Lab Operations Specialist - Pharma (Onsite- New Brunswick, NJ)

We are seeking a Lab Operations Specialist for a global pharmaceutical client in New Brunswick, NJ. This is a 6-month contract role (extensions possible) with a 40-hour work week, 100% onsite. Health benefits and 401K are offered.

About the role

The Laboratory Operations Specialist is responsible for end-to-end laboratory management and operational excellence supporting process development activities. This role provides independent oversight of laboratory operations, including consumables and chemical inventory, instrument maintenance and calibration, lab compliance, and routine facility readiness. The individual interfaces with cross-functional teams, vendors, lab services, and quality systems to ensure laboratories remain inspection-ready, efficient, safe, and compliant with GMP and site requirements. The role also contributes to continuous improvement initiatives and provides limited assay or analytical support as needed.

Responsibilities

• Laboratory Operations & Inventory Management
  • Place and track on-demand lab supply orders in response to analyst and project needs; monitor order status and receipt.
  • Assist in sample preparations to migrate between sites.
  • Coordinate consumable needs based on inventory amounts with lab services.
  • Assist in day-to-day lab operations, such as calibrating probes, ensuring equipment is sanitized, updating lab computers, and moving samples.
• Instrumentation Maintenance, Calibration & Vendor Coordination
  • Coordinate pipette calibration services and documentation control.
  • Serve as primary liaison with instrument management group, BD system owners, vendors, and service engineers (e.g., Waters, Sciex, ProteinSimple, Thermo Fisher, Millipore).
  • Manage instrument calibration and maintenance documentation.
  • Coordinate repairs and new equipment installation for analytical instrumentation, including HPLC/UPLC systems, Mass Spec, and Capillary Electrophoresis.
• Laboratory Readiness, Compliance & Housekeeping
  • Conduct weekly laboratory safety walkthroughs and document observations, risks, and action items.
  • Maintain scheduled weekly, monthly, and quarterly lab maintenance activities.
  • Provide metrics on Instrument Usage records.
  • Organize freezer and cold room supply reviews and expired material cleanouts/defrosts.
  • Create lab-related work orders, move requests, and equipment decommissioning activities.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in lab tech/operations and over 2 years in a GXP environment.
• 1-2+ years of purchasing experience (preferably SAP Ariba).
• 3+ years with MS Office 365 (particularly Excel).
• Knowledge of general lab instrumentation, safety, and activities.
• Ability to communicate with lab services, facilities, engineers, vendors, and scientists.
• Ability to familiarize quickly with new computer software.
• Self-starter with strong organizational skills.
• Associate’s degree with more experience is required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Pay

$27/hr. - $31.27/hr.