How to hire a laboratory manager of operations

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

Here's a step-by-step laboratory manager of 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 laboratory manager of operations job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new laboratory manager of operations
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your laboratory manager of operations job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a laboratory manager of operations for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect laboratory manager of operations also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Laboratory Manager Of Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Laboratory Manager Of 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.	$23-65
   Operations Support Manager	Operations Support Managers are employees who handle different support initiatives for the employees or operations-related departments. These support initiatives may come in people management and upskilling, IT infrastructure assistance, or process improvement, among others... Show more	$22-63
   Operations Project Manager	An operations project manager is responsible for monitoring the performance of the project team, ensuring that the operations meet the clients' standards and internal regulations with maximum productivity and efficiency. Operations project managers manage the department's budget and allocate materials and resources accurately, maintaining a record of expenses and costs forecasting... Show more	$31-58

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Clinical Laboratory
   • Chemistry
   • CLIA
   • Lab Operations
   • Laboratory Safety
   • OSHA
   • Microbiology
   • Test Results
   • Project Management
   • Human Resources
   • Proficiency Testing
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Direct Reports
   • Sigma

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and conduct GLP evaluations and audits of service providers and facilities and processes.
   • Manage laboratory operations and staff, including test method development in compliance regulatory standards (ASTM, ISO, FDA).
   • Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
   • Mass DEP, OSHA, etc .).
   • Prepare reagents and standards according to EPA procedures.
   • Interact with FDA on product testing issues and laboratory inspections.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, laboratory managers of operations' average salary in florida is 63% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level laboratory managers of operations 64% less than senior-level laboratory managers of operations.
   • Certifications. A laboratory manager of operations 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 of operations's salary.

   Average laboratory manager of operations salary

   $82,251yearly

   $39.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level laboratory manager of operations salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a laboratory manager of operations job description

   A laboratory manager of operations job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a laboratory manager of operations job description:

   Laboratory manager of operations job description example

   With 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 Laboratory Operations Manager 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 Manager: Manages the daily operations of the Laboratory. Maintains laboratory standards in compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements. Oversees the proficiency testing program in Laboratory Services. Provides recommendations and initiates decisions on instruments and method selection, and assures appropriate method validation and implementation of new methods. Review quality assurance indicators including panic/exceptions, pending, laboratory turnaround reports and corrective action as required. Implements an effective quality management system for the Department. Establishes performance/quality metrics for all laboratories that reflect best practice benchmarks in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Prepares the lab for inspections. Reviews the staffing and ensures staff meet testing demands. Reviews overtime utilization and productivity data to determine volume trends and staffing needs. Develops, reviews and updates policies and technical procedures for all laboratory sections. Assures laboratory operations comply with hospital and laboratory compliance plans and all regulatory and accreditation agency requirements including The Joint Commission, CAP, CLIA, OSHA, AABB and FDA. Recommends short and long term goals, objectives, and operating plans for the Department. Ensures effective communications with hospital leadership, pathologists, medical staff, nursing staff, laboratory staff, and other internal and external customers. Develops laboratory educational in-service programs for all sections Assumes other duties and responsibilities that are related and appropriate to the position and area.
   Required Skills: Ability to delegate responsibility when necessary Ability to direct laboratory staff on professional aspects of medical laboratory practices Ability to develop and prepare operating budgets Knowledge of work analysis and goal development Knowledge of the procurement process for equipment, supplies and services.
   Qualified candidates will possess: Bachelors of Science degree in Medical Technology or one of the related Biological Sciences required. Minimum 5 years of progressive work experience in an accredited laboratory. Minimum 3 or more years of administrative supervisory experience in laboratory preferred. Medical Technology certification through ASCP required. 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: H oward 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 Howard University Hospital location.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right laboratory manager of operations for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with laboratory managers of operations they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit laboratory managers of operations who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit laboratory managers of operations, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 laboratory manager of operations

   Once you've found the laboratory manager of operations candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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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