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Charles River Laboratories International has filed one layoff notice in the last twelve months, covering 20 workers, most recently February 2026. These are public filings with state labor departments, and an open role can sit alongside them. See the filings

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About the job

For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.

Job Overview

Serve as the senior scientific advisor and strategic lead for laboratory operations within Global Laboratory Sciences. Partner with scientific and operational leaders within Lab Sciences to ensure operational excellence, scientific quality, regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction across the global laboratory network. Develop and action an operational strategy that supports growth of the business with a focus on innovation and building global capacity and capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the industry. Provide leadership across multiple laboratory disciplines and sites, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement. Serve as a recognized expert for Global Lab Sciences to internal and external partners. Lead and manage Global Lab Sciences projects as assigned.

Job Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct global laboratory operations across multiple disciplines in Global Lab Sciences, including Analytical Chemistry, Bioanalysis, Biomarkers, Immunology and Molecular Biology

Ensure efficient utilization of laboratory resources, equipment, facilities, and personnel

Work with the Global Head of Labs to develop and implement a global operational strategy aligned with business objectives

Provide oversight of Global Scientific Leads, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement. Leverage Global Teams to drive global consistency in laboratory procedures, quality systems and client deliverables

Serve as primary reviewer for harmonized (HRM) standard operating procedures (SOPs) and document templates

Direct key strategic and scientific decision-making for Global Laboratory Operations. Address and resolve scientific and operational challenges to ensure consistent and high-quality customer experience

Partner closely with Site Leadership and Quality Assurance to ensure successful outcomes during regulatory inspections, client audits, internal audits and accreditation reviews

Support sites in implementing key operational metrics to monitor performance, throughput and capacity

Help to drive expansion, modernization, automation, and capacity planning initiatives

Serve as Global Lab Sciences lead in DSA operational initiatives, as assigned

Support the development and integration of new technologies to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability across the Global Lab Sciences organization

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of current industry practices and represent Lab Sciences in scientific forums, conferences and industry organizations. Participate in client governance committees, as assigned

Identify opportunities for growth and develop business plans for new areas of opportunity

Serve as a member of the Global Lab Sciences senior leadership team and contribute to quarterly Business Review and DSA strategy presentations

Mentor staff and assist in development of succession plans and talent pipelines

Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Job Qualifications

Education: Advanced degree (Master’s Degree and/or Ph.D.) in scientific or business-related discipline.

Experience: 10 years related management experience in a contract research organization (CRO), biotechnology, or pharmaceutical environment, including one or more of the scientific areas covered within Laboratory Sciences.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute.

Certification/Licensure: None

Other: Management and problem-solving skills. Demonstrated abilities in analytical, quantitative and critical thinking with fundamental understanding of Lab Sciences capabilities and capacity. Proven ability to work effectively in a dynamic, deadline driven environment. Ability to handle multiple projects and make executive level decisions. Strong communication, interpersonal, organizational skills, and attention to detail. Proficient project management and presentation skills. Must have ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Compensation Data

The hiring range for this position in the United States is $200,000/yr – $235,000/yr USD. Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, location and any collective agreements, if applicable. Remote candidates located outside the United States should be aware that the relevant pay range varies based on country and location.

About Safety Assessment

Charles River is committed to helping our partners expedite their preclinical drug development with exceptional safety assessment services, state-of-the-art facilities and expert regulatory guidance. From individual specialty toxicology and IND enabling studies to tailored packages and total laboratory support, our deeply experienced team can design and execute programs that anticipate challenges and avoid roadblocks for a smooth, efficient journey to market. Each year approximately 300 investigational new drug (IND) programs are conducted in our Safety Assessment facilities.

About Charles River

Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.

With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.

At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.

We’re committed to providing benefits that elevate your quality of life. Based on your position these may include: bonus/incentives based on performance, 401K, paid time off, stock purchase program, Health and wellness coverage, employee and family wellbeing support programs, and work life balance flexibility.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, family status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

It is unlawful in some states (including Massachusetts) to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

If you are interested in applying to Charles River Laboratories and need special assistance or an accommodation due to a disability to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the resume submission process, please contact a member of our Human Resources team by sending an e-mail message to crrecruitment_US@crl.com. This contact is for accommodation requests for individuals with disabilities only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

For more information, please visit www.criver.com.