LiCa Scientific Ltd - Laboratory Director

Job Title:

Laboratory Director

Category:

Technical roles

Closing Date:

01/09/2024

What you’ll do: 

The Laboratory Director is a key role leading the Company’s main R&D and application center in Europe, and critical R&D and application center for the Company globally. The Lab Director will be responsible for overseeing the operation of the activities in Manchester and representing the company with potential customers and partners as they engage with the Company in Manchester.

This is a "working manager" or "player coach" role where the Lab Director will lead their own R&D and application projects. This role will see you taking responsibility for a team of laboratory staff and also the resources (equipment, supplies consumables), elements of safety and legal compliance to run a rounded operation. Creating an environment for a high-performing team to drive forward the commercialization of graphene through project plans that are delivered on schedule is critical to this role.

The Laboratory Manager’s responsibilities will include:

• You will be responsible for setting and delivering on the laboratories objectives and projects on time and on budget, through planning, organising and communication.
• Communicate and report results accurately and promptly.
• You will be responsible for all Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) within the laboratory so approval and/or authoring of these.
• Coordination with senior management on pertinent detail to ensure from a top-down standpoint visibility of key points is maintained for all levels up to C-level.
• Ensuring all team members adhere to company safety and legal protocols including the safety and procedures of the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (GEIC).
• Ensuring chemicals and other hazards are handled in the appropriate manner and consistent with the requirements of the GEIC via storage or mitigation of risks as well as communication and training of colleagues in health and safety, maintaining a well run operation in respect of safety.
• Budget management for the laboratory, as well as monitoring expenses and maintaining an approach of cost-savings being identified where able. Leveraging suppliers to ensure this is kept to an optimum level.
• Workflow monitoring and optimisation of activities within the team though setting of goals and targets and then management via daily/weekly/monthly review points.
• Regular performance evaluations for team members.
• Representing the business at meetings with clients, auditors and acting as a knowledge centre on regulatory, legal and accreditation.
• Procurement of equipment and ensuring maintenance schedules are kept to.
• Maintaining a clean and organized laboratory at all times.
• Identify new IP and trade secrets and work with legal and the executive team to ensure proper documentation and patent applications.
• Communicate and ensure project approval with the President.
• Foster shared Company vision and goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Your background: 

The successful candidate must have the following experience and capabilities:

• Masters to PhD qualified in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering or Physics, alongside proven experience in laboratory leadership. This will be supervisory duties for several years or management experience.
• Lab and R&D and/or application development experience with preference of experience with 2D material and graphene.
• Time served managing an R&D team with preference for experience in building a new R&D team. Record of accomplishment in achieving results via teams managed.
• Proven experience around setting targets, communication and delivering a clear environment that ensures that results are achieved via others, that team members know clearly what their tasks are and are provided with the tools and working framework to deliver upon these.
• Familiarity with the equipment, instrumentation and procedures related to the laboratory.
• Knowledge of health and safety guidelines
• Knowledge of the legal and compliance environment
• Experience with customer led application development

Manchester 

£50,000-£60,000

On this occasion, LiCa Scientific is acting as an employment agency.