Laboratory Manager

J C Bamford Excavators Ltd; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days holiday

Company pension

Onsite gym

In-house doctor & dentist

ULEV car scheme

Rewards Hub discounts

Cycle to Work

Job summary

J C Bamford Excavators Ltd invites applications for an experienced Laboratory Manager to lead QA, compliance and regulatory governance across R&D. You will own ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, drive audits, and collaborate with engineering, test and calibration teams to ensure high standards of quality and regulatory compliance.

You’ll support regulatory engagement, manage audits and inspections, and drive continuous improvement across current and emerging technologies, including hydrogen programmes.

Qualifications

• Experience in quality, compliance, assurance, or governance within engineering, manufacturing, laboratory, testing, or R&D.
• Practical experience implementing ISO/IEC 17025 quality systems.
• Ability to lead audits and manage accreditation activities.
• Ability to interpret regulatory requirements and translate them into practical solutions.
• Strong organizational and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and maintain the ISO/IEC 17025 QMS across R&D testing and calibration.
• Ensure compliance with accreditation requirements, internal standards, regulations.
• Develop and improve quality processes, procedures, governance frameworks.
• Act as the R&D SME for quality assurance and compliance.
• Support regulatory engagement with external bodies involved in certification and type approval activities.
• Manage internal audits, external assessments, accreditation visits, and regulatory inspections.
• Drive the closure of audit findings, non-conformances, corrective actions, and improvement plans.
• Provide compliance guidance to engineering, testing, and calibration teams.
• Support new technology programmes from a governance and compliance perspective.
• Producing compliance reports and updates for senior leadership.
• Driving continuous improvement through risk-based thinking and root cause analysis.

Skills

Quality management

Regulatory compliance

Audits & governance

R&D QA

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree in Engineering, Science, or related technical discipline

Job description

About the role:

We’re looking for an experienced Laboratory Manager to lead quality assurance, compliance, and regulatory governance activities across our R&D function. Acting as the lead for ISO/IEC 17025, you’ll ensure our engine development, testing, and calibration activities meet the highest standards of quality, accreditation, and regulatory compliance.

Working closely with engineering, test, and calibration teams, you’ll maintain robust management systems, support regulatory engagement, lead audits, and drive continuous improvement across R&D. This is an excellent opportunity to play a key role in supporting both current and emerging technologies, including alternative fuels and hydrogen programmes.

What does this role involve day to day?

• Leading and maintaining the ISO/IEC 17025 Quality Management System across R&D testing and calibration facilities.


• Ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements, internal standards, and relevant regulations.


• Developing and improving quality processes, procedures, and governance frameworks.


• Acting as the R&D subject matter expert for quality assurance and compliance.


• Supporting regulatory engagement and working with external bodies involved in certification and type approval activities.


• Managing internal audits, external assessments, accreditation visits, and regulatory inspections.


• Driving the closure of audit findings, non-conformances, corrective actions, and improvement plans.


• Providing compliance and regulatory guidance to engineering, testing, and calibration teams.


• Supporting new technology programmes from a governance and compliance perspective.


• Producing compliance reports and updates for senior leadership.


• Driving continuous improvement through risk-based thinking, root cause analysis, and best practice.

This will be suited to you if…

• You have experience in quality, compliance, assurance, or governance within engineering, manufacturing, laboratory, testing, or R&D environments.


• You have practical experience implementing and maintaining ISO/IEC 17025 quality systems.


• You are confident leading audits and managing accreditation activities.


• You can interpret regulatory requirements and translate them into practical business solutions.


• You build strong relationships and are comfortable influencing stakeholders at all levels.


• You are highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to make balanced, evidence-based decisions.


• You hold a degree in Engineering, Science, or a related technical discipline.

What’s in it for you?

This is your chance to join a company that values expertise not only in rewards but also in real employee care. At JCB you don’t just get a competitive salary, 33 days’ holiday and access to our company pension—you can also use our onsite gym, in-house doctor and dentist. We have an ULEV car scheme available for our employees too. Then there’s the JCB Rewards Hub, which gives you discounts with high street retailers. Feel like biking to work? There’s our Cycle to Work Scheme.

We value diversity and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We’re committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair and inclusive. If you face any accessibility challenges with your online application and require additional support, you have the option of speaking to a member of our Recruitment Team who can support you to complete an application in an alternative format. If you would benefit from this support, please email [e-mail], and a member of the team will be in touch.

Recruitment Agencies: JCB does not accept any speculative approaches to present candidates for advertised vacancies.