Seed Laboratory Supervisor

State of North Carolina

2d

About The Position

This is a readvertisement. All previous applicants DO NOT have to reapply to be considered. The Seed Laboratory Supervisor oversees the daily operations and strategic direction of the state seed testing laboratory. This position requires a strong understanding of seed science and testing principles, with a primary focus on effective management, coordination, and continuous improvement of laboratory operations. The supervisor ensures that staff, resources, quality systems, and customer service meet regulatory, industry, and accreditation standards. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership and transparent communication skills, fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and professional growth among laboratory staff. They will communicate openly and effectively with both employees and agency leadership, ensuring clarity of expectations, sharing information, and promoting collaboration. A working knowledge of state and federal seed laws and regulations is essential to ensure compliance and maintain the laboratory’s credibility and regulatory role. This position also plays a vital role in connecting the laboratory to the broader agricultural industry, recognizing the seed lab’s contribution to the larger agricultural system. The ideal candidate will understand how to build and maintain strong relationships with producers, industry representatives, and regulatory partners, helping integrate the laboratory’s work into the wider mission of supporting and advancing agriculture in the state. This position must be able to perform tasks which involve dexterity of the hands and the ability to visually analyze small seeds at limited times through a microscope. When there are large volumes of seed samples to analyze, this position may be required to assist with laboratory work or analysis which require long periods of sitting.

Requirements

• Experience or proven ability to lead, motivate, manage, and communicate transparently with both those that are supervised and those that are direct and indirect managers.
• Working knowledge of state and federal seed laws, rules, and testing standards as described in the AOSA manuals, NC Seed Law & Regulations, and Federal Seed Law.
• Skills in managing laboratory operations, personnel, quality systems, and continuous improvement processes, working with both service seed sample processes and regulator seed sample processes.
• Ability to build and sustain strong relationships across the agricultural industry, connecting laboratory functions to broader agricultural goals through clear communication and networking.
• Experience in laboratory settings such as soils, pathology, chemistry, plants tissue, insects, pesticide, food & drug, feed & forage, microbiology or other laboratory settings that are related to agriculture, horticulture, botany, soils, or plant sciences.
• Associate's degree in horticulture, horticulture technology, or a closely related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of experience in seed testing, seed regulation or a related area of seed production or marketing; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Associate degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees