Quality Lab Manager

TheQuality Lab Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for multiple testing laboratories supporting product development, quality assurance, customer qualification, compliance, and continuous improvement. The position is accountable for laboratory safety, technical integrity, capacity, testing performance, equipment, methods, quality systems, and employee development. This leader directly manages approximately 10-15 laboratory professionals, including two Team Leads, and partners across Quality, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Commercial functions to deliver reliable test results and responsive laboratory service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a laboratory strategy aligned with business objectives, customer requirements, technical capability needs, and anticipated demand.
• Direct daily operations across multiple testing laboratories, balancing priorities, staffing, equipment availability, workflow, and turnaround commitments.
• Lead, coach, and develop 10-15 employees, including two Team Leads; establish accountability, performance expectations, succession coverage, and development plans.
• Build short- and long-range capacity plans for personnel, equipment, methods, facilities, and outside testing support; recommend staffing and capital actions based on demand and risk.
• Ensure compliance with internal procedures, customer requirements, test standards, quality system controls, and accreditation requirements, where applicable.
• Establish controls for test methods, equipment qualification, calibration, preventive maintenance, measurement integrity, data review, traceability, and record retention.
• Define and monitor laboratory KPIs, including safety, quality, on-time completion, turnaround time, backlog, utilization, productivity, cost, and customer responsiveness.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions for test discrepancies, nonconformances, escapes, equipment failures, and process constraints.
• Coordinate priorities and technical support with Quality, Engineering, Operations, Product Development, Supply Chain, and customer-facing teams.
• Manage operating budgets, outside laboratory spending, service contracts, and capital expenditures.
• Champion safe laboratory practices, hazard assessments, chemical and material controls, emergency readiness, and environmental, health, and safety compliance.
• Evaluate emerging test technologies and develop capabilities needed for new products, materials, customers, and markets.

Qualifications:

• Progressive laboratory leadership or management experience in a technical, analytical, materials-testing, quality, research, or manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading laboratory personnel and frontline leaders or Team Leads and managing competing priorities across multiple laboratories.
• Five to seven years progressively more responsible experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, Physics, Biology, Microbiology, or another scientifically related field.
• Working knowledge of laboratory operations, test methods, equipment controls, data integrity, technical documentation, and quality systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a highly regulated manufacturing environment; knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 9001, AS9100, Nadcap, ASTM, or related standards; Lean Six Sigma experience; and familiarity with SAP, laboratory information management, statistical analysis, automated data acquisition, or digital dashboards.
• A professional level of knowledge in a specialized field equivalent to that ordinarily acquired by completing a four-year baccalaureate program.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be eligible to work on programs subject to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). 

• Must successfully pass a job-related vision screening, including a color perception assessment and a visual acuity test (with or without vision correction), prior to hire or placement in this role.

Benefits

Plascore is an established global manufacturer of honeycomb core, composite structures, and cleanrooms. Plascore's lightweight, industrial strength, honeycomb technology is utilized for a multitude of applications within the aerospace, automotive and marine industries. Plascore is an employee driven organization, fueled by professional teams with dedicated years of service to manufacturing.

Plascore Benefits:

Bonus Programs

• $1,200 Employee Referral Bonus, paid in monthly increments.
• Quarterly Bonus based on business unit metrics.

Health Benefits

• Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, and Vision) with Flex Spending or Health Savings Accounts.
  • Free high-deductible health plan for employee only coverage. 
• New Hires are eligible for health insurance benefits on day one!
• Company provided short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Employee Assistance Program, including legal & professional counseling services.

Paid Time Off

• Paid and unpaid vacation totaling 6 weeks (years of service determines paid portion).
• 8-week paid sabbatical for every 10 years of service.
• Paid holidays.
• Parental Leave.

401(K) & Roth 401(K)

• 50% match up to 6% for all participating employees.

Educational Support

• Tuition Reimbursement for job-related and certificate programs.
• Dependent scholarship to cover up to 100% of tuition cost for child dependents.
• Use of training grants like GoingPro to allow for professional development.

Childcare

• Flex Spending Account for childcare.
• Tri-Share childcare program (2/3 of childcare costs covered).
• CareShare childcare program will assist those who do not qualify for TriShare

Company Events

• Annual company picnic.
• Annual golf outing.
• Annual end-of-year celebration.

Other Perks

• Whitecaps baseball ticket raffles.
• Discounts available at: MVP Athletic Club, Stellantis, Bedslide, Enterprise rentals, RX Optical.
• Clean work environment.
• Smooth pace of work.
• Family-owned and operated.
• Security of work for an established, growing company that serves a diverse customer base.
• Bi-Weekly Pay.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Plascore to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship.  The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process.  If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Talent Acquisition team atcareers@plascore.com.  

Plascore is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristic.