Laboratory Manager

- United States - VWR International; Slough; In loco; GBP 60.000 - 90.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Health insurance

Descrizione del lavoro

VWR International is seeking a Laboratory Manager in Slough to oversee daily lab operations, ensure safety and compliance, and support scientific teams. The role focuses on coordinating facilities, equipment maintenance, and user training while driving efficiency across laboratory spaces.

Ideal candidates have a scientific background, several years in lab operations, and strong stakeholder management skills.

Competenze

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline.
• Several years of experience in laboratory operations/services/support environments.
• Strong experience supporting laboratory end users, scientists, and technical teams.
• Experience acting as a senior laboratory resource influencing colleagues without direct line management.
• Strong stakeholder management with cross-functional collaboration.

Mansioni

• Lead the day-to-day operation of laboratory facilities to ensure a safe, compliant, and productive working environment.
• Build relationships with scientists, end users, and facilities teams to provide excellent operational support.
• Act as primary operational contact for laboratory users and stakeholders.
• Coordinate onboarding/offboarding of users and visitors and organize specialist equipment training.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance laboratory operations and user experience.
• Lead laboratory operational projects including equipment installations and facility upgrades.

Conoscenze

Stakeholder management

Communication

Problem solving

Independent initiative

MS Office (Word, Excel)

Formazione

Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline

Strumenti

MS Office

Descrizione del lavoro

The Opportunity:

Laboratory Manager

Permanent | Slough

Are you an experienced laboratory operations professional who thrives in a fast-paced scientific environment and enjoys driving operational excellence across laboratory facilities? We are seeking a proactive and hands‑on Laboratory Manager to oversee laboratory operations, support scientific teams, and lead operational improvement initiatives within our Slough site.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior laboratory professional looking to broaden their impact beyond the bench or an experienced laboratory manager looking for a new challenge. Working closely with laboratory users, scientists, facilities teams, vendors, contractors, and senior stakeholders, you will ensure laboratories remain safe, compliant, efficient, and fully operational. You will also have the opportunity to lead operational projects, support laboratory expansions, and contribute to the setup of new laboratory spaces.

Laboratory Leadership & Operations

• Lead the day-to-day operation of laboratory facilities to ensure a safe, compliant, and productive working environment.
• Build strong relationships with laboratory end users and scientific teams, ensuring excellent customer service and operational support.
• Serve as a trusted operational partner to scientists and laboratory users, supporting the effective delivery of research activities.
• Provide guidance and knowledge-sharing to laboratory users.
• Coordinate preventative maintenance, calibration, and servicing of laboratory equipment.
• Deliver user training on common laboratory equipment and provide troubleshooting support.
• Develop, maintain, and improve equipment work instructions, SOPs, and operational documentation.
• Manage and triage operational support requests, ensuring timely resolution and escalation where required.
• Support procurement activities, including obtaining supplier quotations, managing purchase requests, and coordinating vendor relationships.
• Ensure laboratory chemicals and biological materials are stored, handled, and managed safely.
• Maintain shared laboratory spaces and ensure laboratories remain inspection and audit ready.

Stakeholder & Laboratory User Support

• Act as the primary point of contact for laboratory operational support.
• Build effective partnerships with scientists, laboratory users, facilities teams, vendors, contractors, and leadership teams.
• Develop strong relationships with laboratory end users to understand operational needs and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinate onboarding and offboarding activities for laboratory users and visitors.
• Organize specialist equipment training with internal and external providers.
• Support laboratory and facility modification requests.
• Coordinate contractor access and operational activities within the facility.
• Effectively manage stakeholder expectations and communicate progress, risks, and priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance laboratory operations and user experience.

Project Leadership

• Lead laboratory operational projects, including equipment installations, laboratory upgrades, facility improvements, and process optimization initiatives.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities and stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery.
• Take ownership of operational initiatives from planning through execution.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, increase efficiency, and enhance laboratory capabilities.
• Support laboratory expansion, relocation, and startup activities.
• Contribute to the design, planning, and implementation of new laboratory spaces and capabilities.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline or equivalent experience.
• Several years of experience working within laboratory operations, laboratory services, or laboratory support environments.
• Strong experience supporting laboratory end users, scientists, and technical teams.
• Experience acting as a senior laboratory resource and influencing colleagues without direct line management responsibility.
• Strong stakeholder management experience with the ability to build trusted relationships across scientific, operational, facilities, and leadership teams.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate activities across multiple groups and drive outcomes through influence rather than authority.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Confident working independently, taking initiative, and driving actions through to completion.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
• Strong commitment to quality, operational excellence, and safety.

Preferred

• Experience leading laboratory operational projects, equipment implementations, site improvements, or facility upgrades.
• Experience managing vendors, suppliers, and contractor relationships.
• Knowledge of laboratory equipment maintenanc