Lab Manager

We are seeking an experienced Lab Manager to lead day-to-day operations within a cannabis extraction and manufacturing facility. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for overseeing a small extraction team while maintaining a strong focus on hydrocarbon extraction, product quality, production efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance.The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience operating and troubleshooting hydrocarbon extraction systems, with a strong understanding of the complete extraction workflow from biomass preparation and extraction through post-processing, filtration, solvent recovery, and finished-product preparation. This person should be comfortable working directly on the floor, developing team members, establishing SOPs, and driving consistent production results.Key ResponsibilitiesExtraction & ProductionLead daily cannabis extraction operations with a primary focus on hydrocarbon extraction.Operate, monitor, and troubleshoot hydrocarbon extraction equipment and associated systems.Oversee biomass preparation, extraction, filtration, solvent recovery, post-processing, and material handling.Optimize extraction processes for yield, potency, consistency, throughput, and product quality.Identify production bottlenecks and implement process improvements.Maintain accurate production records, batch documentation, and material tracking.Coordinate production schedules to ensure extraction targets are consistently achieved.Work closely with manufacturing and production leadership to support downstream products, including concentrates, vape products, and other cannabis-derived products.Team LeadershipSupervise and develop a small team of extraction technicians.Establish daily priorities, production goals, and workflow expectations.Train employees on equipment operation, SOPs, safety procedures, and quality standards.Monitor team performance and provide coaching and feedback.Maintain a culture of accountability, cleanliness, safety, and continuous improvement.Safety & ComplianceEnsure all extraction activities are performed according to applicable state regulations, facility policies, SOPs, and safety requirements.Maintain strict adherence to hazardous-material handling and hydrocarbon safety procedures.Ensure equipment is operated within established specifications and safety parameters.Support inspections, audits, investigations, and corrective actions as needed.Maintain a clean, organized, and compliant laboratory/extraction environment.Partner with QA and Compliance teams to ensure batches meet established quality and regulatory requirements.Process ImprovementDevelop, update, and implement extraction SOPs and work instructions.Evaluate equipment, processes, and workflows for opportunities to improve efficiency and consistency.Assist with equipment commissioning, maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor relationships.Maintain appropriate preventative-maintenance and equipment documentation.Track key production metrics including yield, throughput, downtime, waste, and batch performance.Required Qualifications3+ years of professional cannabis extraction experience, with significant hands-on hydrocarbon extraction experience.Proven experience working with hydrocarbon extraction systems in a commercial cannabis environment.Strong understanding of extraction, solvent recovery, filtration, post-processing, and concentrate production.Previous experience supervising or leading a small production/extraction team.Strong understanding of laboratory and manufacturing safety practices.Experience working within a regulated cannabis environment and maintaining compliant documentation.Ability to troubleshoot equipment and identify process issues independently.Strong organizational and documentation skills.Comfortable working in a hands-on production environment.Ability to train, coach, and hold team members accountable.Preferred QualificationsExperience with closed-loop hydrocarbon extraction systems.Experience with hydrocarbon systems utilizing butane, propane, or blended solvents.Experience producing live resin, cured resin, sauce, badder, shatter, or other hydrocarbon-derived concentrates.Experience with solvent recovery and post-extraction processing.Experience developing and implementing SOPs from the ground up.Familiarity with cannabis seed-to-sale tracking systems such as Metrc.Experience working with QA/QC teams and regulated batch-release processes.Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, or other quality-management systems.Technical degree, chemistry background, or relevant laboratory/manufacturing education is a plus.Key CompetenciesHydrocarbon Extraction ExpertiseHands-On Technical LeadershipTeam Management & DevelopmentProduction PlanningEquipment TroubleshootingProcess OptimizationSOP DevelopmentSafety & ComplianceQuality ControlData & DocumentationProblem SolvingContinuous Improvement