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Cannabis Lab Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Certified Group

Microbiology Lab Manager

Burbank, CA · On-site

Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp ... The Manager is accountable for all quality, customer, people, financial, and workflow activities ...

Certified Group

Microbiology Lab Manager

Burbank, CA · On-site

Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp ... The Manager is accountable for all quality, customer, people, financial, and workflow activities ...

New

Nova Analytic Labs LLC

Lab Technologist

Portland, ME · On-site

$20 - $24/hr

\n \n \n Nova Analytic Labs is seeking a highly motivated entry level scientist to join our cannabis ... Flexibility and dedication are a must. \n The Lab Technologist I works directly under Lab Manager ...

Nova Analytic Labs LLC

Lab Analyst I

Portland, ME · On-site

... cannabis testing laboratory startup, located in Portland, ME. The testing Nova Analytic Labs will ... The ideal candidate will possess sound scientific knowledge, management skills, and an eye for ...

VIBE Cannabis

Hydrocarbon Lab Tech Position

Saint Louis, MO · On-site

$16.75 - $22.25/hr

The primary responsibility is packaging cannabis concentrates and vape products at a consistent ... Strong time management and attention to detail * Team player with clear communication skills

Careers - Justice Grown

Production Lead

Ewing, NJ · On-site

$18.50 - $25.50/hr

... cannabis lab products via hand-filling methods and filling equipment with a continuous focus on ... Pass on key communications from management and keep the team informed. * Lead the compliant and ...

Certified Group

Microbiology Lab Supervisor

Turlock, CA · On-site

Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp ... Manage sample tracking, data entry, and reporting through LIMS * Allocate staffing based on testing ...

Careers - Justice Grown

Production Lead

Ewing, NJ · On-site

$18.50 - $25.50/hr

... cannabis lab products via hand-filling methods and filling equipment with a continuous focus on ... Pass on key communications from management and keep the team informed. * Lead the compliant and ...

Certified Group

Microbiology Lab Supervisor

Turlock, CA · On-site

Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp ... Manage sample tracking, data entry, and reporting through LIMS * Allocate staffing based on testing ...

Certified Group

Microbiology Lab Supervisor

Turlock, CA · On-site

Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp ... Manage sample tracking, data entry, and reporting through LIMS * Allocate staffing based on testing ...

TerrAscend

Lab Technician (Cannabis)

Waterfall, PA

$16/hr

At TerrAscend, we don't just grow cannabis -- we grow possibility. Whether it's cultivating top ... Management has the exclusive right to alter this at any time without notice. The list of job ...

Certified Group

Microbiology Lab Supervisor

Turlock, CA · On-site

Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp ... Manage sample tracking, data entry, and reporting through LIMS * Allocate staffing based on testing ...

TerrAscend

Lab Technician (Cannabis)

Waterfall, PA

$16/hr

As a trailblazer in the cannabis industry, our roots run deep and our sights are set high. If you ... Management has the exclusive right to alter this at any time without notice. The list of job ...

TerrAscend

Lab Technician (Cannabis)

Waterfall, PA · On-site

$16/hr

At TerrAscend, we don't just grow cannabis -- we grow possibility. Whether it's cultivating top ... Management has the exclusive right to alter this at any time without notice. The list of job ...

Curaleaf

Lead Processing Lab Technician

Taneytown, MD · On-site

$25.75/hr

The Lead Laboratory Processing Technician will assist the Lab Manager by carrying out day-to-day ... cannabis inventory software. * Storing supplies and equipment, disposing of waste according to ...

Careers - Justice Grown

Mid-shift Production Lead

Ewing, NJ · On-site

$18.50 - $25.50/hr

... cannabis lab products via hand-filling methods and filling equipment with a continuous focus on ... Pass on key communications from management and keep the team informed. * Lead the compliant and ...

New

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Cannabis Lab Manager information

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$32.5K

$92K

$149K

How much do cannabis lab manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for cannabis lab manager in the United States is $91,960.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $70,000.00 and $111,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a cannabis lab manager do?

A Cannabis Lab Manager oversees laboratory operations related to testing cannabis products for safety, potency, and compliance with regulatory standards. Their responsibilities include managing lab staff, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of test results, maintaining equipment, and adhering to strict health and safety protocols. They also develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs), interact with regulatory agencies, and ensure that all lab practices meet state and federal guidelines. Their work is essential for ensuring that cannabis products are safe for consumer use and labeled accurately.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a cannabis lab manager?

A Cannabis Lab Manager needs a strong background in chemistry or biology, laboratory management experience, and often a relevant degree in a scientific field. Familiarity with analytical testing instruments like HPLC, GC-MS, LIMS, and knowledge of regulatory compliance (such as ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation) are critical. Excellent organizational, leadership, and communication skills enable effective team management and precise reporting. These competencies are vital to ensure product safety, regulatory compliance, and high-quality testing standards in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry.

What are some common challenges faced by a cannabis lab manager when ensuring compliance with state regulations?

Cannabis Lab Managers often face the challenge of keeping up with frequently changing state and local regulations, which can affect testing protocols, documentation, and reporting requirements. Ensuring all laboratory processes remain compliant while maintaining high standards of accuracy and efficiency can be demanding, especially as regulations differ by jurisdiction. Additionally, coordinating with internal teams and external stakeholders, such as regulatory agencies and clients, requires strong organizational and communication skills. Staying proactive in training staff and updating standard operating procedures is essential to avoid compliance issues and ensure smooth lab operations.

What is the difference between Cannabis Lab Manager vs Cannabis Quality Control Technician?

AspectCannabis Lab ManagerCannabis Quality Control Technician
CredentialsRelevant degrees, certifications in lab management or cannabis testingCertifications in lab testing, quality assurance, or cannabis analysis
Work EnvironmentOversees lab operations, manages staff, ensures compliancePerforms testing, sample analysis, and quality checks
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in licensed cannabis testing labs, regulatory agenciesFound in testing facilities, production labs, quality assurance teams

The Cannabis Lab Manager focuses on overseeing lab operations, managing staff, and ensuring regulatory compliance, while the Cannabis Quality Control Technician performs hands-on testing and analysis of cannabis samples. Both roles require relevant certifications and work within licensed cannabis testing environments, but their responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

More about Cannabis Lab Manager jobs

What cities are hiring for Cannabis Lab Manager jobs?

Cities with the most Cannabis Lab Manager job openings:

What states have the most Cannabis Lab Manager jobs?

States with the most job openings for Cannabis Lab Manager jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Cannabis Lab Manager jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Cannabis Lab Manager jobs are:

Cannabis Lab Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cannabis Lab Manager job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, and 6% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $91,960 per year, or $44.2 per hour.

Microbiology Lab Manager

Certified Group

Burbank, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago

Job description

Certified Group is committed to partnering with customers to deliver innovative scientific solutions and expertise - So The World Can Trust In What It Consumes™. Our network of 30+ North American and European laboratories serves the food & beverage, dietary supplements, cosmetics, OTC, tobacco/nicotine, cannabis, and hemp industries.
Our Brands
Certified Group is comprised of a set of specialized brands that collectively deliver laboratory testing, regulatory consulting, and certification & audit services across highly regulated industries:
  • Certified Laboratories - Provides comprehensive analytical and microbiological testing, primarily supporting food, beverage, cosmetics, OTC, and dietary supplement industries.
  • Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) - A leading network of ISO-accredited laboratories across North America, focused on food safety testing, operational support, and technical services for the food industry.
  • Labstat - A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp, and next-generation products, with deep expertise in analytical chemistry and toxicology.
  • EAS Consulting Group - A regulatory consulting firm offering expert guidance, training, and auditing support across FDA, USDA, and other regulated sectors, powered by a large network of independent advisors.
  • FSNS Certification & Audit - Provides accredited third-party auditing and certification services, including food safety, animal welfare, and GMP programs.

Job Summary:
The Microbiology Laboratory Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Burbank Microbiology laboratory, ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely testing for the local and national customer base. Burbank is a GMP-registered facility supporting microbiological testing of OTC drug products, cosmetics/personal care products, antibiotic products, and sterility-related . The Manager is accountable for all quality, customer, people, financial, and workflow activities within Microbiology. The role operates with a strong general manager mindset, balancing scientific rigor and cGMP discipline with business acumen, resource optimization, customer engagement, and continuous improvement. Particular focus is required on on-time delivery (OTD), backlog control, timely PET/stability/sterility starts, method suitability readiness, and accurate execution in LabWare.
Purpose: So the world can trust in what it consumes.
Mission: Partner with customers to deliver innovative scientific solutions and expertise.
Values: start with the customer, commit to safety and quality, drive to deliver, act with integrity and support the team.
Leadership Accountabilities:
  1. Quality Excellence: Promote a culture where cGMP compliance, data integrity, technical accuracy, and adherence to approved methods and SOPs are embedded into every action. Ensure the laboratory remains audit- and inspection-ready.
  2. Customer-Focus: Ensure timely, high-quality results and proactive, factual communication on delays, study starts, technical concerns, and revised timelines to build trust and protect key customer relationships.
  3. People-Centricity: Maintain a safe, engaging, accountable environment. Be present and accessible, ensuring supervisors and analysts are trained, supported, cross-trained, and developed to perform at their best.
  4. Profitability: Manage labor, overtime, inventory, supplies, capacity, and other controllable costs while improving OTD, productivity, utilization, and sustainable laboratory contribution.
  5. Innovation: Drive continuous improvement through root-cause problem solving, standard work, LabWare workflow improvement, automation, and cross-site best-practice sharing.

Behavioral & Functional Competencies:
  1. Strategic Leadership: Think beyond daily execution to align resources, capability, and capacity with Burbank and broader COS objectives; anticipate risks before they become customer or compliance issues.
  2. Quality Champion: Use sound microbiological and regulatory judgment to ensure work is technically defensible, methods are appropriate, and issues are escalated and corrected promptly.
  3. Customer Orientation: Build confidence through reliable commitments, transparency, responsiveness, and professional management of technical or service escalations.
  4. Team Empowerment: Develop supervisors, technical leads, and analysts; create clear accountability while building bench strength and reducing single-point dependencies.
  5. Operational & Financial Acumen: Use OTD, backlog aging, turnaround time, productivity, staffing, quality, and financial metrics to set priorities and make timely business decisions.
Responsibilities:
Core Operations
  • Foster a high-performing Microbiology laboratory environment aligned with Certified Group standards, Burbank cGMP expectations, and customer commitments.
  • Lead daily operations using a balanced scorecard that includes OTD, backlog volume and aging, test starts, turnaround time, late work, staffing/capacity, quality events, and customer-critical commitments.
  • Conduct daily huddles with supervisors and technical leads to set priorities, rebalance work, remove bottlenecks, and ensure available resources are properly utilized.
  • Actively manage sample flow from receipt/intake and SME review through test start, incubation/reading, technical review, and result release; eliminate avoidable queue time between steps.
  • Ensure timely initiation and execution of PET/AET, stability, sterility, microbial limits, specified-organism, suitability, growth-promotion, and other microbiological work within the site's approved scope.
  • Maintain accurate and timely use of LabWare for Microbiology status, holds, scheduling, test initiation, result entry, and internal visibility.
  • Maintain technical competence across the department and ensure sufficient SME coverage and cross-training for critical methods, shifts, and review functions.
  • Proactively manage organisms, media, reagents, controls, sample quantities, and other prerequisites so procurement or readiness issues do not repeatedly delay testing.

Quality & Safety
  • Lead operations in accordance with applicable cGMP requirements, the Corporate Quality Management System, ISO/IEC 17025 requirements where applicable, approved SOPs, validated/verified methods, and customer-specific requirements.
  • Ensure the laboratory is inspection-ready for FDA, customer, accreditation, and internal audits. Be present during audits and ensure supervisors and SMEs can clearly explain their processes, controls, investigations, and records.
  • Partner with Quality and R&D/Validation on method suitability, verification, validation, transfer, deviations, and technical risk assessments; testing must remain within the site's qualified and approved scope.
  • Ensure deviations, OOS/OOT results, laboratory investigations, CAPAs, and quality events are initiated promptly, scientifically sound, and completed within established timelines.
  • Maintain appropriate aseptic, contamination-control, environmental, cleaning/disinfection, and material-flow practices for sterility and other sensitive microbiological activities.
  • Monitor incubators, autoclaves, biosafety/clean-air equipment, environmental-monitoring devices, and other critical systems to ensure qualification, calibration, maintenance, and readiness.

Customer Engagement
  • Represent Certified Group with professionalism and care in all customer interactions, with a focus on trust, retention, and growth.
  • Ensure timely and accurate responses to customer questions and concerns, especially around test suitability, study starts, delays, technical risk, and revised completion dates.
  • Provide clear, factual, and consistent updates when results or study starts are at risk; avoid unsupported timelines and ensure commitments reflect actual laboratory capacity and technical requirements.
  • Participate in customer calls, investigations, technical reviews, audits, and business reviews as needed; coordinate closely with Client Experience to present one consistent message.

People Leadership
  • Anticipate staffing needs based on volume and test mix, and design schedules across shifts, weekends, PET/sterility/stability activities, and customer commitments.
  • Recruit, interview, select, onboard, train, and retain high-quality talent; maintain structured qualification and cross-training plans for methods, equipment, systems, and cGMP responsibilities.
  • Coach supervisors and technical leads to create a high-performance environment with clear accountability for safety, quality, productivity, training, communication, attendance, and customer commitments.
  • Reduce single-point dependencies by building technical depth across critical methods and shifts, including succession planning for supervisors, SMEs, and review functions.
  • Maintain a visible daily presence in the laboratory to observe operations, reinforce standards, recognize performance, and provide real-time coaching and feedback.
  • Partner with Human Resources on performance management and employee-relations matters, ensuring documentation is timely, thorough, and consistent.

Profitability
  • Manage Microbiology financial performance by aligning labor, overtime, staffing, supplies, inventory, vendor costs, and operating plans with budget and laboratory contribution expectations.
  • Use workload, productivity, utilization, backlog, and turnaround data to support staffing decisions and optimize resources before adding cost.
  • Understand the cost of repeat testing, delayed starts, poor first-pass execution, excessive overtime, and customer escalations; implement corrective actions that improve both service and profitability.
  • Proactively manage outside vendors and service providers to minimize waste while maintaining appropriate quality and compliance standards.

Innovation and continuous improvement
  • Actively contribute to cross-site best-practice sharing across the Certified Group network and support overflow testing, resource sharing, method transfer, and training where appropriate.
  • Use OTD, backlog, discrepancies, OOS/OOT, customer complaints, repeat work, and equipment downtime trends to prioritize and verify continuous-improvement actions.
  • Identify opportunities for workflow redesign, standardization, scheduling improvements, LabWare enhancements, and automation that increase throughput without compromising quality or compliance.
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Biology, Biological Sciences, or a closely related scientific field required; master's degree preferred.
  • Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in a microbiology laboratory supporting GMP-regulated testing; experience in OTC/drug, pharmaceutical, cosmetics/personal care, antibiotic, or contract testing environments strongly preferred.
  • Minimum three years of direct people-leadership experience; experience leading supervisors or technical leads who oversee hourly laboratory staff strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience with cGMP microbiology and compendial/validated methods, including several of the following: microbial limits/enumeration, specified organisms, PET/AET, method suitability, growth promotion, sterility testing, and aseptic/environmental controls.
  • Prior experience in a high-volume, customer-facing third-party laboratory strongly preferred, with demonstrated ability to manage OTD, backlog, capacity, customer escalations, and competing priorities.
  • Working knowledge of laboratory investigations, deviations, CAPA, OOS/OOT, change control, audit readiness, training/qualification, and document control.
  • Experience with LIMS-based laboratory operations required; LabWare experience preferred.
  • Proven track record of using operational and financial KPIs to improve productivity, service, quality, and laboratory performance.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interpret complex business, technical, quality, and regulatory documents.
  • Confident in presenting to and engaging with senior leadership, peers, customers, Quality, and cross-functional teams.

Mathematical Skills:
  • Work with mathematical concepts such as probability, statistical inference, trend analysis, and basic laboratory performance metrics.
  • Apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, proportions, and basic financial measures to practical laboratory situations.

Supervision
  • Lead Microbiology supervisors, technical leads, and/or designated staff and indirectly lead the broader Burbank Microbiology team; supervisory span may vary with business demand and organizational structure.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
  • Potential exposure to odors, fumes, airborne particles, hazardous chemicals, disinfectants, and microbiological organisms/pathogens.
  • Use of required PPE and controlled-area/aseptic gowning where applicable.
  • Noise level varies from quiet to loud and temperature may vary by laboratory area.
  • The environment is interactive and fast-paced, requiring frequent standing, walking, speaking, hearing, computer work, and use of hands.
  • Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
  • Night, weekend, or holiday work may be required based on customer demand, PET/sterility/stability schedules, audits, or laboratory events.
  • Ability to travel occasionally as required.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM
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