Head of Laboratory

• MSc or PhD in Environmental Science, Ecology, Molecular Biology, Analytical Chemistry, Soil Science, or a related discipline.

• At least 5 years of experience in laboratory management or senior lab role, preferably in an environmental or ecological context.

• Proven experience in at least one of the following: spectroscopy, molecular biology/genetics or soil biodiversity.

• Demonstrated ability to manage laboratory budgets, resources, and teams.

• Experience delivering scientific services on a commercial basis or within contract research environments.

• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and standards for lab accreditation.

• Strong project management skills and client communication experience.

• Experience mentoring junior staff and students

• Manage daily operations of the lab, ensuring optimal workflow, safety, and compliance

• with quality standards (e.g., ISO/GLP where applicable).

• Co-develop and implement a strategy for the lab

• Oversee and implement analytical methodologies in spectroscopy, eDNA, invertebrate, and

• soil biodiversity analysis.

• Ensure rigorous quality control and assurance procedures across all lab activities.

• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), lab protocols, and health & safety documentation.

• Oversee data management standards and digital pipelines to ensure traceability, reproducibility, and integration with broader analytical frameworks• Lead the development of a comprehensive QA/QC framework covering sample handling, analysis, equipment calibration, and reporting.

• Co-develop and implement the lab’s commercialisation strategy, establishing fee-for- service models for internal departments and external partners.

• Define service pricing structures, forecast revenue, and manage lab P&L in alignment with organizational goals.

• Build and manage relationships with external clients and partners, ensuring delivery of timely, accurate, and cost-effective analytical results.

• Monitor and report on lab performance metrics (e.g., turnaround times, cost per sample, client satisfaction).

• Explore and develop partnerships with other service providers to compliment the NS lab’s capabilities, leveraging advances in AI and machine learning to optimise analysis and outputs.

• Supervise and mentor a multidisciplinary team of lab technicians, analysts, students, and interns.

• Identify skills gaps and provide professional development opportunities to build a high-performing lab team.

• Develop and deliver regular training sessions on lab conduct and health and safety standards, ensuring a culture of scientific integrity within the lab.

• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluation processes for lab personnel.

• Collaborate with internal research teams and the Impact Monitoring department to design and support field sampling campaigns and analytical studies.

• Contribute to the development and validation of new analytical techniques and tools.

• Actively contribute to the development of the strategic framework for scaling lab operations.

• Manage lab inventory, procurement, and maintenance of analytical instruments (e.g., spectrometers, sequencing equipment, microscopes).

• Oversee the calibration, troubleshooting, and upgrading of lab equipment.

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