Senior Textile Lab & Pilot-Scale Leader

NC State Wilson College of Textiles; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Flexible Spending Account

Retirement Programs

Disability Plans

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off and Holidays

Tuition and Academic Assistance

Childcare benefits

Wellness Membership

Job summary

NC State University, through the Wilson College of Textiles, seeks a Senior Lab Manager to lead Zeis Textile Extension’s pilot-scale labs and drive strategic modernization, safety, and operational excellence. This role reports to the Zeis Director and partners with faculty, industry, and students.

Responsibilities include supervising lab managers, advancing workflow efficiency, and expanding external funding and technical service offerings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering or related fields preferred.
• 10+ years in manufacturing or operations leadership roles.
• Experience managing multiple laboratories and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Supervise all laboratory managers across knitting, weaving, physical testing, dying/finishing, and prototyping labs.
• Lead, coach and develop the site leadership team to foster accountability and continuous improvement.
• Drive safety, Lean/Kaizen/5S to improve operational efficiency and ensure compliance.
• Identify opportunities to expand technical services and industry engagement.
• Oversee equipment strategy, maintenance, and asset management; manage budget and resources.
• Collaborate with academic and industry partners to align lab capabilities with strategic goals.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering or related fields preferred

Job description

NC State University, through the Wilson College of Textiles, seeks a Senior Lab Manager to lead Zeis Textile Extension’s pilot-scale labs and drive strategic modernization, safety, and operational excellence. This role reports to the Zeis Director and partners with faculty, industry, and students.

Responsibilities include supervising lab managers, advancing workflow efficiency, and expanding external funding and technical service offerings.