Lab Supervisor

The Laboratory Supervisor leads day-to-day laboratory operations and personnel at Aurubis Richmond, ensuring safe, efficient, and accurate results with a strong focus on quality and operational excellence. This role manages laboratory resources, provides technical guidance and team development, ensures regulatory compliance, and drives continuous improvement. The ideal candidate brings laboratory experience, preferably in non-ferrous metallurgy, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to safety, quality, and environmental standards.

Lead daily laboratory operations and supervise, coach, and develop laboratory personnel.

Ensure accurate, timely, and reliable laboratory testing, sample preparation, documentation, and reporting.

Maintain compliance with safety, environmental, quality, regulatory, and company requirements.

Oversee laboratory equipment, supplies, systems, work areas, and resources to maintain operational readiness.

Develop and maintain laboratory procedures, work instructions, quality standards, and training requirements.

Monitor KPIs, quality results, and laboratory lead times, taking corrective action when performance targets are not met.

Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities that enhance safety, quality, efficiency, cost, and reliability.

Provide technical guidance on laboratory methods, equipment, systems, troubleshooting, and process improvements.

Partner cross-functionally with Production, Sample Preparation, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, Logistics, Purchasing, and other stakeholders.

Support laboratory projects, equipment commissioning, process optimization, budgeting, and departmental initiatives.

Foster a positive, safety-focused culture built on accountability, collaboration, employee development, and operational excellence.

Serve as backup to the Sample Preparation & Laboratory Manager as needed and perform other duties as assigned.

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline, such as Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.

5+ years of laboratory experience, including supervisory or leadership experience; non-ferrous metallurgy experience strongly preferred.

Strong knowledge of laboratory procedures, sampling, testing, equipment operation, and calibration.

Experience with laboratory safety, environmental requirements, and regulatory compliance.

Knowledge of workplace hazards and applicable quality, safety, and environmental standards.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office and basic business/ERP systems.

Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to coach, motivate, develop, and manage teams.

Strong communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Ability to manage priorities, adapt to changing conditions, and perform effectively in a fast-paced industrial environment.

Detail-oriented with a strong commitment to safety, quality, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Experience in a metals, manufacturing, or international laboratory environment (preferred).

Knowledge of Lean, continuous improvement, TPS, or Statistical Process Control (SPC) principles. Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems.

Willing and physically able to walk/work in, observe and spend time in a smelter environment.

Must be willing and physically able to work in intense heat situations. 

Able to sit, stand and walk for varying periods of time in the plant.

Must be able to perform the following: walking, standing, climbing, pulling, and or pushing, carrying, grasping, using hand-to-finger movement, balancing, reaching, twisting, turning, and stooping.

May occasionally be required to reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. 

Good physical condition with the ability to lift to 50 lbs. occasionally. 

Good hand/eye coordination, motor skills, 20/20 corrected vision and hearing within the normal range. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. 

Ability to respond quickly and efficiently to all safety needs on the floor or in the office areas. 

Must wear all required PPE when in protected areas. 

Willing and physically able to travel domestically and/or internationally, if requested.