Lab Team Leader

Tribonet; Kennesaw, Northern (GA, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Novelis NGRTC in Kennesaw, GA seeks a Lab Team Lead to manage a team delivering high-quality lab results. You will oversee 5-8 technologists and engineers across multiple labs including heat treatment, metallography, microscopy, and tribology.

The role requires strong leadership, hands-on lab experience, and a focus on safety, SOPs, and ISO 17025. This is a hybrid position with two days in the office and opportunities for growth within the NGRTC team.

Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive experience and a BS in a relevant field (Mechanical/Metallurgical/Materials Science).
• Ability to balance multiple priorities across projects or work streams.
• Hands-on lab experience with material characterization, R&D, or manufacturing environments.
• Ability to learn multiple experimental disciplines related to metallography, fabrication, and mechanical concepts.
• Understands KPIs and their business relevance.
• Maintains awareness of latest technologies relevant to lab operations.
• Can independently identify problems and design solutions.
• Considers economics, maintenance, and technical factors in problem solving.
• Strong communication and leadership skills; experience leading cross-functional teams preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of team management including hiring, performance management, and succession planning.
• Monitor resource deployment and cross-train to mitigate constraints.
• Propose equipment additions and manage capital investments within budget.
• Drive lab capability improvements and evaluate new equipment or methods.
• Identify growth opportunities for direct reports and staff development.
• Advise staff on lab operations to meet schedules and resolve technical issues.
• Ensure SOPs and Quality System protocols, ISO 17025, and LIMS compliance are current and followed.
• Ensure safety compliance for personnel, visitors, contractors, and vendors.
• Participate in safety walk-throughs and address highlighted issues and opportunities.
• Train lab staff in SOPs, Quality Systems, and equipment-specific requirements.
• Assist in formulating short and long-range goals for NGRTC laboratories.
• Familiar with aluminum is a plus.

Skills

Team leadership

Laboratory operations

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Communication skills

Quality systems

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering / Metallurgical Engineering / Materials Science

Tools

CAD design

Job description

An educational platform on tribology — the science of friction, wear and lubrication

Who is it for

Engineers, researchers, students and industry professionals

The Novelis Global Research and Technology Center team is seeking a n Engineer or Technologist as a Lab Team Lead. The person in this role will report to the Senior Lab Manager . The ideal candidate will be responsible for leading and managing a team of 5-8 technologists, technicians, and engineers who are responsible for delivering high quality and timely laboratory results and analysis . The Lab team lead will perform analysis in various laboratories such as: Heat Treatment, Metallography, Microscopy and Tribology. The Lab Team Leader owns all aspects driving ongoing improvement by having accountability of training, instruments/equipment, ISO Compliance, and the users of the lab to ensure the safety and efficiency of the lab.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Responsibilities:

• Oversee all aspects of team management, including but not limited to hiring, performance management, talent review and succession planning
• Monitor deployment of the team’s resources, identifying constraints, working with teams and other leaders to implement effective cross-training plans to mitigate constraints.
• Propose new equipment additions and justifications for annual capital investment planning. Oversee purchase and commission of equipment within proposed budget and on-time
• The Lab team Lead will drive enhancements of the laboratory’s capabilities by improving existing equipment and/or methods or making recommendations on introduction of new ones.
• Identify growth opportunities for direct reports to ensure continuous development
• Serves as an advisor to staff members responsible for laboratory operations to meet schedules and/or resolve technical problems
• Ensure Standard Operating Procedures and Quality System protocols are current, maintained , and applied with an emphasis on good laboratory practices, including housekeeping , ISO 17025 compliance, and Laboratory Information Management System ( LIMS ) compliance
• Ensur e all personnel /visitors /contractors/vendors are compliant with all Safety Absolutes and other EHS initiatives.
• Participate in the safety walk-throughs and ensure any highlighted issues and improvement opportunities are addressed
• Ensure all laboratory staff are properly trained in Standard Operating Procedures, Quality System protocols, and equipment specific requirements.
• Assist in formulating and implementing the short and long-range goals for the operation of the NGRTC laboratories.
• Familiar with aluminum is a plus

Minimum Q Ualifications

• Entry to this level typically requires 5 years of progressive experience and a BS in a relevant field, i.e., Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent experience.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities across multiple projects or work streams.
• Hands on laboratory experience working on material characterization and testing, R&D, or manufacturing environment
• Ability to learn multiple experimental disciplines with respect to metallography, fabrication, and mechanical concepts
• Demonstrates an understanding of the KPIs for a work area or project and the link to the significance to the business.
• Maintains awareness of latest technologies relevant to lab operations.
• Ability to independently isolate a problem and draw upon knowledge and experience to design appropriate possible solutions
• Considers multiple aspects in problem solving (e.g. , economics, operating , maintenance, technical) in area s of responsibility
• Strong communication and leadership skills
• Experience in managing and leading a cross-functional team is preferred

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CAD design
• Strong data analysis skills for statistical design and analysis

What We Offer

This role offers a hybrid schedule with a minimum of two days in the office. Novelis values the need for flexibility and balance for employees and is committed to a Flex Work approach that empowers employees to maintain work-life balance while enjoying the benefits of a collaborative office environment.

These are a few of the benefits we offer to support you and your family’s well-being

Novelis benefits say a lot about how we care for each other. Our employees and their families have many different needs . As a result, our benefits offer choices on many levels and are high in quality, competitive in the marketplace, and affordable.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Health savings accounts – Company Funded Health Savings Account (HSA) and Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Company-paid basic life insurance and Additional voluntary life coverage
• Paid vacation and competitive personal time off
• 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Retiree Medical Plans – medical and prescription drug coverage through Novelis sponsored Retiree Health Access
• Retirement Savings Account
• Employee assistance programs – available 24/7 to you and your family
• Wellness and Work Life Support – career development and educational assistance

Location Profile

Novelis’ Global Research and Technology Center located in Kennesaw Georgia within the greater Atlanta metropolitan area is a cutting-edge full-service research and technology hub that employs approximately 200 people including world-class engineers metallurgists chemists and scientists. The facility includes state-of-the‑art lab equipment and a diverse mix of product pilot lines that bring innovative solutions to customers in the automotive beverage can and specialty markets. Kennesaw provides a diverse and family-friendly place to live with countless museums cultural opportunities and educational institutions. Novelis is committed to the Kennesaw community and supports a number of local charitable organizations including Habitat for Humanity as well as FIRST Robotics aimed at encouraging young people to pursue the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields in order to spur the next generation of scientists and innovators. Novelis recognizes its talented and diverse workforce as a key competitive advantage. Novelis provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. All terms and conditions of employment at Novelis including recruiting hiring placement promotion termination layoffs recalls transfers leaves of absence compensation and training are without regard to race color religion age sex national origin disability status genetics protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal provincial or local laws.