How to hire a director of laboratory operations

How to hire a director of laboratory operations, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of laboratory operations hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director of laboratory operations job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director of laboratory operations
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a director of laboratory operations do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The director of laboratory operations hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A director of laboratory operations's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of laboratory operations from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents director of laboratory operations salaries for various positions.

   Type of Director Of Laboratory Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Laboratory Operations	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$23-71
   Managing Director	A Managing Director oversees workflow and progress, making sure that all operations align within the company or organization's mission or set of goals. They are responsible for crafting strategies, devising effective business plans, and executing guidelines that would nurture a company's growth, and as well as to be the driving force that would direct employees to the company's objectives... Show more	$34-112
   Division Director	A division director is a professional who is responsible for managing team members and business operations that are assigned in his/her or her division to achieve the goals of a company. Division directors are required to evaluate division performance and ensure that the team's work complies with the company policies and procedures... Show more	$32-102

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Operations
   • Chemistry
   • Laboratory Services
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Oversight
   • CLIA
   • Process Improvement
   • Proficiency Testing
   • Lims
   • Sigma
   • FDA
   • LIS
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Clinical Lab

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
   • Communicate with FDA as necessary with respect to these supplements.
   • Perform laboratory tests on specimens, including hematology, manual differentials, chemistry, coagulation and urinalysis.
   • Supervise district laboratory operations for CLIA certification
   • Supervise district laboratory operations for CLIA certification

   More director of laboratory operations duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the director of laboratory operations job description is a good way to get more applicants. A director of laboratory operations salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a director of laboratory operations in Kansas may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level director of laboratory operations. Additionally, a director of laboratory operations with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average director of laboratory operations salary

   $86,167yearly

   $41.43 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of laboratory operations salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average director of laboratory operations salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$122,267	$59
   2	New York	$119,829	$58
   3	California	$114,679	$55
   4	Rhode Island	$108,653	$52
   5	Virginia	$98,399	$47
   6	North Carolina	$93,637	$45
   7	Ohio	$90,197	$43
   8	Michigan	$89,590	$43
   9	Washington	$88,302	$42
   10	Colorado	$86,980	$42
   11	Pennsylvania	$86,440	$42
   12	Indiana	$85,746	$41
   13	Oregon	$77,237	$37
   14	Florida	$76,215	$37
   15	Missouri	$70,864	$34
   16	Texas	$70,668	$34

   Average director of laboratory operations salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$157,843	$75.89	97
   2	Roane General Hosp	$142,308	$68.42
   3	Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.	$136,091	$65.43	6
   4	Stanford Health Care	$134,198	$64.52	32
   5	Kaiser Permanente	$133,102	$63.99	137
   6	Abbott	$129,746	$62.38	11
   7	Seagen	$128,273	$61.67
   8	Johnson & Johnson	$124,070	$59.65	36
   9	Alere	$119,378	$57.39
   10	Nokia	$118,820	$57.13	17
   11	ELLKAY	$117,756	$56.61
   12	Quanterix	$114,596	$55.09
   13	Harvard University	$106,025	$50.97
   14	Vertellus	$104,149	$50.07
   15	CACI International	$103,071	$49.55	8
   16	Mount Sinai Health System	$101,695	$48.89	39
   17	NeoGenomics Laboratories	$100,958	$48.54	23
   18	Children's Hospital Los Angeles	$99,032	$47.61	8
   19	Quest Global	$94,657	$45.51
   20	Pharmaceutical Product Development	$91,972	$44.22

4. Writing a director of laboratory operations job description

   A good director of laboratory operations job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a director of laboratory operations job description:

   Director of laboratory operations job description example

   Job DescriptionWith over 150 years of caring for our community and each other in the Washington DC area, Howard University Hospital has a world-renowned reputation for high-quality, patient-centric care. Howard University Hospital is the nation’s only teaching hospital located on the campus of a Historically Black University and has created a superior learning environment, with groundbreaking research and positive patient outcomes.
   
   Howard University Hospital seeks to hire a Director of Laboratory Operations who will embrace our reach and historic tradition of excellence. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life every day, consider a position with a team of professionals who are doing just that, making a difference.
   
   The Director of Laboratory Operations will report directly to the VP of Operations and is responsible for providing strategic leadership and administration in the areas of patient care, education, safety and quality in accordance with organizational policies and in accordance with standards of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP).
   
   The Director will promote a professional practice environment and develop and maintain collegial and collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders across the institution to positively impact the business of clinical operation. These partnerships include ongoing collaboration with physicians, nursing, interdisciplinary, facility and organizational leaders. Responsibilities include all aspects of clinical operations, effective leadership strategies, employee engagement, clinician and patient/family education, customer service, patient safety, financial outcomes, and quality outcome management, operational excellence, uphold HUH policies and procedures, and regulatory compliance.
   The Director: Contributes to strategic planning, direction, and goal setting for the department or function in collaboration with senior management Leads and directs the work of other employees and has responsibility for personnel actions including hiring, performance management, and termination. Establishes performance/quality metrics for all laboratories that reflect best practice benchmarks in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Develops action plans and works with lab managers to assures laboratory operations comply with hospital and laboratory compliance plans and all regulatory and accreditation agency requirements including Joint Commission, CAP, CLIA, OSHA, AABB and FDA. Develops, reviews and updates policies and technical procedures for all laboratory sections Oversees staffing and ensures sufficient numbers of appropriately educated, experienced, and/or trained personnel who provide appropriate consultation, properly supervise, and accurately perform tests and report test results in accordance with the written duties and responsibilities specified by the Hospital and regulatory and accreditation agencies Ensures new test procedures are reviewed, included in the procedure manual and followed by personnel. Develops, reviews and updates policies and technical procedures for all laboratory sections Effectively communicates with hospital leadership, pathologists, medical staff, nursing staff, laboratory staff, and other internal and external customers. Assumes other duties and responsibilities that are related and appropriate to the position and area. The above responsibilities are a general description of the level and nature of the work assigned to this classification and are not to be considered as all-inclusive.
   Required Competencies Include: Knowledge of laboratory information systems, Microsoft applications and computerized instrumentation Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to cope effectively with stressful situations, time constraints and demonstrates sound judgment. Must have the ability to relate professionally and positively and work cooperatively with residents, families, and other employees at all levels. Strong time management and organizational skills Excellent managerial/administrative leadership skills including the ability to develop and implement strategic objectives, to motivate staff, and to effectively manage resources; comfort serving in a visible leadership role Must be able to maintain confidentiality regarding patient and company proprietary information.
   Qualified Candidates Possess: Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Physical, Biological or Clinical Laboratory Science from an accredited institution required. Master’s degree preferred Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive work experience in an accredited laboratory. Five (5) years of experience in administration of laboratory services Medical Technology certification from American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). At Howard University Hospital our job is to care for you. We do this by offering: Work-life balance Recognition and rewards for professional expertise Competitive, comprehensive benefit plans offered (including health, disability, vacation, sick leave, and 403B retirement plan) Tuition Remission for employees and their dependent children
   COVID-19 Vaccination:
   
   Howard University Hospital requires all external applicants to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before commencing employment. External Applicants may be required to furnish proof of vaccination and, if offered, may elect to be vaccinated at a designated H

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find directors of laboratory operations for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of laboratory operations job on Zippia to find and recruit director of laboratory operations candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting directors of laboratory operations requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director of laboratory operations

   Once you have selected a candidate for the director of laboratory operations position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new director of laboratory operations. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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