Pay: $64,000–$88,000 per year
Job type: Full-time
Location: Olympia, Washington
Work setting: On-site laboratory position
Who We Are
Vanguard Laboratory is a small, family-owned analytical chemistry and microbiology laboratory in Olympia, Washington. We test food and beverage products, pharmaceuticals, supplements, peptides, SARMs/SERMs, nootropics, agricultural products, drinking water, and environmental samples.
We operate under an ISO/IEC 17025 quality-management system and maintain accreditations through A2LA and Washington State agencies. We are expanding our mass spectrometry, pharmaceutical, peptide, supplement, and small-molecule testing capabilities.
Position Overview
We are seeking a well-rounded Mass Spectrometry Scientist with strong hands-on experience in instrument operation, method development, troubleshooting, data interpretation, and technical documentation.
Experience analyzing peptides, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, or related small molecules is strongly preferred .
This is not a narrowly defined production-testing position. The successful candidate will work with LC-MS/MS, Orbitrap HRMS, GC-MS, HPLC, and UHPLC. Responsibilities include developing and validating methods, performing routine testing, investigating unexpected results, reviewing data, maintaining instruments, and training other analysts.
Our instrumentation includes a SCIEX 4500 QTRAP LC-MS/MS, Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris 120, GC-MS systems, and HPLC/UHPLC systems with UV/DAD and other detectors. Experience with comparable platforms is welcome.
What You Will DoMass Spectrometry and Chromatography
- Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot LC-MS/MS, HRMS, GC-MS, HPLC, and UHPLC systems.
- Develop targeted LC-MS/MS methods using MRM and other appropriate acquisition modes.
- Perform HRMS analysis for accurate-mass confirmation, isotope-pattern evaluation, charge-state analysis, spectral deconvolution, and impurity characterization.
- Perform qualitative and quantitative GC-MS analysis where appropriate.
- Optimize sample preparation, extraction, cleanup, columns, mobile phases, gradients, source conditions, collision energies, acquisition parameters, and processing settings.
- Establish efficient, high-throughput workflows without compromising traceability, system suitability, or data quality.
- Perform routine analyses when needed to support client turnaround times.
Peptide, Pharmaceutical and Supplement Testing
- Analyze synthetic peptides, pharmaceutical ingredients, finished products, dietary supplements, research compounds, and related materials.
- Confirm identity using reference standards, retention time, accurate mass, isotope pattern, and MS/MS fragmentation.
- Evaluate peptide charge states, adducts, fragments, degradation products, and sequence-related impurities.
- Investigate oxidation, deamidation, truncations, deletion sequences, hydrolysis products, synthesis byproducts, and other modifications.
- Develop quantitative methods for active ingredients, impurities, adulterants, degradation products, and contaminants.
- Address matrix effects, ion suppression or enhancement, extraction recovery, analyte adsorption, solubility, carryover, and stability.
- Support screening and confirmation methods for supplement actives, undeclared adulterants, SARMs/SERMs, nootropics, and other small molecules.
- Provide defensible interpretations without overstating what the data demonstrate.
Method Development and Validation
- Develop, optimize, verify, validate, and implement analytical methods.
- Review scientific literature, compendial procedures, regulatory references, and manufacturer information.
- Design validation studies addressing specificity, selectivity, linearity, range, accuracy, recovery, precision, LOD/LOQ, carryover, matrix effects, dilution integrity, stability, robustness, and measurement uncertainty where applicable.
- Document development trials, including unsuccessful approaches and troubleshooting decisions.
- Prepare validation protocols and reports, SOPs, worksheets, instrument procedures, review checklists, and training records.
- Transition validated methods into routine use and train analysts before independent testing.
Data Review, Troubleshooting and Quality
- Review chromatograms, mass spectra, calibration models, system-suitability results, controls, blanks, calculations, technical data packages, and Certificates of Analysis.
- Evaluate integration, retention time, ion ratios, mass accuracy, isotope fit, spectral quality, calibration performance, and QC acceptance.
- Distinguish legitimate signals from background ions, fragments, adducts, carryover, contamination, and processing artifacts.
- Investigate atypical, inconsistent, out-of-specification, or out-of-trend results.
- Troubleshoot sensitivity loss, mass drift, calibration failure, unstable spray, poor chromatography, contamination, carryover, ion suppression, vacuum problems, leaks, and inconsistent fragmentation.
- Perform source cleaning, tuning, calibration, preventative maintenance, and consumable replacement.
- Track instrument performance and coordinate vendor service when needed.
- Work within our ISO/IEC 17025 quality system and maintain complete, traceable, defensible records.
- Participate in investigations, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, proficiency testing, audits, and accreditation activities.
- Mentor analysts and provide technical guidance regarding methods, sample requirements, limitations, and result interpretation.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in analytical chemistry, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutical science, or a related field, or equivalent directly relevant experience.
- Significant hands-on experience operating and troubleshooting mass spectrometry systems.
- Experience with LC-MS/MS, HRMS, GC-MS, or a combination of these platforms.
- Demonstrated method-development or validation experience, not only operation of established methods.
- Strong understanding of chromatography, ionization, fragmentation, calibration, quantitation, spectral interpretation, and sample preparation.
- Ability to independently evaluate data and recognize technically questionable results.
- Experience preparing SOPs, validation records, technical reports, or controlled documents.
- Systematic troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to balance development work with routine testing and turnaround requirements.
- Strong communication skills and ownership of projects through completion.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience analyzing peptides, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, SARMs/SERMs, nootropics, or related small molecules.
- Experience with QTRAP, Orbitrap, QTOF, triple-quadrupole, ion-trap, or comparable systems.
- Experience with accurate-mass analysis, deconvolution, and MS/MS interpretation.
- Experience with peptide characterization, impurity investigation, quantitative pharmaceutical methods, or supplement adulterant screening.
- Experience with Analyst, Xcalibur, Chromeleon, TraceFinder, BioPharma Finder, or comparable software.
- Experience in an ISO/IEC 17025, GMP, GLP, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, supplement, or contract-testing laboratory.
- Experience with high-throughput testing, technical review, or analyst training.
Schedule
Our standard operating hours are 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Alternate schedules may be arranged when they meet laboratory needs.
Compensation and Benefits
The anticipated salary is $64,000–$80,000 per year , depending on education, directly relevant experience, instrumentation knowledge, method-development ability, and technical independence.
Benefits include:
- Employer-matched 401(k)
- Health, dental, vision, and life-insurance options
- Paid vacation and parental leave
- Flexible scheduling within operational needs
- Professional-development assistance and technical training
- Merit-based raises
- Opportunities for increased technical leadership
Employees may also earn $500–$2,000 for each new method successfully implemented , depending on complexity, individual contribution, completion of required validation and quality documentation, and addition to the laboratory’s approved scope or routine capabilities.