Laboratory Operations Lead

UL, LLC; Basingstoke; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

UL Solutions in the UK EMC testing lab is seeking a Laboratory Operations Lead to combine technical leadership with operational responsibility, driving performance and strategic direction.

You will lead engineers and technicians, oversee test programs, optimize workflows, and own financial performance while collaborating with sales and customers.

Qualifications

• Strong people leadership and communication skills.
• Data-driven thinking and problem-solving ability.
• Experience in a technical or lab-based environment.
• Leadership experience (formal or informal).
• Degree in engineering or related field (nice to have, not essential)

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineers and technicians.
• Create a positive, high-performance culture.
• Set clear goals and provide regular feedback.
• Drive efficiency across lab operations, workflow, and resource allocation.
• Use data (utilisation, margins, delivery metrics) to improve performance.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Oversee test programmes and ensure high-quality delivery.
• Support problem-solving and technical decision-making.
• Ensure adherence to standards and best practice.
• Act as a trusted escalation point for customers.
• Partner with sales on scope, pricing, and delivery.
• Own financial performance including cost and revenue management.

Job description

UL Solutions is hiring a Laboratory Operations Lead to run one of the UK’s most advanced EMC testing laboratories. This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced Senior Engineer or Laboratory Supervisor who is ready to take the next step into a broader leadership role. Combining technical expertise with operational responsibility, this position offers the chance to develop and apply leadership skills, drive laboratory performance, and make a significant impact on the future success of the business.

The Laboratory Operations Lead role provides a unique platform to influence strategy, lead high-performing teams, enhance operational excellence, and shape the growth and direction of a respected laboratory operation while accelerating your own career progression.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineers and technicians

• Create a positive, high-performance culture

• Set clear goals and provide regular feedback

• Operational Delivery

• Drive efficiency across lab operations, workflow, and resource allocation

• Use data (utilisation, margins, delivery metrics) to improve performance

• Implement continuous improvement initiatives

• Project & Technical Oversight

• Oversee test programmes and ensure high-quality delivery

• Support problem-solving and technical decision-making

• Ensure adherence to standards and best practice

• Customer & Commercial Impact

• Act as a trusted escalation point for customers

• Partner with sales on scope, pricing, and delivery

• Own financial performance including cost and revenue management

• You don’t need to be an EMC expert. We are open to candidates from a range of backgrounds, which could be within EMC, RF or wireless labs, or alternatively from other laboratory environments where testing takes place.

• You might be:

• A senior engineer ready for your first leadership role

• A team leader looking for more scope and impact in your role

• You will bring:

• Strong people leadership and communication skills

• A collaborative and positive approach

• Data-driven thinking and problem-solving ability

• Commercial awareness (cost, pricing, performance)

• Experience:

• Strong experience in a technical or lab-based environment

• Leadership experience (formal or informal)

• Degree in engineering or related field (nice to have, not essential)

#LI-AV1

A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS) transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers’ product innovation and business growth. The UL Mark serves as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers’ products and reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.

UL LLC has been and will continue to be an equal opportunity employer. To assure full implementation of this equal employment policy, we will take steps to assure that:

Persons are recruited, hired, assigned and promoted without regard to race, color, age, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, religion, creed, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, ancestry, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, pregnancy, marital or familial status, or any other protected category under applicable law.