How To Become A Laboratory Supervisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a laboratory supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Tanea Reed Ph.D.

Laboratory supervisors are accountable for organizing and directing the daily activities of the laboratory. They supervise laboratory personnel and provide access to them for consultations. They plan and supervise laboratory services in line with established standards and the organization's policies. Asides from that, they conduct and oversee quality assurance and control. Also, they collect, analyze, and interpret lab results. Furthermore, they develop, implement, and review laboratory procedures and policies. Additionally, they maintain laboratory records, reports, and files, including maintaining inventory.

Candidates are required to have at least a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, or any field. You must have a minimum of two years of experience in a similar role. You must be familiar with laboratory health and safety protocols. Additionally, you must possess leadership, multitasking, and communication skills. Laboratory supervisors make an average salary of $70,527 per year. This ranges between $49,000 and $102,000.

What general advice would you give to a laboratory supervisor?

Dr. Tanea Reed Ph.D.

Chair, Professor, Eastern Kentucky University

To a graduate just starting out, I would highly recommend establishing a list of short-term and long-term goals. Think about where they see themselves in the next 5 to 10 years and how they plan to reach them using SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). Additionally, if they have not already done so, they should set up a LinkedIn account as many jobs can be found on that platform. New graduates should plan on making multiple resumes that can be used when applying to different jobs based on the criteria (i.e., skills, academic, etc.). Lastly, I would recommend making a list of their "dream jobs and companies" and research the skills needed to perform the duties of their dream job and learn more about the company itself.

ScoreLaboratory SupervisorUS Average

Salary

5.3

Avg. Salary $67,361

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.6

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%

Asian 11.96%

Black or African American 10.47%

Hispanic or Latino 17.72%

Unknown 5.14%

White 53.90%

Gender

female 47.27%

male 52.73%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a laboratory supervisor

Explore laboratory supervisor education requirements

Most common laboratory supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

61.6 %

Associate

15.6 %

Master's

11.4 %

Start to develop specific laboratory supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Clinical Laboratory	10.76%
Patients	10.06%
Chemistry	5.70%
Patient Care	5.35%
Lab Equipment	5.33%

Complete relevant laboratory supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New laboratory supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a laboratory supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real laboratory supervisor resumes.

Research laboratory supervisor duties and responsibilities

Manage personnel within the team, and provide guidance relating to laboratory EMR to performance improvement projects
Handle administrative and IRB tasks, manage fiscal matters, maintain record system of participant data.
Manage all static data, generate reports, run queries and support laboratories with technical knowledge and advice.
Manage pneumatic resistance rehabilitation lab.

Prepare your laboratory supervisor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your laboratory supervisor resume.

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