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Laboratory Operator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

ALS

Laboratory Director

Simi Valley, CA · On-site

$120K - $140K/yr

Laboratory Director Imagine your future with us! At ALS, we encourage you to dream big. When you ... Follow operating procedures, site standards and policies to ensure the safe and efficient operation ...

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All JobsLaboratory Operator JobsLaboratory Operator Jobs in California

Laboratory Operator information

See California salary details

$18

$36

$61

How much do laboratory operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average hourly pay for laboratory operator in California is $36.68, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.26 and $44.38 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a laboratory operator?

Laboratory Operators are professionals responsible for running and maintaining equipment in scientific labs, assisting with experiments, and ensuring that tests and processes are carried out safely and accurately. They typically handle the preparation of samples, operate instruments, record data, and help maintain a clean and organized work environment. Laboratory Operators work under the supervision of scientists or lab managers and play a crucial role in supporting research, quality control, and product development in industries such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and manufacturing.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a laboratory operator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Laboratory Operator, you need a solid understanding of laboratory procedures, safety protocols, and typically a background in chemistry, biology, or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, data recording systems, and sometimes certifications like OSHA or Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) are commonly required. Attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and effective communication help individuals excel in maintaining accurate records and supporting team operations. These skills and qualifications are crucial for ensuring safe, precise, and efficient laboratory workflows, which support reliable results and regulatory compliance.

What are some common challenges laboratory operators face when working with complex equipment and how can they be managed?

Laboratory Operators often encounter challenges such as troubleshooting sensitive analytical instruments, maintaining calibration standards, and managing multiple tests simultaneously. Staying organized and following strict protocols helps minimize errors and equipment downtime. Regular training and open communication with senior technicians or engineers can also provide valuable support when addressing technical problems. Embracing continuous learning and asking questions when unsure are effective strategies for overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Laboratory Operator vs Laboratory Technician?

AspectLaboratory OperatorLaboratory Technician
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; some roles may require certificationsHigh school diploma or equivalent; technical certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, manufacturing plants, quality control labsResearch labs, clinical labs, industrial testing facilities
Employer & Industry UsageManufacturing, quality assurance, industrial testingHealthcare, research institutions, pharmaceutical companies
Common Search & Comparison IntentYesYes

Laboratory Operators and Laboratory Technicians often share similar roles in laboratory settings, focusing on sample testing and data collection. However, Laboratory Technicians typically have more specialized training and may perform more complex analyses. Both roles are essential in ensuring quality and accuracy in lab results, but Laboratory Technicians often work in more research or clinical environments, while Laboratory Operators may focus on manufacturing or quality control processes.

Laboratory Operator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Laboratory Operator job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 51% Full Time, 47% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $76,290 per year, or $36.7 per hour.

Staff Software Development Engineer (Lab Technology) #4907

GRAIL

Sunnyvale, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 15 days ago

Job description

Our mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. We are working to change the trajectory of cancer mortality and bring stakeholders together to adopt innovative, safe, and effective technologies that can transform cancer care.
We are a healthcare company, pioneering new technologies to advance early cancer detection. We have built a multi-disciplinary organization of scientists, engineers, and physicians and we are using the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS), population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to overcome one of medicine's greatest challenges.
GRAIL is headquartered in the bay area of California, with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies.
For more information, please visit grail.com
The Lab Software team builds and operates the core software systems that make these laboratories possible. We develop the software platform that orchestrates sample processing, provides real-time laboratory visibility, maintains complete sample traceability, and enables laboratory operators to confidently run complex workflows at scale.
Our systems sit at the intersection of software engineering, laboratory automation, and clinical operations. They must be highly reliable, fault tolerant, and compliant with GxP requirements while supporting continuous innovation and increasing laboratory throughput.
We're looking for a Senior or Staff Software Engineer to help shape the next generation of GRAIL's laboratory platform. Leveling will be determined based on experience and demonstrated impact.
This role is based in either in Durham NC or Sunnyvale, California. GRAIL offers a flexible work arrangement, with the ability to work from GRAIL's office or from home. Our current flexible work arrangement policy requires that a minimum of 60%, or 24 hours, of your total work week be on-site. Your specific schedule, determined in collaboration with your manager, will align with team and business needs and could exceed the 60% requirement for the site. At our Sunnyvale and Durham campus, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the key days where we encourage on-site presence to engage in events and on-site activities. You will work with your hiring leader to select the 3rd day in office. We may also consider candidates in the UK as well for this role.
Responsibilities
What You Will Work On
As a Staff Software Engineer, you'll design, build, and operate the software systems that power GRAIL's automated laboratories.
You'll work across services including laboratory workflow orchestration, LIMS, quality decision systems, and laboratory visibility tools that enable operators to safely process patient samples at scale.
The challenges you'll solve extend well beyond traditional backend software development. You'll collaborate closely with laboratory operators, scientists, automation engineers, and software engineers to understand complex laboratory workflows and build systems that remain reliable under real-world operating conditions.
This work requires balancing reliability, scalability, regulatory compliance, and operational simplicity. You'll design software that recovers gracefully from failures, supports 24-hour laboratory operations, improves operator efficiency, and enables the laboratory to continue evolving as new assays and technologies are introduced.
You'll help build resilient distributed systems that interact with physical laboratory equipment, support software-only disaster recovery, and continuously improve the intelligence and efficiency of the laboratory platform.
Most importantly, every improvement you make helps GRAIL process patient samples more reliably, efficiently, and at greater scale.
You Are Someone Who...
Simplifies complex systems
You enjoy breaking down complicated technical and operational problems into elegant, maintainable solutions. You understand that simplicity is often the key to building reliable systems.
Comfortable working across the full stack
You are happy to move between backend and frontend to solve a problem end to end.
Anticipates problems before they happen
You proactively identify technical and operational risks, designing systems that prevent failures instead of simply reacting to them.
Partners across disciplines
You enjoy working with scientists, laboratory operators, automation engineers, and fellow software engineers. You ask thoughtful questions, understand customer needs, and translate them into practical technical solutions.
Thrives in operational environments
You stay calm during production incidents, make sound engineering decisions under pressure, and take pride in building systems that operators can trust.
Accelerates development with AI tools
You routinely use AI-assisted development tools to improve productivity, testing, code quality, and documentation while exercising sound engineering judgment. You view AI as a force multiplier-not a substitute for critical thinking.
Is motivated by our mission
You're excited by the opportunity to build software that directly supports GRAIL's mission of detecting cancer early, when it can be cured. You're looking for a collaborative team where you can continue learning, grow your technical leadership, and make a lasting impact.
Senior vs. Staff
Successful candidates may be hired at either the Senior or Staff level based on experience and demonstrated impact.
Senior engineers lead the design and delivery of significant technical initiatives, mentor teammates, and own critical production systems.
Staff engineers provide technical leadership across multiple systems and teams, shape architectural direction, lead large multi-quarter initiatives, raise engineering standards, and influence how GRAIL's laboratory platform evolves to meet future scientific and operational needs.
If you're excited by building resilient systems that interact with the physical world and want your work to directly contribute to detecting cancer earlier, we'd love to talk with you.
These job duties are a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company's discretion.
Required Skills
  • Strong software engineering fundamentals with experience designing and operating distributed systems.
  • Experience building production software using one or more modern programming languages such as Python or Go.
  • Experience with modern frontend development using React and TypeScript.
  • Experience developing cloud-native applications on AWS.
  • Experience building APIs and distributed services using technologies such as REST and/or gRPC.
  • Experience with Kubernetes and cloud-native deployment practices.
  • Strong understanding of software quality, testing, observability, and operational ownership.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across engineering, science, and laboratory operations.
  • Experience with observability tooling (Prometheus/Grafana, structured logging) and on-call ownership.

The ideal candidate combines strong software engineering fundamentals with curiosity about biology, laboratory operations, and solving complex real-world problems.
The expected, full-time, annual base pay scale for this Staff level position is $169k-224k in the bay area CA location and $147K-$195K in Durham NC location. Compensation will consider location and level.
This role may be eligible for other forms of compensation, including an annual bonus and/or incentives, subject to the terms of the applicable plans and Company discretion. This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the range that the Company reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire; the actual compensation offered may vary depending on factors such as the candidate's qualifications. Employees in this role are also eligible for GRAIL's comprehensive and competitive benefits package, offered in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. This package currently includes flexible time-off or vacation; a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; medical, dental, and vision coverage; and carefully selected mindfulness programs.
GRAIL is an equal employment opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a workplace where every individual can thrive, contribute, and grow. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, , or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws. Additionally, GRAIL will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with applicable law and provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at [email protected] if you require an accommodation to apply for an open position.
GRAIL maintains a drug-free workplace. We welcome job-seekers from all backgrounds to join us!
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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