Oko West - Analytical Laboratory Manager

Job description

Job Description G Mining Ventures is seeking an Analytical Laboratory Manager to join the Process/Metallurgy team at the Oko West Project in Guyana. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the safe, accurate, and timely preparation, analysis, validation, and reporting of mine, exploration, process, metallurgical, and environmental samples, while ensuring that analytical results are technically reliable and delivered within the required turnaround times to effectively support production, process control, engineering, geology, exploration, and environmental activities. Manage the daily operation of the analytical laboratory, ensuring the safe, accurate, and timely completion of assays for mine, exploration, process, metallurgical, and environmental samples. Establish laboratory priorities, production schedules, and turnaround-time targets in coordination with Operations, Processing, Geology, Exploration, Metallurgy, and Environmental teams. Maintain the laboratory quality management system, including certified reference materials, blanks, duplicates, check assays, control charts, proficiency testing, nonconformance investigations, and corrective actions. Review, validate, and authorize analytical results prior to release, ensuring the integrity, traceability, and confidentiality of laboratory data. Establish, review, and maintain analytical methods, standard operating procedures, work instructions, and equipment operating procedures. Manage onsite environmental testing and environmental sample handling, including preservation, holding times, chain of custody, QA/QC review, and reporting of validated results to the Environmental Department. Coordinate work performed by accredited external laboratories, including sample preparation and shipment, chain of custody, turnaround-time monitoring, and review of analytical results. Plan laboratory staffing and schedules to meet routine, peak, and emergency workloads, and recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate laboratory personnel while maintaining appropriate competency and authorization records. Ensure compliance with applicable health, safety, and environmental legislation, permits, company policies, and laboratory procedures, including the safe management of laboratory chemicals, hazardous materials, equipment, and waste. Conduct laboratory safety inspections, participate in risk assessments, investigate incidents and deficiencies, and ensure appropriate corrective and preventive actions are implemented. Establish and maintain preventive maintenance, calibration, and verification programs for laboratory instruments and equipment, coordinating repairs and work orders as required. Maintain appropriate inventories of reagents, certified reference materials, consumables, critical spare parts, and personal protective equipment. Manage laboratory operating and capital budgets, monitor expenditures, and identify cost-control and continuous-improvement opportunities. Prepare and communicate laboratory production and analytical reports, QA/QC summaries, safety and maintenance reports, performance indicators, equipment availability, sample backlogs, and significant analytical issues to the Process Manager and relevant departments. Investigate disputed results, analytical failures, and significant deviations, ensuring appropriate corrective and preventive actions are implemented. When operationally required, perform laboratory functions for which the Manager is trained and authorized. Requirements Minimum education : Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline. An Assayer qualification or equivalent technical/scientific qualification may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree when supported by significant hands-on analytical laboratory and management experience. Relevant experience : Minimum of 7 years of experience in a mining, mineral-processing, or geochemical laboratory environment, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role. Experience working in FIFO operations and/or remote mine-site environments is considered an asset. Demonstrated hands-on experience with PAL operations, method optimization, troubleshooting, and laboratory QA/QC. Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of precious-metal assaying, including fire assay, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, and other relevant analytical techniques. Experience with environmental water testing, including sample preservation, holding-time requirements, chain-of-custody procedures, and coordination with accredited external laboratories. Strong knowledge of analytical laboratory QA/QC principles and practices, including certified reference materials, blanks, duplicates, check assays, control charts, and corrective-action processes. Good understanding of mine-site operations and process-control requirements, including the interfaces between laboratory, geology, processing, metallurgy, and environmental functions. Proficiency in data analysis, statistical methods, and the interpretation of analytical performance and trends. Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), electronic chain-of-custody systems, and standard business software. Familiarity with mine-data or site-management software is considered an asset, particularly the Datamine ecosystem. Additional skills : Strong organizational and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Proven leadership and people-management skills, including effective communication, conflict resolution, coaching, and employee development. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Previous experience in a mine development or operating environment is considered an asset. Salary Rang e: Negotiable. Employment Type : Temporary contract for the duration of the construction. Working Hours & Conditions : Rotation schedule: 23 of work followed by 19 days off. Work is primarily performed in an analytical laboratory within a mine-site environment. The position may involve exposure to chemicals, lead-bearing materials, cyanide, compressed gases, dust, noise, heat, furnaces, and moving laboratory equipment. Work outside regular hours may occasionally be required to address production requirements, equipment failures, safety incidents, or urgent analytical issues. Required personal protective equipment (PPE) will be determined through task-specific hazard assessments and may include safety footwear, laboratory coats or coveralls, long-sleeved clothing, safety glasses, face shields, chemical-resistant gloves, hearing protection, respiratory protection, and heat-resistant PPE. The employee must comply with applicable legislation, site safety and environmental requirements, and Company policies and procedures. Application Details Application Deadline: September 20, 2026 Interested people are invited to submit a CV/resume and a cover letter to the contact listed above. *This position is open to both local and international candidates. However, preference will be given to qualified Guyanese applicants. If no suitable local candidate is found, an application for a foreign work permit will be submitted.*