President – Laboratory Testing Operations

X4 Engineering; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 400,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

X4 Engineering in Columbia, MO seeks an experienced President to lead one of its analytical testing and laboratory services businesses. You will own the full P&L, drive growth, oversee laboratory operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and set strategic direction for the site.

The ideal candidate combines commercial acumen with hands-on scientific leadership, building high-performing teams, delivering exceptional quality and customer service, and advancing operational excellence across the

Qualifications

• Significant leadership of laboratory operations in regulated environments.
• Proven track record of driving revenue growth and profitability.
• Strong understanding of FDA, GMP/GLP standards and quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Own the full P&L for the laboratory business, including revenue, profitability and budgeting.
• Lead laboratory operations to ensure quality, productivity and timely delivery.
• Develop and execute commercial and growth strategies to expand market share.
• Build and develop a multidisciplinary team across operations, science, quality, finance and HR.
• Maintain regulatory compliance and robust quality programs across the site.
• Foster customer relationships with pharmaceutical and life sciences clients.

Skills

P&L ownership

Laboratory operations leadership

Strategic growth

Commercial acumen

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant science/engineering field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Our client is a leading global provider of analytical testing and laboratory services supporting pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and life sciences organizations. They are seeking an experienced President to lead one of their established laboratory businesses in Columbia, Missouri.

This is a high-impact executive leadership position with full P&L ownership and responsibility for the overall performance, growth, operational excellence, and strategic direction of the business.

The successful candidate will combine strong commercial instincts with hands‑on laboratory and operational leadership, acting as the senior leader for the site and ensuring the organization delivers exceptional scientific quality, customer service, financial performance, and employee engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the full P&L for the business, with accountability for revenue growth, profitability, EBITDA, budgeting, forecasting, cost management, and capital allocation.
• Lead the overall laboratory operations, ensuring high standards of scientific quality, productivity, turnaround time, capacity utilization, and customer delivery.
• Develop and execute the site's commercial and growth strategy, identifying opportunities to expand existing customer relationships, win new business, develop services, and increase market share.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary organization spanning laboratory operations, scientific functions, quality, commercial, finance, HR, and supporting functions.
• Establish a strong culture of accountability, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and customer focus.
• Partner closely with scientific and technical leadership to ensure the laboratory maintains the capabilities, expertise, technology, and infrastructure required to support evolving customer requirements.
• Drive improvements in laboratory productivity, utilization, staffing, cost structure, quality, and turnaround times.
• Maintain a strong focus on regulatory compliance and quality, ensuring operations meet applicable FDA, GMP/GLP, and other relevant standards.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and life sciences customers.
• Identify opportunities for new service development, technology investment, automation, and laboratory modernization.
• Lead capital investment and facility development initiatives, ensuring resources are aligned with long-term business strategy.
• Work with senior leadership on strategic initiatives including business transformation, organizational development, partnerships, and potential M&A activity.
• Ensure effective financial and operational reporting through clear KPIs, performance management, and regular business reviews.
• Serve as a visible senior representative of the organization with customers, employees, industry partners, and other stakeholders.

Ideal Background

The ideal candidate will be a proven laboratory, testing, CRO, pharmaceutical, or biopharmaceutical operations leader who has progressed into broad business leadership.

Key experience includes:

• Significant leadership experience within laboratory testing, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, CRO, CDMO, or another highly regulated scientific environment.
• Demonstrated full P&L ownership, ideally within a $50M+ business or comparable operational scale.
• Experience leading sizeable laboratory or technical organizations, including responsibility for multiple functional teams.
• Strong understanding of regulated laboratory operations, quality systems, and scientific workflows.
• Proven record of delivering revenue growth, profitability improvement, operational transformation, or turnaround initiatives.
• Strong commercial understanding with the ability to develop customer relationships and identify new business opportunities.
• Experience leading organizational change, developing high-performing teams, and building strong leadership cultures.
• Ability to operate comfortably at both strategic and operational levels and engage credibly with scientists, customers, and executive stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific, technical, business, or engineering discipline; advanced degree preferred.

Leadership Profile

This role is particularly suited to an energetic, entrepreneurial and hands‑on executive who enjoys building and transforming businesses rather than simply maintaining the status quo.

The successful leader will be:

• Commercially minded and comfortable owning growth.
• Operationally rigorous with a strong focus on KPIs and execution.
• Scientifically credible and comfortable operating in a laboratory environment.
• Customer-focused with strong executive presence.
• People-oriented, with a track record of developing leaders and building accountable teams.
• Comfortable making decisions in a complex, highly regulated environment.
• Motivated by the opportunity to take ownership of a substantial business and create measurable impact.

Why Join

This is an opportunity to take genuine ownership of an established laboratory business with significant scope for growth, operational improvement, commercial development, and strategic transformation.

The President will have the autonomy and executive visibility to shape the future direction of the business while working within a highly established global life sciences organization.