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Forensic Laboratory Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Forensic Science Technician

Des Moines, IA · On-site

$47K - $70K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • PTO

... direct support of forensic laboratory analysts, primarily in the Drug Chemistry section. These tasks include, but are not limited to; - preparing reagents and stock solutions by predetermined ...

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Forensic Laboratory Director information

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$45K

$126.1K

$186K

How much do forensic laboratory director jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for forensic laboratory director in the United States is $126,086.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $106,000.00 and $138,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Forensic Laboratory Director vs Forensic Scientist?

AspectForensic Laboratory DirectorForensic Scientist
CredentialsTypically requires a master's or doctoral degree in forensic science, chemistry, or related field, along with management experienceUsually holds a bachelor's or master's degree in forensic science, chemistry, biology, or related field
Work EnvironmentOversees laboratory operations, manages staff, and ensures quality controlPerforms laboratory analyses, tests, and reports on forensic evidence
Employer & Industry UsageFound in crime labs, law enforcement agencies, and government labsEmployed in similar settings, focusing on evidence analysis

The main difference is that the Forensic Laboratory Director manages the entire lab's operations and staff, while the Forensic Scientist conducts the actual forensic analyses. The director holds higher-level responsibilities, including oversight and strategic planning, whereas the scientist focuses on technical work.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a forensic laboratory director?

To thrive as a Forensic Laboratory Director, you need advanced scientific expertise, leadership experience, and a relevant degree—often a master's or doctorate in forensic science or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), accreditation standards (such as ISO/IEC 17025), and evidence handling protocols is essential. Strong decision-making, communication, and team management skills help foster effective operations and uphold scientific integrity. These competencies are crucial to ensure accurate, reliable results, legal compliance, and a well-functioning forensic laboratory.

What does a forensic laboratory director do?

A Forensic Laboratory Director oversees the operations and administration of a forensic science laboratory. They are responsible for managing staff, ensuring quality assurance, developing policies, and maintaining compliance with accreditation standards. Their role also involves budgeting, training, and sometimes representing the lab in court or public forums. Directors play a crucial part in ensuring that forensic analyses are accurate, timely, and legally defensible. They also help implement new technologies and methodologies to improve laboratory efficiency.

What are some common challenges faced by a forensic laboratory director in managing staff and casework priorities?

Forensic Laboratory Directors often encounter the challenge of balancing high case volumes with limited resources while maintaining rigorous quality standards. They must effectively allocate staff to ensure timely analysis, oversee compliance with accreditation requirements, and address any technical or ethical issues that arise. Additionally, they frequently coordinate with law enforcement agencies, legal teams, and external stakeholders, requiring strong communication and organizational skills. Navigating these demands while fostering a collaborative and motivated team environment is essential for success in this role.
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What cities are hiring for Forensic Laboratory Director jobs?

Cities with the most Forensic Laboratory Director job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Forensic Laboratory jobs?

The most popular types of Forensic Laboratory jobs are:

What states have the most Forensic Laboratory Director jobs?

States with the most job openings for Forensic Laboratory Director jobs include:

Infographic showing various Forensic Laboratory Director job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 71% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 6% Temporary, 6% Contract, and 6% Nights. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $126,086 per year, or $60.6 per hour.

CAP Laboratory Director (Clinical Trial Laboratory)

Eurofins Scientific

Lancaster, PA

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 days ago


Eurofins rating

7.4

Company rating: 7.4 out of 10

Based on 180 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

68th of 120 rated laboratories


Job description

Company Description

Eurofins Scientific is an international life sciences company, providing a unique range of analytical testing services to clients across multiple industries, to make life and our environment safer, healthier and more sustainable. From the food you eat, to the water you drink, to the medicines you rely on, Eurofins laboratories work with the biggest companies in the world to ensure the products they supply are safe, their ingredients are authentic and labelling is accurate.

The Eurofins network of companies believes that it is a global leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and agroscience contract research services. It is also one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, and in the support of clinical studies, as well as in biopharma contract development and manufacturing. It also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialized and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.

In over 35 years, Eurofins has grown from one laboratory in Nantes, France to ca. 63,000 staff across a decentralized and entrepreneurial network of more than 950 laboratories in 60 countries. Eurofins companies offer a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of biological substances and products.

In 2025, Eurofins generated total revenues of EUR 7.296 billion ($8.596 billion), and has been one of the best performing stocks in Europe over the past 20 years.

Job Description

Role Summary: 

The Clinical Trial Laboratory Director provides scientific, medical, and regulatory leadership for highcomplexity laboratories supporting clinical research and clinical trials. This role ensures full compliance with CLIA requirements, including director qualifications and oversight responsibilities-and maintains CAP accreditation standards while meeting state-specific director/licensure requirements in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, and California.

The Director ensures assay validity, data integrity, patientsubject safety, GDP, GLP. and GCP/GCLPaligned laboratory conduct throughout the lifecycle of clinical trials.

Key Responsibilities

1. Regulatory, Trial, and Accreditation Leadership

  • Serve as the legally accountable CLIA HighComplexity Laboratory Director and maintain qualifications per 42 CFR 493.1443.
  • Provide executive oversight of CAP accreditation, including biennial inspections, selfinspections, and adherence to CAP checklist requirements.
  • Ensure all laboratory operations supporting clinical trials meet CLIA, CAP, GLP, ICHGCP, and GCLP expectations for accuracy, integrity, and traceability.
  • Oversee trialspecific regulatory documentation, method validations, equipment qualifications, and assay change controls consistent with CAP validation/verification principles.

2. Clinical Trial Scientific Oversight

  • Review and approve test methods, protocols, analytical plans, policies, procedures, and assay validations specific to clinical trial endpoints.
  • Ensure test systems are suitable for the study population and meet clinical trial protocol requirements, consistent with CLIA's requirement for appropriate test systems and reliable data.
  • Serve as scientific liaison to sponsors, CROs, principal investigators, and regulatory authorities regarding laboratory capabilities, biomarker strategies, and test result interpretation.

3. Quality Management & Data Integrity

  • Adhere to Quality in accordance with the ECL Quality Management System supporting clinical trial labs, including document control, method validation, instrument qualification, and ongoing competency assessments.
  • Oversee proficiency testing (PT), quality control, and data integrity processes for trialcritical assays, meeting CLIA/CAP expectations for PT integration and evaluation.
  • Approve CAPA plans and deviations relevant to clinical trials and ensure compliance with protocolspecific quality and audit requirements.
  • Oversee day to day function of Laboratory and Specimen Management operations.
  • Adhere to adequate Private Health Information (PHI) practices and policies.

4. Clinical Trial Operational Oversight

  • Ensure laboratory workflows support GCPcompliant chainofcustody, blinding, documentation, metadata capture, and audit trails.
  • Partner with project management teams to ensure lab readiness, study startup timelines, sample logistics, and database lock requirements.
  • Oversee Laboratory Information System (LIS) and studyspecific data integrations supporting sample tracking, eCRF data flows, and regulatory compliance, aligned with CAP expectations for LIS management.

5. Personnel & Competency

  • Ensure all laboratory staff involved in clinical trial testing meet CLIA/CAP qualifications and any elevated state requirements (NY CQ categories, CA LFS licensure, etc.).
  • Provide oversight of personnel competency assessments and continuing education tied to trialspecific techniques. (General competence requirement)
  • Support training in GCP/GCLP, protocol adherence, and data integrity.
Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Federal (CLIA HighComplexity Director Requirements)

Must meet one of the 42 CFR 493.1443 qualification pathways:

  • MD/DO with state medical license and board certification in anatomic/clinical pathology (ABP/AOBP); or
  • MD/DO/DPM with 2 years highcomplexity lab director/supervisor experience + 20 CE hours in director responsibilities; or
  • PhD or equivalent with HHSapproved board certification (e.g., ABB, ABCC, ABMM, ABMLI) + required leadership experience + 20 CE hours.

State Requirements (must meet the most stringent)

  • New York: Approved CQ categories for all testing performed; adherence to NY onsite/time requirements and director limits.
  • Pennsylvania: Qualifications per 28 Pa. Code 5.21.
  • California: Active LFS Laboratory Director (or specialty) licensure and personnel equivalency compliance.

Clinical Trial-Specific Qualifications

  • Demonstrated leadership in GCLP/GCPaligned clinical trial laboratory operations.
  • Proven experience conducting method validations, instrument qualifications, and assay lifecycle management within regulated trial environments.
  • Prior interaction with sponsors, CROs, monitors, and regulatory audit teams (FDA, EMA, PMDA, CAP).
  • Demonstrated understanding of the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR, Regulation (EU) 2017/746) and its impact on the design, validation, documentation, and postmarket oversight of in vitro diagnostic devices and tests.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

  • Deep expertise in CAP checklists, CLIA personnel/testing rules, and director responsibilities.
  • Prior success leading CAP inspections under updated personnel rules (Dec 28, 2024 changes).
  • Strong command of GCP/GCLP quality requirements and clinical trial data integrity standards.
  • Ability to communicate scientific, regulatory, and operational requirements effectively to sponsors and internal teams.
  • Leadership skills in fastpaced, auditintensive environments.
  • Experience with global multisite or multistate clinical trial laboratory networks.
  • Experience overseeing biomarker, pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity, genetic, or flowcytometry trial endpoints.

Education & Continuing Education

  • Maintain any statespecific CE/licensure renewals (NY CQ, CA LFS).
Additional Information

As a Eurofins employee, you will become part of a company that has received national recognition as a great place to work!

Life at Eurofins is a meritocracy, where people are empowered to make decisions and are rewarded for their success, allowing them to advance quickly. Become your most extraordinary self with support and development throughout your career.

We offer excellent full-time benefits including comprehensive medical coverage, life and disability insurance, 401(k) with company match, paid holidays, vacation, personal days, and dental and vision options.

Eurofins is a M/F, Disabled, and Veteran Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.


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About Eurofins

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Scientific research and development services, biotechnology research and development and environmental consulting services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Leacock, PA, US