Laboratory Team Leader

The Role

Are you ready to take the next step in your laboratory career? We are looking for a motivated and hands‑on Team Leader for the Late Shift to help lead our busy Food Testing in Chatteris. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working in a fast‑paced laboratory environment, leads by example and is passionate about supporting colleagues, maintaining standards and driving continuous improvement.

Shift: Monday to Friday, 1:30pm to 10:00pm
Salary: £29,366
Location: Chatteris
Contract: Full‑time and Permanent

• Leading the day‑to‑day operation of the late shift within the Food Testing Chemistry Laboratory, providing visible, hands‑on support to the team and helping to resolve issues quickly and effectively.
• Planning and coordinating workloads to ensure testing priorities and turnaround times are consistently achieved, while making the most effective use of available resources and maintaining compliance with laboratory procedures and internal processes.
• Supporting the smooth running of the team through effective rota coordination, holiday planning and overtime management, while dealing confidently and professionally with day‑to‑day people matters in line with company procedures.
• Overseeing routine equipment checks and laboratory readiness to ensure the department is fully prepared to meet operational demands, including daily calibrations and the effective control of consumables, chemicals and storage areas.
• Driving high standards of training across the team by ensuring learning is delivered effectively, training records are accurately maintained, and all documentation remains current and audit‑ready.
• Contributing to a strong quality culture by taking an active role in audits, investigations and corrective actions, while maintaining a clean, safe and fully compliant laboratory environment.

• Demonstrable laboratory experience, ideally within a commercial food testing chemistry environment.
• Desire to take the next step in your career and further develop your leadership skills within a team leader role.
• Ability to thrive in a busy, high‑throughput laboratory environment and manage competing priorities while maintaining quality and turnaround times.
• Confident and proactive problem‑solver who remains calm under pressure and supports colleagues positively and effectively.
• Strong planning skills, orchestrating workloads, coordinating resources and driving team performance.
• Good understanding of laboratory procedures, quality standards, health and safety requirements, and equipment care.

• Annual Leave commencing at 25 days (rising to 30) plus 8 public holidays.
• Ability to buy annual leave.
• Enhanced Company Sick Pay Scheme.
• Salary Progression Scheme based on technical and behavioural competencies.
• Celebrating Success Recognition Awards.
• Perkbox membership providing access to discount vouchers and wellness hub.
• Learning / study support.
• Group Personal Pension Plan.
• Car Parking on‑site.

ALS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where the strengths and perspectives of each employee are both recognised and valued.

ALS also welcomes applications from people with all levels of ability. Reasonable adjustments to support candidates throughout the recruitment process are available upon request.

To be eligible to work at ALS you must be a citizen or permanent resident of the country you are applying for, or hold or be able to obtain a valid working visa.