R&D Lab Specialist

Glanbia•Downers Grove, IL

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The R&D Lab Support Technician plays a critical role in maintaining an “always-ready” research and development laboratory environment, enabling R&D Scientists and Developers to focus on high-value formulation, testing, and innovation activities. This position is responsible for end-to-end laboratory operational support, including raw material management, pilot and bench-scale equipment maintenance, sanitation, safety compliance, inventory control, and coordination of internal and external testing activities. This role centralizes numerous currently fragmented lab responsibilities into a single accountable position, improving efficiency, compliance, cost control, and throughput across the R&D organization. The position is hands-on, on-site, making it well-suited for an experienced technical professional seeking impactful contribution without a traditional upward management track. Note: This is a lab position where all food allergens (milk, soy, nuts, peanuts, wheat, egg, etc…) are present. This person will be involved in tasting a variety of product types and subsequently exposed to them.

Requirements

Minimum 1 year of experience supporting laboratory, pilot plant, manufacturing, or technical operations environments.
Hands-on experience in laboratory, pilot plant, food, nutraceutical, or chemical environments.
Strong working knowledge of inventory systems, laboratory equipment, sanitation practices, and safety standards.
Ability to manage multiple operational tasks simultaneously with high attention to detail.
Comfortable working cross-functionally with scientists, developers, safety teams, and external vendors.
Practical problem-solver with a service-oriented mindset and strong organizational skills.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s Degree or Technical Certification in Laboratory Technology, Food Science, Chemistry, or related field.

Responsibilities

Maintain R&D laboratory operations to ensure facilities, equipment, and materials are consistently prepared, organized, and compliant for daily scientific work.
Manage raw material (RM) lifecycle including ordering, rush ordering, inventory accuracy, filling, labeling, storage, and proper disposal to minimize waste, delays, and compliance risk.
Support pilot and bench-scale activities through equipment setup and teardown, sanitation, test batch execution and tracking, stability testing, and assistance with weigh-outs and sample preparation.
Own equipment readiness including preventive maintenance coordination, calibration, basic troubleshooting, repair coordination, and documentation to ensure reliability and audit readiness.
Execute and coordinate laboratory safety and compliance activities including hazardous waste disposal, safety shower audits, lab audits, purge and cleanup coordination, dust hazard mitigation, pest control sign-off, and lab coat programs.
Serve as the primary R&D point of contact for shipping and receiving, third-party testing logistics, internal deliveries, and package handling to improve efficiency and reduce cost.
Support sensory testing, sample creation for internal and external use, Food Process Engineering activities (flow, segregation, sampling), laboratory supply management, stocking, dishwashing schedules, common area upkeep, and general lab flow optimization.