Job Title: Lab Manager
Company: The Hemp Collect / Modern Herb Co
Location: Canton, NC 28716
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $70,000 per year starting
About Us
The Hemp Collect is a leading hemp CPG company specializing in high-quality hemp-derived products. Based in Canton, NC, we manufacture and distribute a full line of inhalable, edible, and topical products. We are a growing team that values quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
The Role
We're hiring a Lab Manager to lead our laboratory and production team at our Canton, NC facility. You'll oversee all formulation operations — from bench-top through reactor-scale — manage oil QC/QA for finished FX solutions, and oversee execution of our product development and R&D efforts. This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll run day-to-day lab operations while building and improving the systems that support them. You'll work closely with our Director of Product Development, Production Manager, and Director of Operations to optimize processes from material intake to finished goods transfer.
What You'll Do
- Oversee formulation of vape inputs and edible inputs, ensuring batch accuracy, consistency, and reproducibility across product categories
- Manage scale-up and scale-down processes from bench-top to reactor-scale production
- Review and approve batch records, formulations, and processing parameters prior to execution
- Coordinate with QC on oil QC and QA procedures for all finished FX solutions — potency, purity, homogeneity, and safety testing before release
- Establish and maintain raw material/input QC procedures, including testing, documentation, COA verification, and material disposition
- Monitor in-process formulation performance; identify and resolve deviations in potency, homogeneity, and stability
- Troubleshoot reactor operations and formulation issues; implement corrective actions quickly
- Personally ensure operation, maintenance, and uptime of lab equipment including reactors, chillers, heating systems, and vacuum pumps
- Schedule and manage lab technicians across formulation, QC coordination, and R&D workloads
- Oversee execution of R&D projects as directed by the Director of Product Development — new product development, reformulation, and continuous product improvement
- Use the MRP system (Katana) daily to manage lab activities, production scheduling, and inventory coordination
- Enforce GMP and SOPs across all lab and production activities; create and update departmental SOPs as needed
- Investigate deviations and non-conformances; implement CAPA as required
- Track departmental KPIs and drive process improvement, efficiency gains, and waste reduction
- Train, coach, and develop lab and production staff; conduct performance evaluations
- Promote and enforce safe handling of hazardous materials, including proper use of PPE and ventilation
- Coordinate with inventory and procurement teams to prevent shortages and bottlenecks
What We're Looking For
- 3+ years of production or manufacturing management experience, preferably in a cannabis, hemp, or CPG environment
- Direct experience with formulation processes for inhalable and/or edible products strongly preferred, or at minimum experience in a high-precision, SOP-driven manufacturing environment
- Professional composure under pressure — this is a fast-paced production environment and the Lab Manager must lead calmly, hold people accountable constructively, and model the standard they expect from their team
- Experience with MRP/ERP systems required; Katana experience is a strong plus
- Solid understanding of GMP, SOPs, and quality control procedures
- Experience with oil QC/QA testing and raw material quality control
- Knowledge of scale-up processes, batch record management, and formulation validation
- Ability to troubleshoot production and reactor issues and implement practical, data-driven solutions
- Strong leadership skills — you can manage, motivate, and hold a team accountable
- Effective communicator who works well cross-functionally
- Experience leading or contributing to product development and R&D is a plus
Compensation & Benefits
- $70,000 starting per year, based on experience and qualifications
- Quarterly performance bonuses tied to efficiency, waste reduction, output, and lab performance metrics
- Benefits per company policy, healthcare covered 70% of the premium
- Growth path into senior production leadership as the company scales
Work Environment
- On-site at our Canton, NC production facility
- Frequently required to stand, walk, and move throughout lab and production areas
- Occasional lifting up to 50 lbs
- Regular use of lab equipment, reactors, formulation equipment, and testing instruments
Foster a collaborative team environment that drives scientific excellence and operational efficiency. Your expertise will help shape the future of our product pipeline while maintaining the highest standards of quality and regulatory adherence.
Duties
- Lead and supervise formulation and manufacturing activities within the laboratory, ensuring adherence to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and FDA regulations.
- Oversee daily laboratory operations, including sample preparation, formulation development, process optimization, and scale-up activities.
- Manage laboratory teams by providing technical guidance, training, performance evaluations, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Develop, review, and implement laboratory procedures aligned with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
- Coordinate cross-functional communication among research, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and production teams to facilitate smooth project execution.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory standards such as CGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) and conduct audits to maintain certification readiness.
- Utilize laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to track samples, data collection, and documentation accurately.
- Maintain laboratory instruments and equipment through routine calibration, troubleshooting, and validation to guarantee precise results.
- Lead technical projects related to formulation development, process validation, or new product introduction from conception through execution.
- Prepare detailed reports on experimental results, analysis findings, and project progress for internal review or regulatory submissions.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or higher degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Microbiology, or related field; advanced degrees preferred.
- Extensive experience in research laboratory settings with a focus on formulation development and manufacturing processes.
- Strong knowledge of GLP, GMP regulations, FDA guidelines, and clinical trial requirements relevant to pharmaceutical or biotech industries.
- Proven supervisory experience managing laboratory teams in a fast-paced research or manufacturing environment.
- Expertise in microbiology techniques, histology procedures, molecular biology methods, and analysis skills for complex data interpretation.
- Proficiency with laboratory instruments such as spectrometers, chromatographs, microscopes, and other analytical tools.
- Familiarity with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), Microsoft Office Suite for documentation and reporting purposes.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality and regulatory compliance.
- Excellent cross-functional communication skills to collaborate effectively across departments involved in research & development initiatives.
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail in documentation practices critical for regulatory audits and quality assurance.
Join us as we innovate at the forefront of research & development! This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead impactful projects that advance scientific discovery while ensuring compliance with industry standards—making a real difference in health-related products worldwide. The Hemp Collect / Modern Herb Co is an equal opportunity employer.
Pay: From $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid parental leave
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- How many people have you directly supervised in a production or lab setting?
- Tell me about your professional experience working with cannabis or hemp products.
- Describe a time you had to address an employee's repeated mistake or underperformance. What did you do?
- Have you ever been placed on a performance improvement plan, terminated, or asked to resign from a position? If yes, please briefly explain.
Experience:
- Manufacturing: 3 years (Required)
- Formulation: 1 year (Required)
- MRP: 1 year (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Canton, NC 28716 (Required)
Work Location: In person
