Lab Manager

Position Summary:

The lab manager ensures seamless execution of daily lab activities, development of personnel, application of tools and processes, and compliance to company policies. The manager must work cooperatively with business partners to drive key business metrics. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

The following responsibilities will be carried out directly by the Lab Manager or through their team individuals in their defined areas:

Technical

• Guide technical activities and develop technical skills within the team to ensure operational and customer needs are satisfied
• Analyze customer specifications to ensure clarity of requirements and end product application and provide guidance to sales and engineering
• Ensure technical processes, procedures, and best practices are defined, documented, and followed in daily lab activities
• Use problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills to help the team operate effectively and efficiently
• Ensure new or less experienced staff receive appropriate technical training andmentoring
• Communicate and document “institutional (tribal) knowledge” to ensure this beneficial information is shared and available to others as the company continues to grow
• All other duties as assigned

Financial

• Ensure realistic schedules are developed and successfully executed to approved timelines, scope, and quality constraints
• Provide estimates for timing and cost in support of development activities and other project related initiatives.
• Identify, track, and drive continuous improvement for the department.

Personnel

• Coach employees and provide feedback with respect to outlined goals and procedures.
• Conduct Performance Reviews.
• Direct the ongoing recruitment, development, and training of personnel to create a world class Lab Department. 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Electro, mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic diagrams knowledge
• Ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Excellent business acumen, as well as verbal, and written communication skills. 
• Skillful in planning and analyzing the resource requirements of the lab department.
• Solid track record of mentoring and developing employees.
• Experience working in a blow molding plastics manufacturing environment preferred. 

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or equivalent work experience. 
• At-least 5+ years of hands on experience with blow molding equipment and processing
• At least 4+ years of experience in a management role.

Work Environment: 

Office / Manufacturing environment. Employee may be occasionally exposed to moving equipment, mechanical parts in motion, risk of shock and other hazards associated with a manufacturing environment such as overhead cranes, welding, machining, painting etc.

This is an office-based position that requires walking, sitting, standing, bending, driving, reading, seeing, hearing, speaking, concentrating, and communicating.

Travel/Customer Support. Travel is required for this position. Employees may be expected to provide on-site customer support, training, and guidance at customer locations. In addition to strong technical capabilities, the successful candidate must possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships and effectively assist customers in a professional manner.