team of regional security managers or contractors, fostering a culture of safety and vigilance across the company.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Security Management, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of physical security experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role supporting R&D, lab, or healthcare/life sciences environments.
• Knowledge of GxP, HIPAA, and physical site inspection readiness in biotech, pharma, or AI data infrastructure.
• Experience implementing and operating access control, surveillance, and visitor management systems.
• Familiarity with executive protection, workplace violence prevention, and site-specific emergency planning.
• Strong leadership and vendor management skills.
• Preferred certifications: (ASIS) CPP or PSP