Quality Control Laboratory Manager

3V Sigma USA•Georgetown, SC

About The Position

The Quality Control Laboratory Manager leads an ISO 9001:2015-accredited laboratory supporting a 24/7 specialty chemical manufacturing operation. This hands-on leadership role combines technical laboratory work with operational and people leadership. The manager spends approximately 50% of their time working alongside the laboratory team and 50% leading laboratory operations, personnel, and continuous improvement initiatives. The role oversees a team of approximately eight laboratory professionals and partners with Production, Operations, Customer Service, and other departments to support product quality, manufacturing efficiency, and customer satisfaction. The manager remains technically engaged in analytical testing and oversees Organic Analytical Chemistry and Wet Chemistry testing for raw materials, intermediates, in-process samples, and finished products. Responsibilities also include authorizing product release, maintaining quality and data-integrity standards, and improving laboratory performance and manufacturing reliability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry or a closely related scientific discipline.
At least 5 years of experience in Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, or Quality Control within chemical manufacturing or specialty chemicals.
At least 2 years of laboratory leadership or management experience.
Strong hands-on laboratory bench experience with analytical instrumentation.
Experience supporting manufacturing operations in a fast-paced industrial environment.
Working knowledge of ISO 9001, Quality Management Systems (QMS), laboratory compliance, and quality documentation.
Experience with LIMS, JD Edwards (Oracle) ERP, or comparable laboratory and ERP systems.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, solve technical problems, and drive operational improvements.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer and not require employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Experience in specialty chemical manufacturing.
Experience in Organic Analytical Chemistry.
Experience in Wet Chemistry.
Experience with statistical analysis.
Experience with method development and analytical troubleshooting.
Experience with continuous improvement initiatives.
Experience with internal and external quality audits.
Experience with laboratory performance metrics and process optimization.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of approximately eight Quality Control Laboratory professionals.
Direct daily laboratory operations by prioritizing sample flow, scheduling work, and allocating resources for a 24/7 manufacturing environment.
Partner with Production, Operations, and other departments to support manufacturing priorities, troubleshoot process issues, and deliver timely analytical results.
Perform and interpret analytical testing using laboratory instrumentation while maintaining technical proficiency.
Oversee Organic Analytical Chemistry and Wet Chemistry testing for raw materials, intermediates, in-process samples, and finished products.
Validate analytical data and authorize product release through the JD Edwards (Oracle) ERP system while maintaining data integrity.
Lead laboratory investigations, Root Cause Analysis, CAPA, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Develop, maintain, and improve SOPs, analytical methods, specifications, sampling plans, and training programs.
Ensure compliance with the company’s QMS, ISO 9001:2015 requirements, laboratory documentation standards, and internal quality procedures.
Oversee LIMS activities, sample tracking, electronic laboratory documentation, and data integrity.
Recruit, train, develop, evaluate, and retain laboratory personnel.
Manage laboratory resources, instrumentation, workload planning, and performance to support plant production goals and customer expectations.