Job Description
High-Throughput HPLC, GC and LC-MS Testing
Pay: $22.00–$28.00 per hour
PERMANENT SHIFT REQUIREMENT
The successful applicant will be hired for one of the following schedules:
- Saturday–Tuesday: four 10-hour shifts
- Thursday–Sunday: four 10-hour shifts
- Monday–Friday, second shift: 2:30 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
This is a permanent shift assignment. The employee will be expected to remain on the assigned schedule indefinitely. Do not apply if you expect to request a weekday day-shift schedule after a few weeks or months.
State in your cover letter which schedules you can work.
Application Requirement
Submit a cover letter explaining why you want to work at Vanguard Laboratory and describing your relevant industry experience.
Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
Who We Are
Vanguard Laboratory is an established, family-owned analytical laboratory in Olympia, Washington. We test food, agricultural, drinking water, environmental, nutritional supplement, pharmaceutical, research chemical, small-molecule, and peptide samples.
We are an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory focused on technical quality, high-throughput testing, continuous improvement, and method development.
Position Overview
We are hiring an Analytical Chemist with hands-on industry experience using one or more of the following:
- HPLC or UHPLC
- LC-MS or LC-MS/MS
- High-resolution mass spectrometry
- GC-FID or GC-MS
- ICP-MS
This position has a strong production-testing focus. The successful candidate must prepare and analyze a high volume of samples while maintaining accurate documentation, appropriate quality controls, defensible integration, and reliable instrument performance.
This is not an entry-level training position for someone whose laboratory experience is limited to academic coursework. Applicants must have practical experience in a commercial, pharmaceutical, supplement, environmental, food, contract-testing, or other industry laboratory.
Experience with small molecules, peptides, pharmaceuticals, or nutritional supplements is especially valuable. Experience with Agilent, SCIEX, Thermo Scientific, Shimadzu, or comparable systems is helpful.
Primary ResponsibilitiesHigh-Throughput Analysis
- Prepare, run, and analyze high volumes of samples using HPLC, UHPLC, GC, LC-MS, LC-MS/MS, HRMS, ICP-MS, or related techniques.
- Prepare small-molecule, peptide, pharmaceutical, supplement, research chemical, food, water, and environmental samples.
- Prepare standards, calibration solutions, controls, blanks, dilutions, extraction solutions, mobile phases, and reagents.
- Follow batch sequences, priority lists, hold times, and client turnaround requirements.
- Maximize instrument capacity without sacrificing accuracy, quality, or traceability.
- Recognize preparation errors, failed controls, questionable results, or instrument problems before data are reported.
- Communicate promptly when an issue may delay completion.
Chromatography and Data Review
- Review chromatograms and spectra, integrate peaks, evaluate calibration curves, verify calculations, and apply system-suitability requirements.
- Evaluate retention time, peak shape, resolution, baseline quality, carryover, blanks, standards, controls, and replicate agreement.
- Identify questionable integrations, inconsistent results, coelution, contamination, matrix interference, or instrument instability.
- Reprocess data only when scientifically justified and document changes appropriately.
- Produce complete, traceable, technically defensible data packages.
- Assist with technical review and Certificate of Analysis preparation.
Instrument Operation and Maintenance
- Operate HPLC, GC, LC-MS, and other analytical systems safely and consistently.
- Perform mobile-phase preparation, column installation and storage, source cleaning, inlet maintenance, consumable replacement, tuning, calibration, and system flushing.
- Identify declining sensitivity, leaks, pressure problems, retention-time shifts, carryover, contamination, poor peak shape, or other developing issues.
- Perform basic troubleshooting and escalate problems when vendor service or senior technical review is needed.
- Maintain instrument, maintenance, calibration, column, and service records.
- Monitor critical solvents, gases, standards, columns, vials, liners, seals, and other consumables.
Methods and Quality Systems
- Follow laboratory SOPs, validated methods, safety procedures, and ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
- Support method development, verification, validation, transfer, and continuous improvement.
- Prepare or revise SOPs, worksheets, instrument procedures, and training records.
- Participate in proficiency testing, QC review, nonconforming-work investigations, corrective actions, and audit preparation.
- Document deviations, failures, preparation errors, and unusual observations clearly and honestly.
- Maintain records that allow the work to be reconstructed and defended.
- Take ownership of assigned batches and projects through completion.
Required Qualifications
- Hands-on analytical chemistry experience in an industry laboratory. Academic coursework alone is not sufficient.
- Practical experience using HPLC, GC, LC-MS, LC-MS/MS, HRMS, ICP-MS, or a closely related instrumental technique.
- Understanding of sample preparation, extraction, dilutions, filtration, standards, blanks, controls, and contamination prevention.
- Working knowledge of chromatography or mass-spectrometry data review, including integration, calibration, retention time, peak shape, carryover, and system suitability.
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently in a high-throughput environment with changing priorities.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing defensible data.
- Ability to troubleshoot, ask appropriate questions, document clearly, and take responsibility for assigned work.
- Ability and willingness to work one of the permanent schedules listed above.
- Degree in chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical science, environmental science, or a related field, or equivalent directly relevant experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with HPLC-DAD, HPLC-RID, HPLC-ELSD, LC-MS/MS, HRMS, GC-FID, GC-MS, or ICP-MS.
- Experience testing small molecules, peptides, pharmaceuticals, supplements, research chemicals, food, water, or environmental samples.
- Experience with Agilent, SCIEX, Thermo Scientific, Shimadzu, Waters, or comparable instrumentation.
- Experience with ChemStation, OpenLab, Analyst, Xcalibur, Chromeleon, Empower, MassLynx, or comparable software.
- Experience in an ISO/IEC 17025, GMP, GLP, environmental, pharmaceutical, food, supplement, or contract-testing laboratory.
- Method development, verification, validation, or transfer experience.
- Experience processing large batches and meeting commercial turnaround times.
- Experience performing routine instrument maintenance and troubleshooting.
Compensation and Benefits
Pay is $22.00–$28.00 per hour , depending on relevant industry experience, instrumentation knowledge, technical independence, and high-throughput capability.
Benefits include:
- Employer-matched 401(k)
- Health, dental, vision, and life-insurance options
- Paid vacation and parental leave
- Professional-development assistance and technical training
- Merit-based raises
- Opportunities to contribute to method development and company growth
Employees may earn $500–$2,000 for each new method successfully implemented , depending on complexity, individual contribution, required validation and documentation, and addition to the laboratory’s approved scope or routine capabilities.
How to Apply
Submit your resume and a cover letter explaining why you want to work at Vanguard Laboratory. Address:
- Which permanent schedule or schedules you can work.
- Your industry laboratory experience.
- Instruments and software you have personally used.
- Analytes and matrices you have tested.
- Experience with high-throughput analysis.
- Experience reviewing chromatographic or mass-spectrometry data.
- An instrument, method, or data-quality problem you helped resolve.
Job Tags
Hourly pay, Permanent employment, Contract work, Monday to Friday, Shift work, Day shift, Afternoon shift, Weekday work