What Are The Jobs in a Cannabis Testing Lab?
Have you ever wondered how a cannabis laboratory works? To ensure the efficient and accurate testing of samples, testing laboratories need to hire skilled staff to perform a wide range of responsibilities. From the people who prep the samples and run the tests to those who ensure that lab equipment and vital tools are ready to go, it takes a lot to keep a lab running smoothly. Here is how it all works.
In this blog, you will learn:
The typical hierarchy in a cannabis testing laboratory
The importance of each role in a testing lab
The educational credentials each role in a laboratory requires
The management structure of a laboratory
In a laboratory, there is a clear hierarchy and set roles, each of which is important to the smooth functioning of the lab. In smaller organizations, some of these roles will be performed by the same person. But as labs grow, these roles become defined individually. As a result, you may not see some of these positions by name in smaller labs, but every role must be fulfilled by someone to ensure the smooth functioning of any laboratory facility.
The operational roles within a laboratory can be broken down into three distinct categories: operational leadership, analytical and technical staff, and support staff. Additionally, the business leadership helps support lab operations by managing financials and making administrative decisions. Here’s a closer look at the jobs that fall under each umbrella.
Operational leadership
The operational leadership of a laboratory directly oversees the smooth functioning of analyses and tests being performed in the lab. They are also responsible for ensuring that lab equipment is maintained and properly calibrated and acquiring all needed materials. They report to the business leadership of a laboratory to keep them apprised of lab operations as well. Operational leadership roles typically require a Master’s degree at minimum, though it is more common to see PhDs in these roles.
Chief Science Officer: The CSO is the head of lab operations. They are the executive in charge of setting up, planning, conducting analysis and research, brainstorming future operations, acquiring equipment and uniting all the various stakeholders in the organization. The CSO answers to the C-suite business leadership of the laboratory in terms of the organization’s overall performance, but is the final word when it comes to lab operations. CSOs generally hold a PhD in their field.
Quality Control (QC) Director: The QC director’s role is to interface between science and bureaucracy. This person ensures regulatory compliance in all aspects of laboratory operation. In the cannabis industry, this includes ensuring test results are properly documented and archived, and that all samples are properly monitored to ensure they meet state law requirements. The QC director of a lab may also oversee efforts to attain certifications, such as ISO 17025 accreditation. QC directors may hold a Master’s degree or a PhD.
Lab Director: The lab director oversees the daily operations of the laboratory. Unlike the CSO who takes a bird’s eye view of lab operations, the lab director is more focused on the science. In smaller organizations, the CSO may also serve as the lab director, but in larger organizations the positions are distinct. Lab directors are focused on the day to day operations of a lab, including budget coordination and overseeing analysis and research. Lab directors typically hold a PhD in their field.
Operational staff
The operational staff in a laboratory are the hands-on team that manages the samples and testing that occurs in the facility. These positions include:
Lab manager: The lab manager reports to the lab director, overseeing the day to day operations of the lab. This includes making sure that inventory is replenished and that equipment is kept in working order. Typically, a lab manager must have a minimum of a Master’s degree.
Scientists: “Scientist” is a term often used in the pharmaceutical industry to refer to a division head, a role somewhere above senior analyst or technician that reports up to the lab manager. Generally, a scientist is in charge of a specific set of instruments or lab equipment, monitoring the operations in one specific area of the labs’ focus.
Researchers: There are two main types of researchers called analysts and technicians.
Analysts: Analysts are trained professionals who operate the lab equipment and interpret the data gathered during tests. Senior analysts may specialize in a particular type of testing or analysis, or have a wide range of skills across many different testing methods. Analysts typically hold a Bachelor of Science or Master’s degree.
Technicians: Technicians prep samples and ensure that equipment is properly set up, calibrated, and ready to use. Senior technicians may oversee a team of techs throughout the facility. Technicians typically hold a Bachelor of Science or Master’s degree.
Support staff
The support staff might not actually engage with the science side of the laboratory, but they are critical nonetheless.
Dispatch manager: A dispatch manager is responsible for coordinating the inflow and outflow of inventory, including samples, equipment, and necessary materials. Inventory management is a critical skill in the dispatch manager role. If a dispatch manager also holds a Bachelor of Science.
Intake manager: An intake manager is focused on managing the ability of a laboratory to bring in samples, ensuring the safe transition of samples from client to lab staff. Some samples, including cannabis, are particularly sensitive to factors like heat, light, and humidity. Intake managers are responsible for ensuring sensitive samples can be handled and catalogued efficiently and without sacrificing their quality.
Samples driver: Because samples can be sensitive, it’s important to protect them in transit. The driver is trained to handle samples that need to be tested in the lab, transporting them without reducing quality. A samples driver must be trained on proper storage and handling techniques, the proper methodologies for sample collection, and policies guiding the chain of custody. The sample driver must also follow strict policies developed by operational leadership in the laboratory.
Business leadership
Finally, just like any other business, laboratories also need a C-Suite and administrative arm. This may include a CEO to direct general strategy and oversee all departments, a CFO to manage finances, a COO to monitor all lab operations and check in with directors and managers, and a CTO to manage the equipment and technology a lab requires to conduct its research and analyses. These positions and the departments they oversee are geared towards guaranteeing the profitable operation of the lab and its longevity to continue performing the work and research it conducts on behalf of its clients.
It takes a village at True Labs for Cannabis
The New Jersey adult use cannabis market is new and consumers need information they can trust. For manufacturers and producers, meeting New Jersey’s legal requirements is a must to get their products to market, but convincing consumers of quality is another thing entirely. When working with True Labs for Cannabis, you can be confident that our team of skilled technicians and analysts deliver precise test results that you and your consumers can rely on. When all the team members are in the right place, it shows -- and that’s what makes True Labs for Cannabis different.