How to hire a laboratory manager

How to hire a laboratory manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step laboratory manager hiring guide:

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

What does a laboratory manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The laboratory manager 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 laboratory manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, laboratory managers 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of laboratory managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Laboratory Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Laboratory Manager	Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.	$23-53
   Vice-President Of Quality	A vice president of quality is responsible for monitoring the quality performance and delivery of the company outputs and deliverables to serve customers and clients. Vice presidents of quality analyze the production and operational processes to ensure that everything adheres to the internal guidelines and regulations... Show more	$43-86
   Quality Supervisor	A quality supervisor is a professional who manages and implements the quality assurance and control systems of a company to ensure the proper execution of products and customer satisfaction. Quality supervisors oversee a team of quality control analysts and train them on the latest product standards... Show more	$20-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Equipment
   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Chemistry
   • Clinical Laboratory
   • Lab Safety
   • Patient Care
   • CLIA
   • Laboratory Services
   • Equipment Maintenance
   • Lab Procedures
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • OSHA
   • Proficiency Testing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead laboratory investigations, OOS, deviations, change controls and CAPA.
   • Manage daily personnel challenges, assist with marketing and maintain appropriate standards and regulations per JCAHO, DNV.
   • Manage staff and oversee FDA guidelines and regulations for pharmaceutical research
   • Initiate and manage successful in-house design and implementation of network base LIMS database.
   • Manage curriculum development, authore and publish lab manuals in physiology and ecology.
   • Manage daily laboratory operations including personnel, client consulting, analyses and adherence to GLP protocols.

   More laboratory manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your laboratory manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A laboratory manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, laboratory managers' average salary in south carolina is 53% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level laboratory managers 56% less than senior-level laboratory managers.
   • Certifications. A laboratory manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a laboratory manager's salary.

   Average laboratory manager salary

   $74,314yearly

   $35.73 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level laboratory manager salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average laboratory manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$109,409	$53
   2	Washington	$97,693	$47
   3	Nevada	$94,687	$46
   4	Oregon	$88,477	$43
   5	New York	$80,512	$39
   6	Indiana	$77,394	$37
   7	Massachusetts	$76,182	$37
   8	Utah	$71,671	$34
   9	Colorado	$70,695	$34
   10	Arizona	$70,592	$34
   11	Maryland	$69,739	$34
   12	District of Columbia	$69,679	$34
   13	Texas	$67,984	$33
   14	Ohio	$67,457	$32
   15	Illinois	$67,453	$32
   16	North Carolina	$67,027	$32
   17	Pennsylvania	$66,336	$32
   18	Virginia	$65,956	$32
   19	Nebraska	$64,427	$31
   20	Maine	$61,896	$30

   Average laboratory manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$162,612	$78.18	11
   2	Microsoft	$158,156	$76.04	10
   3	Google	$154,821	$74.43
   4	Apple	$144,673	$69.55	5
   5	Ropes & Gray	$139,134	$66.89
   6	GoDaddy	$137,249	$65.99
   7	Amazon	$135,663	$65.22	35
   8	BP America Inc	$131,482	$63.21
   9	Cisco	$126,097	$60.62
   10	Neuralink IT Solutions	$123,173	$59.22	1
   11	Skyworks Solutions	$118,703	$57.07
   12	Chemonics	$118,328	$56.89
   13	DataDirect Networks (DDN)	$116,670	$56.09
   14	Bio-Rad Laboratories	$115,208	$55.39
   15	Extreme Networks	$112,441	$54.06
   16	Fusion Technology	$111,503	$53.61
   17	Infineon Technologies	$108,875	$52.34
   18	Dassault Systèmes	$105,598	$50.77
   19	VF	$105,021	$50.49
   20	Vicor	$104,061	$50.03

4. Writing a laboratory manager job description

   A good laboratory manager 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 laboratory manager job description:

   Laboratory manager job description example

   Minimum qualifications:
   
   + Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent practical experience.
   
   + 3 years of experience working in a hardware prototyping or laboratory environment.
   
   + 2 years of experience in a people management, supervision, or team leadership role.
   
   Preferred qualifications:
   
   + Experience in software or hardware testing or test engineering.
   
   + Experience working with any of the following: cameras, displays, audio
   
   hardware, and NIR laser projectors.
   
   + Familiarity with Linux and shell scripting.
   
   In this role, will be in charge of establishing inventory systems, implementing health and safety protocols, upgrading labs to meet the needs of our Hardware and Software Engineering teams, and forecasting and acquiring new lab space as needed. Additionally, you will work alongside our team of Hardware and Software Engineers to build and test a variety of hardware components and fully integrated systems. You will direct and prioritize the activities of prototyping vendors across both sites.
   
   Project Starline from Google combines advances in hardware and software to enable friends, families and co-workers to feel together, even when they're cities (or countries) apart. Imagine looking through a magic window, and through that window, you see another person, life-size and in three-dimensions. As part of the Project Starline team, you'll work with researchers and engineers in a fast-paced product-oriented environment. Our teams collaborate closely with Google Workspace and Research teams. Your contributions will have an impact on the future of communications with Google products. You will apply technology to solve that really important problem that we often want to be together and we can't.
   
   + Plan and oversee the day-to-day operations in our cross-site hardware prototyping labs with emphasis on employee health and safety.
   
   + Develop and implement lab inventory management systems.
   
   + Manage lab growth and space and equipment upgrades.
   
   + Directly manage a team of other Lab Managers, Test Engineers, and Hardware Technicians, who work closely with Software and Hardware Engineers across the team, to build and test a variety of hardware assemblies and fully integrated hardware and software systems.
   
   + Contribute to our tremendous team culture built around inclusion, fun, and working hard to do big things.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right laboratory manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting laboratory managers 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 laboratory manager

   Once you've selected the best laboratory manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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How much does it cost to hire a laboratory manager?