Laboratory Group Leader

Motive Workforce; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Motive Workforce is seeking a Laboratory Group Leader to head an LC/GC and mass spectrometry testing team in Portland. The role blends hands-on analytical work with leadership, ensuring data quality, regulatory compliance, and efficient operations in a high‑throughput lab.

You will develop and troubleshoot methods, supervise chemists, and collaborate across QA, operations, and management to optimize capabilities and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related field or equivalent experience.
• Experience in analytical laboratory environments with hands-on LC/GC instrumentation.
• Experience with mass spectrometry-based techniques and data handling.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot methods and mentor staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations for an analytical chemistry testing group.
• Manage workflow to ensure timely sample processing and accurate results.
• Mentor Chemists and oversee training across levels.
• Develop and validate analytical methods and ensure data quality.
• Collaborate with QA to support accreditation and compliance.
• Support instrument qualification, maintenance, and new technology.

Skills

LC/GC instrumentation

Mass spectrometry

Leadership

Method development

Troubleshooting

Data review

SOP writing

Regulatory compliance

Mentoring

Team management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related field

Tools

LC/GC instruments

Mass spectrometry instrumentation

HRMS

Orbitrap technology

Job description

Laboratory Group Leader - LC/GC & Mass Spectrometry

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Industry: Analytical Laboratory / Food Testing / Chemistry

Department: LC/GC/Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Laboratory Group Leader to lead an analytical chemistry testing team specializing in LC/GC and mass spectrometry-based testing.

This is a hands‑on technical leadership position responsible for managing daily laboratory operations, maintaining consistent sample flow, ensuring data quality and regulatory compliance, developing and troubleshooting analytical methods, and mentoring a team of chemists.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical chemistry expertise with proven laboratory leadership experience. This individual should be comfortable working directly with sophisticated instrumentation, troubleshooting methods and equipment, reviewing analytical data, developing team members, and identifying opportunities to improve laboratory efficiency and technical capabilities.

Experience with LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, high‑resolution mass spectrometry, method development, and food or environmental testing is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise daily operations for an analytical chemistry testing group.
• Manage laboratory workflow to ensure timely sample processing and accurate, consistent, and complete analytical results.
• Maintain continuous sample flow while balancing staffing, equipment availability, testing priorities, and client deadlines.
• Provide hands‑on analytical and technical support when needed.
• Supervise, mentor, train, and develop Chemists across multiple experience levels.
• Assign work, monitor performance, provide technical guidance, and support employee development.
• Coordinate staffing, instrumentation, laboratory supplies, and other departmental resources with laboratory management.
• Collaborate with other laboratory groups and department leaders to balance workloads and optimize laboratory operations.
• Lead analytical method development, optimization, troubleshooting, validation, and implementation.
• Research and implement new analytical technologies, instrumentation, and testing methodologies.
• Troubleshoot analytical instruments, methods, sample preparation processes, and data‑quality issues.
• Review analytical data packages and support data validation activities.
• Maintain internal quality control procedures and ensure analytical data meets established quality standards.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to support the laboratory's Quality Management System and maintain applicable accreditations.
• Investigate QA findings and implement corrective actions within the department.
• Support new instrument implementation, qualification, and validation.
• Ensure laboratory operations comply with established safety procedures and requirements.
• Serve as a technical resource for client questions and support sales teams with technically complex inquiries.
• Participate in technical training, conferences, industry events, and other professional development opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in laboratory processes, technology, testing capabilities, and operational efficiency.

Technical Focus

Candidates should bring strong experience with analytical chemistry instrumentation and techniques that may include:

• Gas Chromatography (GC)
• LC-MS/MS
• GC‑MS/MS
• High‑Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)
• HR‑MS/MS
• Orbitrap technology
• Conventional and mass‑selective detectors
• Analytical instrument maintenance and troubleshooting
• Sample preparation and extraction
• Analytical method development and validation
• Data review and validation

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or a closely related scientific discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant laboratory experience.
• Professional experience working in an analytical laboratory environment.
• Strong hands‑on knowledge of LC and/or GC analytical instrumentation.
• Experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting sophisticated analytical instrumentation.
• Experience with mass spectrometry‑based analytical techniques.
• Demonstrated analytical method troubleshooting and development experience.
• Experience training or mentoring laboratory personnel in analytical techniques, instrumentation, extraction procedures, or testing methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, testing requirements, and deadlines in a production laboratory environment.
• Experience collaborating across laboratory, quality, operations, and business functions.
• Strong technical communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to write and interpret SOPs, analytical methods, technical reports, and laboratory documentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience supervising or leading a team of chemists or laboratory professionals.
• Experience with LC-MS/MS and/or GC-MS/MS.
• Experience with high‑resolution accurate mass spectrometry (HRMS).
• Experience with Orbitrap or comparable high‑resolution mass spectrometry technology.
• Experience implementing and validating new laboratory instrumentation.
• Strong background in sample processing and extraction method development.
• Experience developing analytical methods for pesticides, process contaminants, or other chemical residues in food matrices.
• Experience working in food safety, environmental, agricultural, pharmaceutical, or other regulated analytical testing environments.
• Experience supporting laboratory Quality Management Systems and regulatory/accreditation requirements.
• Experience implementing laboratory process or efficiency improvements.
• Exposure to client‑facing technical support or laboratory business development.
• Experience working within an international or globally connected organization.

Leadership Responsibilities

This position directly supervises laboratory Chemists at multiple levels and is responsible for:

• Planning and assigning laboratory work.
• Training and mentoring team members.
• Providing technical oversight and troubleshooting support.
• Reviewing performance and supporting career development.
• Maintaining productivity and sample turnaround expectations.
• Supporting hiring and onboarding activities.
• Addressing operational and personnel challenges in partnership with laboratory management.
• Creating a collaborative, accountable, and quality‑focused laboratory environment.

What We're Looking For

This role is best suited for an experienced analytical chemist who is ready to combine technical expertise with people leadership.

The successful candidate should be equally comfortable troubleshooting an analytical method, reviewing data, coaching a chemist, prioritizing laboratory workload, and discussing technical capabilities with laboratory leadership or clients.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have progressed from hands‑on analytical chemistry into Senior Chemist, Lead Chemist, Laboratory Supervisor, Technical Lead, or Group Leader responsibilities and want to continue developing as a laboratory leader.

This position offers the opportunity to influence laboratory operations, analytical capabilities, technology adoption, employee development, data quality, and continuous improvement within an established analytical testing environment.