Lab Manager

The Role

Own the coordination and allocation of lab resources across VEIR's lab test operations, ensuring technician time, equipment, and testbeds are assigned efficiently to meet engineering priorities. Bring the engineering depth to scope, challenge, prioritize, and troubleshoot test requests. Plan and organize testing activities within VEIR's internal labs, own external test programs with partner facilities, and keep VEIR's labs safe, organized, and test-ready.

Direct Reports: Approximately 7 lab technicians, plus temporary lab staff as needed

Travel: Approximately 10–15% to external test partners and facilities

Core Responsibilities

• Assign and coordinate technician and lab resources across concurrent, competing test campaigns (e.g., electrical, mechanical, thermal, and environmental testing)
• Supervise lab technicians and temporary lab staff, including day-to-day direction, performance feedback, and development
• Serve as the primary point of contact for engineers and program leads requesting lab or technician support; triage and prioritize competing resource requests across teams
• Maintain working technical fluency in test methods, testbeds, and instrumentation sufficient to evaluate scope, staffing needs, risk, and realistic timelines for incoming test requests
• Forecast technician and temporary staffing needs based on upcoming test volume, hardware build schedules, and program pipeline; make the case for additional resources when needed
• Own planning and execution of external test programs (e.g., KEMA, third-party test labs, factory acceptance testing, on-site equipment vendors), including securing test slots, test readiness, staffing, logistics, and equipment coordination; evaluate and onboard new partner labs
• Lead planning and scheduling for system integration testing (SIT), coordinating resources, test readiness, and schedule with program leads
• Track ongoing test activities, resource allocation, and schedule commitments using shared tracking tools (e.g., Monday.com boards) to keep a centralized, up-to-date view of lab workload
• Partner with engineering and program leads to sequence test campaigns, resolve scheduling conflicts, and keep the lab from being overcommitted
• Own the lab budget, including test equipment capex planning, consumables, and external test spend; provide inputs to budget reforecasts
• Manage the test equipment lifecycle: calibration, preventive maintenance, asset inventory, and specification and procurement of new instrumentation and test equipment
• Establish and maintain test procedures, test records, and data management practices; support customer witness tests and third-party certification testing
• Maintain lab organization, housekeeping (5S), and readiness across VEIR's Woburn sites, including for customer and investor visits
• Partner with Facilities/Operations to ensure test infrastructure (power, cryogenic supply, testbed installation) is ready ahead of test campaigns, with clear handoffs between lab and facilities ownership
• Champion a strong lab safety culture: ensure test activities are planned and staffed with appropriate safety reviews, hazard assessments, PPE, training, and procedures (e.g., high voltage, high current, cryogenics and LN2 handling, oxygen-deficiency hazards, pressurized systems, lifting/rigging), and that safety requirements are factored into scheduling and resourcing decisions; partner with EHS on incidents, lab access controls, and corrective actions
• Support onboarding and ramp-up of new technicians and temporary lab staff
• Escalate resourcing gaps, safety concerns, or schedule risks to leadership with clear tradeoffs
• Collaborate with People/HR on technician role definitions, job leveling, and hiring needs as the lab organization grows

Required Qualifications and Competencies

• Strong project and resource management skills; comfortable running multiple concurrent workstreams with shifting priorities
• 5+ years of experience in engineering test, lab, or test operations environments, including people or team leadership; engineering background (e.g., degree or equivalent experience in electrical, mechanical, or a related discipline) with the ability to understand technical test plans, instrumentation, and data well enough to make informed staffing, scheduling, and prioritization decisions
• Working knowledge of lab safety practices and hazard controls (e.g., electrical safety, lockout/tagout, cryogenic safety, job hazard analyses) and a commitment to making safety a non-negotiable part of test planning
• Experience coordinating with external vendors, test facilities, or contractors
• Strong communication and stakeholder management across engineers, technicians, and leadership
• Sound judgment under ambiguity; able to make prioritization calls and clearly communicate tradeoffs
• Familiarity with project tracking tools and comfort building lightweight processes to keep work visible
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to plan several weeks to months ahead while adapting to day-to-day changes

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-voltage or utility-scale power equipment testing, including relevant IEEE/IEC test standards
• Experience with cryogenic systems, superconducting (HTS) technology, or related test environments
• Experience managing test programs at external high-power or certification labs
• Experience owning a lab or test budget, including capex planning

Success Measures

• Test campaigns start on schedule with the right people, equipment, and procedures in place
• A current, centralized view of lab capacity and commitments that leadership can rely on for planning
• Zero recordable safety incidents, with safety reviews completed ahead of every test campaign

Additional Information

Physical requirements: Regular on-site lab presence; ability to wear required PPE and to lift up to 50 lbs.

VEIR is committed to equal pay for equal work in its compensation practices. The base salary range for this position in the U.S. is $120,000 - $130,000 per year + equity + benefits. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications, job level, supervisory status, and location.