Laboratory Manager

The Laboratory Manager is accountable for the safe, compliant and reliable operation of the laboratory and cleanroom environments. This role leads day-to-day laboratory activities, supervises and develops technical personnel, coordinates experimental readiness with scientists and engineers, and ensures that equipment, materials, procedures, records and facilities support QLE’s research and commissioning objectives. The work spans nuclear, electro-chemical, mechanical, electronic, fluid and chemical systems.

Responsibilities

Safety, Compliance & Risk Management: Lead a safety-first laboratory culture in which nobody gets hurt. Own implementation of laboratory, nuclear, chemical, cleanroom and general safety requirements; maintain risk assessments, training and operational controls; verify readiness before work begins; stop unsafe work; and coordinate corrective actions with facility, engineering and science leaders.

Laboratory Operations & Experimental Readiness: Plan and control daily laboratory activities across nuclear, electro-chemical, mechanical, electronic, fluid and chemical systems. Translate experimental priorities into schedules, resource plans and clear work assignments, and confirm that trained personnel, approved procedures, equipment, utilities, materials and protective controls are available before testing.

Team Leadership & Capability Development: Supervise laboratory operators and technical personnel, set expectations, allocate work, coach performance and build capability through structured onboarding, competency assessment and cross-training. Promote disciplined execution, constructive challenge and effective collaboration with scientists, engineers, facilities personnel and external specialists.

Chemical, Wet Laboratory & Cleanroom Management: Control laboratory activities involving hazardous chemicals, hydrofluoric acid, fluorine and related materials under approved procedures and engineering controls. Maintain compliant storage, labelling, inventory, waste and emergency arrangements. Establish cleanroom gowning, material-transfer, monitoring and contamination-control practices.

Experimental Execution & Data Integrity: Coordinate extended experimental runs, including aerodynamic-separation and isotopic-separation testing. Ensure operating conditions, adjustments, samples, observations, anomalies and results are recorded accurately and traceably. Review run records, lead debriefs and convert lessons learned into improved procedures and controls.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Visible leadership of a safety-first culture, with sound judgment and the authority to pause work when risks are not adequately controlled.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary laboratory operations   through clear priorities, disciplined planning, effective delegation and   reliable follow-through.
• Strong people-leadership skills, including coaching, competency development, constructive feedback and management of technical personnel.
• Working knowledge of laboratory compliance, hazardous-material controls, cleanroom practices, equipment maintenance and   controlled technical documentation.
• Ability to communicate operating status, technical risks, resource constraints and improvement priorities clearly to scientists, engineers and facility leadership.
• Demonstrated troubleshooting and decision-making capability   in complex experimental or industrial environments.
• Experience with ICP-OES, ICP-MS, XRD, XRF and IC instruments.
• Knowledge of fluorine chemistry will be highly beneficial
• Knowledge of uranium chemistry will be highly beneficial

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Extensive experience [WF1.1]in niche chemical environments   including critical minerals, rare earth metals, fluorine compounds and/or   nuclear chemistry• Ability to work effectively with scientists and engineers   and to translate technical priorities into safe, executable laboratory plans.
• PhD in Chemistry