Interim Lab Manager (Contract)

About the Role

Feanix is seeking an experienced Interim Lab Manager to oversee the people and day-to-day operations of our Asheville laboratory during a temporary leave of absence.

This is a hands-on leadership role focused primarily on team management, employee scheduling, staffing coordination, and daily operational execution. The Interim Lab Manager will ensure laboratory employees and contractors have clear priorities, appropriate coverage, and the support needed to maintain consistent, high-quality work.

The ideal candidate is an experienced laboratory supervisor or manager who can quickly step into an established environment, build relationships with the team, manage changing workloads, and keep operations running smoothly with minimal oversight.

This is a temporary position with an anticipated duration of approximately three- four months.

Key Responsibilities

People Management & Team Leadership

• Serve as the primary day-to-day manager for Asheville laboratory employees, part-time staff, and contractors.
• Provide clear direction on daily responsibilities, priorities, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Hold regular team check-ins and individual meetings as needed to maintain communication and address concerns.
• Provide timely feedback, coaching, and support to employees.
• Address attendance, scheduling, interpersonal, or performance concerns promptly, partnering with People Operations when appropriate.
• Maintain a positive, organized, and accountable team environment.
• Ensure employees have the resources, direction, and support needed to perform their work effectively.

Scheduling, Staffing & Capacity Planning

• Own employee and contractor scheduling to ensure appropriate laboratory coverage.
• Plan staffing based on incoming sample volume, sequencing demand, turnaround expectations, and daily laboratory priorities.
• Adjust schedules and assignments as workloads fluctuate.
• Coordinate part-time staff and temporary contractors to support periods of increased demand.
• Identify staffing gaps, absences, or upcoming capacity constraints and proactively arrange coverage.
• Balance employee workloads to maintain productivity and avoid unnecessary downtime or bottlenecks.
• Communicate staffing needs and constraints to leadership.

Daily Laboratory Operations

• Coordinate daily and weekly laboratory activities to ensure work is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Assign tasks and communicate priorities to laboratory employees and contractors.
• Monitor sample progress, workflow execution, and turnaround expectations.
• Identify and resolve routine operational issues, including workflow bottlenecks, staffing gaps, and scheduling conflicts.
• Ensure established laboratory procedures and workflows are followed.
• Provide hands-on laboratory support when needed and appropriate based on experience.

Training, Quality & Lab Readiness

• Ensure employees and contractors are appropriately trained before independently performing assigned procedures.
• Coordinate cross-training or additional support when needed to maintain coverage.
• Reinforce adherence to established SOPs, quality control requirements, safety practices, and documentation standards.
• Identify recurring quality or execution issues and escalate technical concerns to appropriate scientific leadership.
• Monitor laboratory supplies, consumables, and equipment readiness.
• Coordinate routine inventory replenishment and equipment service needs to prevent operational disruptions.

Vendor Coordination & Communication

• Monitor turnaround times, quality, and service expectations with established external sequencing vendors.
• Flag vendor delays, capacity constraints, or other issues and coordinate operational adjustments or rerouting as needed.
• Provide regular updates to leadership on laboratory staffing, workload, operational performance, and emerging concerns.
• Partner with People Operations on employee-related matters and temporary staffing needs.
• Coordinate with scientific and technical leadership when issues require specialized expertise or decisions outside established procedures.

What Success Looks Like

• Laboratory employees and contractors have clear direction, consistent management, and appropriate support throughout the contract period.
• Employee schedules and staffing levels are proactively managed to meet changing laboratory needs.
• Daily laboratory operations continue smoothly with minimal disruption.
• Staffing gaps, absences, and workload fluctuations are addressed quickly.
• Established quality, safety, and documentation standards are maintained.
• Operational concerns are communicated and escalated appropriately.
• The laboratory remains organized, productive, and well-supported throughout the leave period.

Qualifications

• Previous experience managing or supervising employees in a laboratory environment.
• Experience in molecular biology, genomics, genetic testing, biotechnology, or a related laboratory setting preferred.
• Strong employee scheduling, staffing coordination, and workload management experience.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear direction, coach employees, and manage day-to-day team performance.
• Understanding of laboratory operations, established SOPs, quality standards, and safety practices.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable working independently and making routine operational decisions.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to quickly learn existing processes and integrate into an established team.
• Experience managing temporary employees, part-time staff, or contractors preferred.

Contract Details

• Approximately 4-month engagement to provide leave coverage.
• On-site presence required at our Asheville, NC laboratory.
• Primary focus on people management, scheduling, staffing, and operational continuity.
• Compensation commensurate with experience and agreed-upon contract scope.