A laboratory supervisor works in a laboratory that is either self-contained or part of a larger organization, and performs duties that allow the laboratory to run smoothly on a daily basis. A laboratory supervisor, unlike a lab technician, has significant managerial duties and responsibilities. The laboratory supervisor’s responsibilities include things like safety protocol, disciplinary action, and performance evaluation. In a hospital, for example, the laboratory supervisor serves as a liaison between hospital administration and laboratory staff, and is frequently tasked with making personnel decisions such as hiring and firing.
A laboratory supervisor is expected to perform many of the same tasks as a technician because she works on-site. On a daily basis, she must usually put her technical knowledge and science background to use. She will also be in charge of overseeing the work of others.
A large part of a laboratory supervisor’s job entails dealing with people. To ensure that management’s practices are followed, the laboratory supervisor must use her communication skills. The laboratory is a dynamic environment where various workers with different personalities are attempting to work towards a common goal, and it is the responsibility of the laboratory supervisor to make sure that all workers have this goal in mind and do not behave in ways that are counterproductive.
When disciplinary action is necessary, the laboratory supervisor must be able to communicate that action and the reason for it without intimidating the employee. Being too harsh can lead to resentment or hurt feelings, as well as an unsatisfactory employer-employee relationship. Similarly, it is the laboratory supervisor’s responsibility to give praise and encouragement when it is due in order to foster a positive work environment.
The salary of a laboratory supervisor is higher than that of a technician with fewer responsibilities, but the position may require significantly more work experience and education. Laboratory supervisors may be promoted from within in facilities with many departments, such as hospitals, to ensure that they have demonstrated the required competence for the job. In all cases, the laboratory supervisor knows enough about what goes on in the lab to monitor activities and provide specific feedback on the work habits of everybody she is responsible for overseeing. This is the result of a combination of real-world laboratory experience and advanced education and training in the specific science or sciences used in the lab. The laboratory supervisor frequently has certifications from scientific organizations that she has earned through demonstrated competency, and these certifications add to her supervisory qualifications.