Laboratory Quality Control Senior Manager

Swisher stands at the forefront of innovation in the consumer products industry, blending a legacy of excellence with a forward-thinking approach. Established in 1861, the family-owned company has evolved into a trailblazer, renowned for its iconic Swisher Sweets cigars, cutting-edge American-made Rogue and Ammo modern oral nicotine products, and the premium Drew Estate cigar collection, which features ACID, Liga Privada, and Undercrown. Poised for the future, Swisher is redefining traditional categories with Volt+Co -home to groundbreaking products such as Mojo Energy Pouches. Swisher is also home to more than two dozen American-made, non-combustible tobacco brands under the Helme Tobacco Co. umbrella. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, with operations spanning the U.S., the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua, Swisher continues to lead through innovation, setting new benchmarks in quality and creativity. Learn more at swisher.com.

The Laboratory Quality Control Manager leads the implementation, operational readiness, and day-to-day management of Swisher’s centralized quality control laboratory for finished-product release testing. This role establishes and maintains the people, methods, equipment, procedures, quality systems, and external partnerships needed to generate accurate, reliable, traceable, and defensible data for product disposition in a regulated manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Startup & Centralization

• Lead the transfer of analytical testing methods and capabilities from third-party laboratories to the Swisher QC laboratory, including transfer protocols, knowledge transfer, training, documentation, and resolution of technical issues
• Lead implementation and operational readiness of the centralized quality control laboratory, including startup planning, workflow design, and coordination of readiness activities through go-live
• Partner with Quality Assurance, Research and Development, Engineering, Facilities, EHS, Operations, Procurement, and other stakeholders to finalize laboratory space, utilities, layout, safety, and operating requirements
• Coordinate the selection, procurement, installation, commissioning, qualification, calibration, and operational readiness of HPLC/UHPLC systems and other laboratory equipment
• Establish laboratory quality systems, including controlled test methods, SOPs, forms, training records, data-review practices, investigation processes, and document controls
• Coordinate method qualification, validation or verification, personnel qualification, and parallel testing with third-party laboratories; assess comparability results and support go-live decisions for in-house product-release testing
• Support the recruitment, onboarding, training, and qualification of laboratory personnel, and establish staffing, coverage, and workflow plans for a multi-shift testing operation
• Establish capacity, inventory, vendor, service, equipment-redundancy, and contingency plans to support current testing demand, future growth, and continuity of product-release testing
• Maintain qualified third-party laboratory relationships for overflow, contingency, specialized testing, calibration, and technical support as testing capabilities transition in-house

Ongoing Laboratory Operations

• Lead daily laboratory operations, including workflow, staffing, prioritization, and shift coverage, to meet testing and product-release requirements
• Manage, coach, train, and develop laboratory personnel; assign work, monitor performance, set expectations, and maintain documented personnel qualifications
• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve laboratory procedures, controlled test methods, SOPs, and supporting records
• Oversee routine analytical testing and technical review to ensure the accuracy, integrity, traceability, and reliability of laboratory data and results
• Maintain transferred analytical methods after go-live through ongoing qualification, verification, validation, comparability assessment, and controlled change management
• Manage the laboratory equipment lifecycle, including selection, procurement support, installation, qualification, calibration, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, service coordination, and readiness of HPLC/UHPLC systems and related equipment
• Investigate out-of-specification, out-of-trend, failed system-suitability, data-integrity, calibration, and other laboratory events; ensure timely documentation, root-cause analysis, corrective action, escalation, and closure
• Maintain inspection and audit readiness by ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, quality systems, laboratory practices, safety expectations, and document-control standards
• Monitor laboratory capacity, turnaround time, workload, supply usage, and operational performance; identify trends, risks, and constraints and communicate them to management
• Manage laboratory supplies, standards, reagents, reference materials, consumables, and inventory, including vendor coordination and appropriate storage and control
• Evaluate and recommend technologies, methods, equipment, and process improvements that enhance quality, reliability, efficiency, scalability, and cost management
• Partner with Quality Assurance, Operations, Research and Development, Engineering, EHS, Procurement, and external laboratories to support testing, investigations, method transfer, overflow, contingency planning, and laboratory readiness
• Support departmental planning and budget administration, including staffing and resource needs, equipment and supply costs, vendor relationships, and approved operating priorities
• Maintain a safe, organized, and compliant laboratory environment, and ensure required safety procedures and training are consistently followed

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Science, or a related scientific field
• 8-10 years of experience in an analytical or quality control laboratory, including significant experience in a regulated laboratory or manufacturing environment
• 2+ years of experience leading laboratory personnel and managing day-to-day laboratory operations
• Experience managing equipment qualification and calibration, SOPs and controlled methods, data integrity, investigations, training, and laboratory readiness
• Working knowledge of quality control testing, method validation and verification, laboratory result review and reporting, precision measurement, and quality-improvement practices
• Strong leadership, coaching, organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Ability to communicate technical information clearly, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively across functions
• Demonstrated commitment to laboratory safety, accurate documentation, ethical data practices, and regulatory compliance
• Limited travel may be required for method transfer, vendor coordination, training, or site support

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Science, or a related scientific field is preferred
• Experience establishing, scaling, centralizing, or launching an analytical or quality control laboratory, including equipment readiness, quality-system implementation, personnel qualification, and go-live support
• Experience in a regulated industry, such as pharmaceuticals, tobacco or nicotine, food and beverage, dietary supplements, medical devices, consumer goods, or a similar FDA-regulated manufacturing environment
• Experience with HPLC/UHPLC laboratory operations, chromatographic testing, laboratory data systems, analytical troubleshooting, and analytical method transfer
• Experience supporting finished-product release testing and product-disposition decisions
• Formal training in GMP, GLP, ISO 17025, data integrity, laboratory quality systems, or related disciplines
• Experience managing a multi-shift laboratory and coordinating with external laboratories for overflow or contingency testing

What We Offer

• Base salary and bonus program
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance effective on date of hire
• Generous 401(k) Plan
• Defined Contribution Plan
• Paid vacation and paid holidays
• Tuition reimbursement

Official Contact Information

• Email: All official emails will come from an @Swisher.com address
• Website: Verify job listings and contact details on https://careers.swisher.com

Important: We will never contact you via Teams, Zoom, or Google Meets. If you qualify for an interview the proper meeting method will be shared with you beforehand. Confidential information should only be shared through secure methods outside of email.