R&D Lab Manager - Lead Lab Ops & Innovation

AFL Telecommunications, LLC; Dallas, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid in-office schedule

Flexible time off

401K company match

Professional development

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Job summary

AFL Telecommunications, LLC is seeking a highly skilled R&D Lab Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the state-of-the-art inside plant fiber termination lab. You will coordinate priorities with R&D engineers, manage technicians, and ensure prototype builds, process trials, qualification testing, and data collection are completed safely and on schedule.

The role emphasizes maintaining lab readiness, strengthening technician capability, improving test methods, and enforcing standards

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Mechanical/Electrical Technology, or related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of technical lab, manufacturing, test, process development, automation, or product development experience.
• 2+ years leading, coordinating, or supervising technicians or technical work teams preferred.
• Strong understanding of lab safety practices, test execution, prototype builds, process trials, measurement systems, and technical documentation.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, work instructions, test plans, and technical requirements.
• Strong organizational, planning, and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent lab activities.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize lab status, risks, issues, and results.
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with engineers and cross-functional partners to support new product and process development from concept through testing and industrialization.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily R&D lab operations, including work assignments, technician schedules, lab priorities, equipment readiness, and overall workflow.
• Lead, coach, and develop process and test technicians who support prototype builds, process development, design verification, qualification testing, automation trials, and product/process improvement work.
• Partner with R&D engineers to plan, prepare, execute, and document experiments, test plans, build activities, validation work, and process trials.
• Maintain lab readiness, strengthening technician capability, improving test and process methods, and reinforcing standards for safety and quality.
• Coordinate prototype builds, sample preparation, fixture setup, test execution, measurement collection, and communication of lab status, issues, and constraints.
• Monitor lab equipment, tooling, fixtures, consumables, and maintenance needs to ensure readiness for current and upcoming R&D work.
• Identify opportunities to improve lab efficiency, throughput, repeatability, technician capability, and quality of test/process execution.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Management, and external partners as needed.
• Support root cause analysis, troubleshooting, corrective actions, and continuous improvement activities related to lab testing, process performance, and prototype builds.
• Perform other R&D lab, process development, and technician leadership duties as requested, directed, or assigned.

Skills

Lab leadership

Process development

Test execution

Documentation

Communication

Education

Associate degree in Engineering Technology or related field

Job description

AFL Telecommunications, LLC is seeking a highly skilled R&D Lab Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the state-of-the-art inside plant fiber termination lab. You will coordinate priorities with R&D engineers, manage technicians, and ensure prototype builds, process trials, qualification testing, and data collection are completed safely and on schedule.

The role emphasizes maintaining lab readiness, strengthening technician capability, improving test methods, and enforcing standards