Supervisor, Chromatography & Mass Spectrometry

Job Title

Supervisor, Chromatography & Mass Spectrometry

Altria (East Jackson St, Richmond) – Customer Site VA

The Scientist II, Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry provides technical leadership for chromatographic analyses supporting product development, regulatory testing, and scientific investigations. The role applies GC, LC, LC‑MS, and related analytical techniques to characterize product constituents, impurities, and degradation products, and supports method development, validation, and data interpretation. The scientist supports ASAP chemical analysis and flavor stability work and flexes to support post‑treatment chemical analysis.

As the team lead, the scientist also provides day‑to‑day technical direction and mentorship to contract scientists and technicians while maintaining a hands‑on analytical workload.

• Perform analyses using GC, LC, LC‑MS/MS, GC‑MS, GC‑FID, LC‑UV, and related instrumentation.
• Develop, optimize, and validate analytical methods for complex matrices following ICH guidelines.
• Support ASAP chemical analysis, flavor stability studies, and post‑treatment chemical analysis.
• Apply sample preparation and extraction techniques, including liquid‑liquid extraction and solid phase extraction (SPE), for quantitative analysis of target compounds.
• Interpret complex analytical data and communicate findings.
• Troubleshoot instrumentation and analytical methods.
• Support technology transfer and process improvement initiatives.
• Author technical and regulatory documentation and study reports.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional scientific teams and maintain compliance with quality and safety requirements.
• Provide day‑to‑day technical guidance and mentorship to contract scientists and technicians while maintaining a hands‑on analytical workload.
• Coordinate team workload, priorities, and study scheduling to meet project timelines.
• Review data and reports produced by team members for quality, accuracy, and consistency.
• Onboard and train new team members on methods, instrumentation, and laboratory procedures.
• Serve as a primary technical point of contact between the contractor team and Altria subject matter experts.
• Maintain training and compliance in areas of health and safety, security, environmental and operational aspects of daily activities in the working environment.

• Proficiency in method development and validation using LC-MS, GC-MS, GC-FID, and/or LC-UV of complex matrices following ICH guidelines.
• Proficiency with chromatography and mass spectrometry data analysis software such as Mass Lynx, Chromeleon, Chem Station, and Mass Hunter.
• Experience with sample preparation and extraction techniques (liquid extraction, SPE) for quantitative analysis in complex matrices.
• Strong data interpretation and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and coordinate a small technical team while contributing at the bench.
• Experience authoring technical and regulatory documents.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong written and verbal communication.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft products.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
• 4+ years of chromatography experience.
• Experience with GC and LC‑based analytical platforms.

• 5+ years of experience across GC, LC‑MS, and LC‑UV.
• Experience serving as a technical or team lead in an analytical laboratory.
• Experience in a regulated, GMP, or GLP environment.
• Experience characterizing nicotine, flavor, or related product constituents.

Must be able to work in a laboratory, controlled environments requiring personal protective equipment (e.g., lab coat, safety glasses) in laboratory. Job pace may be fast and job completion demands may be high. Must be able to remain in a stationary position more than 25% of the time. The person needs to occasionally move between labs, corridors, adjoining rooms, and buildings onsite.

Frequently operate on instruments, objects, tools or controls, which will require regularly bending, squatting, stretching and reaching in order to perform in a service…