Scientific Leader, Lab Operations

Eurofins•Concord, NH

29d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Scientific Leader, Lab Operations is a senior-level hybrid scientist-operator responsible for the end-to-end performance of laboratory testing operations across multiple sites. This leader owns full P&L accountability for their portfolio, drives operational excellence, ensures scientific integrity and regulatory compliance, and develops high-performing teams. This role is ideal for a credentialed scientific professional who has built commercial acumen alongside deep technical expertise and has a track record of scaling complex, multi-site testing environments.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in a scientific discipline (Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, Biochemistry, or related field); advanced degree strongly preferred
7+ years of progressive laboratory operations experience, with at least 3 years in a multi-site leadership role
Demonstrated P&L ownership with full budget accountability in a laboratory or technical services environment
Proven track record leading teams of 20+ across geographically dispersed locations
Experience in any testing environment: environmental, food, pharmaceutical/bioanalytical, clinical, materials, genomics, or equivalent regulated laboratory sector
Strong working knowledge of laboratory accreditation standards and applicable regulatory frameworks
Demonstrated ability to implement operational improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent)

Nice To Haves

advanced degree strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Own revenue, margin, and cost targets across a defined portfolio of laboratory testing sites
Develop and manage annual operating budgets; provide monthly financial reporting to executive leadership
Identify and execute cost-reduction and revenue-expansion initiatives without compromising quality or throughput
Partner with commercial/business development teams to support pricing strategy, client retention, and new business proposals
Lead capital expenditure planning, including equipment investment justification and ROI analysis
Oversee daily operations across multiple laboratory sites, ensuring consistency in workflows, turnaround times, and quality standards
Establish and enforce standardized operating procedures (SOPs), capacity planning models, and resource allocation frameworks across sites
Drive continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent) to optimize throughput, reduce waste, and improve TAT
Monitor and act on KPIs including sample volume, capacity utilization, instrument uptime, and client satisfaction metrics
Lead cross-site coordination for surge capacity, disaster recovery protocols, and operational contingency planning
Serve as the scientific authority for testing methodologies, instrumentation, and data integrity across all reporting sites
Ensure laboratories maintain and continuously improve accreditation standing (ISO 17025, CAP, CLIA, A2LA, or equivalent as applicable)
Drive validation, verification, and implementation of new testing platforms and emerging analytical technologies
Stay current on regulatory landscape changes; proactively update practices to maintain compliance with EPA, FDA, DOT, or relevant governing bodies
Serve as a technical escalation point for complex client issues, out-of-specification results, and method failure investigations
Lead, develop, and retain a multi-site team spanning lab managers, supervisors, scientists, and analysts (typically 25–100+ FTEs)
Build a performance culture through regular 1:1s, transparent goal-setting, and structured development plans
Identify and grow internal talent; champion succession planning and high-potential development programs
Partner with HR on workforce planning, compensation banding, and talent acquisition for technical roles
Foster a culture of psychological safety, accountability, and scientific rigor
Serve as the operational point of escalation for key accounts; participate in QBRs, client audits, and capability presentations
Collaborate with sales and client services to ensure SLA adherence and proactive communication around capacity or TAT issues
Support business development efforts including site tours, proposal input, and technical presentations