Scientist I

at  Labstat International Inc

Certified Group is a leading North American provider of laboratory testing, regulatory consulting, and certification & audit services. Certified Group includes Food Safety Net Services (FSNS), Certified Laboratories, EAS Consulting Group, Labstat International Inc., Advanced Botanical Consulting & Testing (ABC Testing Inc.), Microconsult Inc., and Micro Quality Labs Inc. Certified Group provides laboratory testing and regulatory consulting services in the food & beverage, dietary supplements & NHP, cosmetics, OTC, tobacco, nicotine, cannabis, hemp, and other industries.
We are currently looking for a Scientist I to join our growing team in Kitchener in our Labstat Division!

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ph.D, in Chemistry or MSc., BSc. in Chemistry or related field with relevant experience.
• 1-3 years of relevant experience in a laboratory or related scientific field
• Must be able to work cooperatively in a team environment.
• Effective communication skills relevant to the position
• Analytical, detail-oriented, accurate

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB:

• Data Reporting Activities
• Review and report analytical data.
• Troubleshoot analytical methods and conduct investigations related to client inquiries or out-of-specification results, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Exercise authority to stop work if necessary to ensure data integrity.
• Ensure results reported to clients are accurate and complete, in compliance with regulatory and quality standards, and meet client specifications.
• Method Improvement/Development
• Works with Operations team to manage lifecycle of analytical methods, including ongoing evaluation, continuous improvement, and modification of methods.
• Partner with R&D team to develop new analytical methods, providing technical support and expertise during implementation of newly developed methods.
• Gather and analyze data for validation purposes and compile findings into validation reports.
• Stay updated on industry advancements and latest technologies and apply relevant updates to laboratory practices and methods.
• Supervision and Direction Activities
• Provide support to Operations team in the performance of their duties specific to their areas of responsibility to ensure high-quality results and compliance with standards, including ISO and GLP requirements.
• Provide technical guidance on lab operations, troubleshooting and best practices to improve operational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with the Quality Assurance team to support audit and inspections.
• Administration Activities
• Ensure necessary documents required to perform work are organized and available to Operations team within project folder or LIMS.
• Review, advise and develop protocols as needed.
• Update and maintain laboratory SOPs and guidelines to reflect the latest standards and practices.
• Complete Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs), Corrective Action Reports (CARs), conduct investigations and respond to client inquiries.
• Maintain thorough and well-organized records, ensuring data integrity and traceability for all analytical activities.
• GLP Studies (as necessary):
• Comply with the instructions given in these documents. Any deviation from these instructions shall be documented and communicated directly to the Study Director, and/or, if appropriate, the Principal Investigator(s).
• Recording raw data promptly and accurately and in compliance with the Principles of GLP and is responsible for the quality of the data.
• Exercise health precautions to minimize risk to her/himself and to ensure the integrity of the study. Employee shall communicate to the appropriate person any relevant known health or medical condition in order that they can be excluded from operations that may affect the study.
• The employee shall implement the Laboratory Quality Policy and perform their duties in accordance to existing project specific requirements, current Test Methods, study plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Compliance with Health & Safety policies and procedures and wear required Personal Protective equipment at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The Scientists are responsible for the analytical activities within the laboratory. This includes:

• Review of analytical data and report preparation, in a timely fashion to meet deadlines.
• Ability to perform and assess the precision and accuracy of test methods currently in use by following appropriate QC procedures.
• Troubleshooting of specific methods and instrumentation and maintaining accurate records of any actions taken
• Effective communication and collaboration with others as part of an analytical team, including providing training as needed.
• Communication and direction of analysis-specific activities to team members
• Interaction with clients on technical issues as needed.
• Monitoring and reporting on the progress of project-related analyses during administrative meetings.
• Possess thorough understanding of ISO 17025 accreditation requirements and establishing documentation and procedure to comply with this standard.
• A Scientist involved in the conduct of a GLP study must:
• Be knowledgeable in those parts of the Principles of GLP, which are applicable to their involvement in the study