Cushman & Wakefield has hired Julie Rice as a Director of Laboratory Planning, based in San Francisco.

Rice will be responsible for laboratory and business operations, providing scientific acumen and a practical approach to both lab and office spaces. In her new position, she will plan facilities infrastructure to support the laboratory environment and expand the firm’s relationship between third-party life science clients and the firm’s internal life science team.

With her extensive expertise in laboratory operations and facilities management, Julie brings invaluable insight to our organization.

Rice has over 30 years of experience in the Bay Area biotechnology industry in addition to 10 years of experience in laboratory and facilities management. Her work includes laboratory operations as well as business operations specifically within the biotechnology industry, supporting companies who have been focused on small and large molecule drug discovery, cell and gene therapy, genomics and AgBio.

Most recently, Rice worked with small start-ups leading multi-million-dollar tenant improvements, laboratory moves and establishing processes to get their business off the ground and preparing them for growth.

“We are thrilled to welcome Julie to our team,” says Jason D’Orlando, Cushman & Wakefield’s America’s Life & Technology Science Lead. “With her extensive expertise in laboratory operations and facilities management, Julie brings invaluable insight to our organization. Julie’s arrival marks an exciting chapter for our life sciences division as we continue to drive innovation and support the growth of our clients in this dynamic industry.”

Rice adds: “It’s a privilege to be joining this great team at Cushman & Wakefield.

“I am excited to leverage my experience to empower Cushman & Wakefield’s clients in the life sciences sector, bridging the gap between scientific vision and operational excellence to drive innovation and success.”

In addition to a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology, Rice holds a certificate in project management from the University of California at Berkeley.