Manager, Laboratory & Research

Our client, Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corporation is seeking a Manager, Laboratory & Research to set the strategic direction for laboratory and analytical services and lead research that supports water treatment performance, regulatory readiness and continuous improvement.

Reporting directly to the President & CEO, you’ll lead an accredited laboratory, establish research priorities and provide expert advice that informs treatment processes and future water quality decisions. This opportunity brings together scientific expertise, independent judgment and the ability to lead people and build strong professional partnerships.

This is an out-of-scope management position within a unionized workplace.

The Opportunity

You’ll be responsible for the direction and delivery of laboratory services, ensuring the people, resources and workplans are in place to meet current and future needs. The laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and provides chemical, physical and microbiological testing to support regulatory compliance, assess treatment performance and independently verify online instrumentation.

The scope extends from source-water monitoring in Buffalo Pound Lake, Lake Diefenbaker and the Upper Qu’Appelle River to water quality in municipal distribution systems. You’ll connect laboratory findings with operational decisions, direct research that addresses immediate and long-term plant needs, and maintain partnerships with universities and external researchers.

Success requires both technical credibility and effective leadership: someone who can set clear priorities, support and develop employees, and work constructively with colleagues, researchers and regulatory agencies.

What You’ll Lead

• Laboratory strategy and services: Establish strategic direction and workplans, manage resources and budgets, and ensure reliable analytical services that meet the plant’s current and future needs.
• Laboratory independence and quality: Maintain ISO/IEC 17025 requirements and safeguard the laboratory’s impartiality, ensuring its work remains free from inappropriate internal or external influence.
• Water quality reporting: Deliver required reports to the Water Security Agency using results from the plant laboratory and accredited external laboratories.
• Treatment support and improvement: Provide independent confirmation of online instrumentation, evaluate process efficiency, and advise plant operations on chemical selection and dosing that meet water quality objectives while managing costs.
• Research and partnerships: Design and direct research, establish priorities that reflect plant needs, and maintain academic and industry partnerships to advance applied and basic research.
• Regulatory readiness and technical advice: Review existing and proposed guidelines and regulations, advise plant management and regulatory agencies, and help ensure appropriate processes and procedures are in place for future compliance.
• People and performance: Lead employees through clear expectations, constructive feedback and effective communication, building a team committed to quality, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Residuals management: Assist with settling pond operations, including residuals excavation, and oversee the residuals monofil to improve natural drying and processing and extend its service life.
• Quality management: Follow and uphold the Quality Management System procedures applicable to the role.

What You Bring

• A graduate degree in chemistry, applied science or environmental science, or an equivalent combination of applicable education and relevant experience.
• Significant laboratory experience, supported by practical knowledge of water treatment processes.
• Experience managing employees and processes, with the ability to translate priorities into clear workplans and results.
• Budget management experience and sound judgment in allocating resources.
• Training and experience in experimental design and statistics.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build trust, develop employees and address challenges constructively.
• The ability to interpret technical findings, provide clear advice and build productive relationships across operational, academic and regulatory settings.
• A commitment to maintaining technical expertise through research, professional development and participation in relevant industry organizations.
• First Aid and CPR certification.

Why Buffalo Pound?

· Responsibility with meaningful impact. Lead a function whose findings and recommendations directly support drinking water quality, treatment performance and an essential public service.

· A mandate that combines strategy and science. Set the direction for laboratory services while directing research with practical applications and long-term value.

· Professional independence and collaboration. Exercise independent scientific judgment while working closely with plant leadership, universities and external research partners.

· Compensation and relocation support. The annual salary range is $123,350–$167,757, with a negotiable relocation allowance for the successful candidate.

Working at the Plant

This salaried position is based at the plant in rural Saskatchewan. Normal working hours are generally 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, with flexibility required to support operational needs outside regular hours.

The plant is located outside Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, with most employees commuting from Moose Jaw or Regina. Work takes place in office, laboratory and industrial settings and requires managing deadlines and delivering projects within budget. Daily travel on secondary highways is required, including during inclement weather. The role involves potential exposure to laboratory and industrial hazards, with safe work practices and personal protective equipment required.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.