Associate Director - Lab Operations

IQVIA; California; On-site; USD 92,000 - 214,000; Full time

Job summary

IQVIA Laboratories in Valencia, CA is seeking an Associate Director of Lab Operations to lead and optimize regulated clinical testing operations. This role drives staffing, performance metrics, and continuous improvement across lab functions, ensuring safety and compliance while advancing departmental strategy.

The position emphasizes staff development, cost control, and cross‑functional collaboration with QA and EH&S to maintain high-quality, efficient workflows in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in chemical, physical, biological, or clinical laboratory science.
• Typically requires >8 years in a regulated environment.
• 5 years line management experience required.
• Understanding of clinical testing procedures and laboratory regulations.
• Knowledge of QA, CAPA, root cause analysis, and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Direct the daily activities of laboratory work groups with delegation, training, coaching, and supervision.
• Plan, prioritize and assign workloads, projects, and resources.
• Recruit, train, develop, and manage laboratory staff performance.
• Set team objectives and metrics aligned with strategy and goals.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and assist budget planning for consumables, instrumentation, and staffing.
• Resolve operational, quality, safety, and supply-chain challenges across departments.
• Ensure regulatory and safety compliance with QA and EH&S teams.
• Drive CAPA closure, incident resolution, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement.

Skills

People leadership

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance

Team management

Quality assurance

Education

Bachelor's degree in laboratory science

Job description

Valencia, CA, United States of America

Full time

R1573301

We are seeking an Associate Director, Lab Operations to join IQVIA Laboratories at Valencia, CA.

We hire passionate innovators who drive healthcare forward through thoughtful and inclusive collaboration. If you want to discover a career with greater purpose, join us as we transform and accelerate research and development.

Job Summary:

Lead laboratory teams in a regulated clinical testing environment, ensuring safe, compliant, high-quality, and efficient operations. Shape departmental strategy, develop staff, manage operational performance, and drive continuous improvement across laboratory functions.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Direct the daily activities of laboratory work groups through effective delegation, technical training, coaching, and supervision

• Plan, prioritize, and assign workloads, projects, and operational resources

• Recruit, train, develop, and manage the performance of laboratory staff

• Establish team objectives and performance metrics aligned with departmental strategy and operational goals

• Identify cost-saving and revenue opportunities while supporting budget planning for consumables, instrumentation, and staffing

• Resolve operational, quality, safety, and supply-chain challenges across multiple departments

• Ensure regulatory and safety compliance in collaboration with Quality Assurance and Environmental, Health and Safety teams

• Drive CAPA closure, quality incident resolution, root cause analysis, business continuity, and continuous improvement initiatives

What We Are Looking For:

• A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required; some CAP/CLIA laboratory locations may require a Bachelor of Science in a chemical, physical, biological, or clinical laboratory science, medical laboratory technology, or cytotechnology

• Typically requires >8 years experience in regulated environment

• 5 years line management experience is required

• In-depth knowledge of clinical testing procedures and applicable laboratory testing regulations

• Strong technical understanding of laboratory operations, testing methods, study setup, and cross-functional or system dependencies

• Working knowledge of quality assurance, quality control, CAPA, root cause analysis, and occupational safety and health regulations

• Applicable certifications and licenses are required where specified by local regulations

• Other equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be accepted in lieu of degree

The Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Needed for This Role:

• Ability to lead and manage processes, projects, and operational tactics across one department or multiple related departments

• Effective people leadership, supervision, performance management, and coaching skills

• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership

• Ability to assess and prioritize multiple tasks, projects, operational risks, and competing demands

• Ability to establish effective working relationships and foster collaboration with employees, managers, clients, Quality Assurance, and Environmental, Health and Safety partners

• Commitment to building a unified, quality-oriented culture that supports employee engagement, customer satisfaction, operational performance, and retention

What We Offer You:

We put our employees at the center of everything we do and are committed to providing them, and their families, with benefits that meet their diverse and changing needs. We invest in integrated benefits programs and resources to take care of our employees' physical, mental and emotional, financial and social well-being so they can thrive at home and at work, at any stage of their well-being journey.

To learn more about our benefits, visit https://jobs.iqvia.com/benefits.

If you're looking to unleash your potential, join IQVIA Laboratories to help make the extraordinary possible!

IQVIA is a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries. We create intelligent connections to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative medical treatments to help improve patient outcomes and population health worldwide. Learn more at https://jobs.iqvia.com

IQVIA is a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence to the life sciences and healthcare industries. We create connections that accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative medical treatments. Everything we do is part of a journey to improve patient outcomes and population health worldwide.

IQVIA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable law. https://jobs.iqvia.com/eoe

IQVIA is committed to integrity in our hiring process and maintains a zero tolerance policy for candidate fraud. All information and credentials submitted in your application must be truthful and complete. Any false statements, misrepresentations, or material omissions during the recruitment process will result in immediate disqualification of your application, or termination of employment if discovered later, in accordance with applicable law. We appreciate your honesty and professionalism.

The potential base pay range for this role, when annualized, is $92,200.00 - $213,900.00. The actual base pay offered may vary based on a number of factors including job-related qualifications such as knowledge, skills, education, and experience; location; and/or schedule (full or part-time). Dependent on the position offered, incentive plans, bonuses, and/or other forms of compensation may be offered, in addition to a range of health and welfare and/or other benefits.

To get there, we seek out diverse talent with curious minds and a relentless commitment to innovation and impact. No matter your role, everyone at IQVIA contributes to our shared goal of helping customers improve the lives of patients everywhere. Thank you for your interest in growing your career with us.

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