Vice President, Lab Quality

Quest Diagnostics; Secaucus (NJ); Hybrid; USD 300,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Health & wellness programs

Annual incentive plan

401(k) matching

Employee stock purchase plan

Education assistance

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Quest Diagnostics is seeking a Vice President of Lab Quality to provide strategic leadership for quality and regulatory compliance across traditional and esoteric labs. The role partners with regional Presidents and reports to the Chief Quality Officer, driving a culture of quality and continuous improvement.

The VP will implement a global quality management system aligned with Quest Quality System Elements, ensure CAP/CLIA compliance, and collaborate across R&D, safety, and manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in relevant field; advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years in quality assurance/regulatory compliance in diagnostics or labs.
• 7+ years in a senior QA leadership role with proven success.
• Expert knowledge of CAP/CLIA, FDA, and ISO regulations.
• Strong leadership and communication skills; strategic thinker.
• Experience mentoring 8–10 quality professionals; travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a global quality strategy for traditional labs.
• Ensure CAP/CLIA, FDA, ISO compliance and support regulatory inspections.
• Lead regional quality teams for consistency across locations.
• Implement Quest harmonized global/enterprise processes and Quality Policy.
• Collaborate with R&D, safety, manufacturing, and supply chain.
• Drive continuous improvement using data analytics and AI.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Regulatory compliance

Quality management systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Team leadership

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in scientific, life sciences, or engineering-related field

Master’s/PhD preferred

Job description

The Vice President of Lab Quality is the business partner to Regional Presidents while reporting to the Chief Quality Officer, providing strategic leadership and oversight for quality and regulatory compliance functions across the traditional & esoteric laboratories. This executive role is responsible for ensuring that all tests and services meet and exceed customer expectations and regulatory requirements.

The VP of Lab Quality will drive a culture of continuous improvement and will be responsible for the development and implementation of a global quality management system aligned with the overall Quest Quality System Elements and Core Processes. This role will have shared responsibility for quality across all regional labs and ensure compliance with CAP/CLIA regulations. The VP of Lab Quality will also have dotted-line reports from other business units to ensure enterprise‑wide quality alignment.

This is a hybrid role, and the selected candidate must be near a site to one of Quest Diagnostics hub locations. Preferred locations are Clifton, NJ; Marlborough, MA; Chantilly, VA; Lenexa, KS; Tampa, FL; Irving, TX; Wood Dale, IL.

Pay Range: $300,000-$350,000/year + 35% Annual Incentive Plan + Long-Term Incentive. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered. Successful candidates may be eligible to receive an annual performance bonus compensation.

Benefits

• Day 1 Medical, supplemental health, dental & vision for FT employees who work 30+ hours
• Best-in-class well-being programs
• Annual, no-cost health assessment program Blueprint for Wellness
• healthyMINDS mental health program
• Vacation and Health/Flex Time
• 6 Holidays plus 1 'MyDay' off
• FinFit financial coaching and services
• 401(k) pre‑tax and/or Roth IRA with company match up to 5% after 12 months of service
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Life and disability insurance, plus buy‑up option
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Annual incentive plans
• Matching gifts program
• Education assistance through MyQuest for Education
• Career advancement opportunities
• …and so much more!

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a global quality strategy for the traditional labs that align with the company's overall business objectives. Communicate a clear vision for quality excellence and foster a culture of quality throughout the traditional lab organization.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, including CAP/CLIA, FDA, ISO, and other international standards. Serve as a primary contact for regulatory agencies and support all regulatory inspections and audits for the traditional labs.
• Regional Oversight: Provide leadership and guidance to regional quality teams to ensure consistent application of quality standards and procedures across all locations.
• Ensure adoption and execution of all Quest harmonized global/enterprise processes including the Quality Policy.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Work closely with other departments, including R&D, medical safety, pharma & Diagnostics, manufacturing, and supply chain, to ensure that quality is built into all stages of the product lifecycle.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization. Utilize AI and data analytics to identify and implement best practices, and improvements to advance test quality, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in a scientific, life sciences, or engineering‑related field is required. An advanced degree (master’s/PhD) is preferred.
• A minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in quality assurance and regulatory compliance in the diagnostics industry, commercial/clinical laboratory industry, etc.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience in a senior quality assurance and regulatory compliance leadership role with a proven track record of success.
• Expert knowledge of CAP/CLIA, FDA, and ISO regulations is required. A strong understanding of quality management systems, continuous improvement methodologies, and risk management are also required.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills are essential. The ability to think strategically and to influence and motivate others is also critical for success in this role.
• Lead and mentor a high‑performing team of 8‑10 quality professionals at the Regional and/or BU‑level. Provide coaching, development, and performance management to ensure that the team has the skills and resources needed to succeed.
• Must be able to travel up to 50% domestically, with some international travel required as well.

About The Team

Quest Diagnostics honors our service members and encourages veterans to apply. While we appreciate and value our staffing partners, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Quest will not be responsible for paying agency fees for any individual as to whom an agency has sent an unsolicited resume.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Veterans or any other legally protected status.