Senior Quality Scientist

QA/QC Scientist – Rare Earth Processing

Kelly Science & Clinical | Beatrice, NE

Direct Hire | Permanent Opportunity

Salary: $125,000–$150,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications
Schedule: Monday–Friday | 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Location: Beatrice, Nebraska

Advance Your Career in Quality Assurance & Analytical Laboratory Leadership!

Kelly Science & Clinical is seeking an experienced QA/QC Scientist for an exciting direct-hire opportunity in Beatrice, NE!

This is an excellent opportunity for a highly skilled scientist to lead quality assurance and quality control initiatives within an innovative rare earth separation and processing facility . The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in analytical laboratory management, instrumentation oversight, QA/QC protocol development, and chemical manufacturing operations.

In this highly visible role, you will play a critical part in ensuring product quality, optimizing laboratory performance, supporting facility expansion, and driving operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• QA/QC Program Development: Design, implement, and continuously improve quality assurance and quality control procedures, analytical methods, and laboratory protocols.
  
• Analytical Laboratory Leadership: Oversee daily laboratory operations, personnel, workflows, and analytical testing activities, including ICP-OES and ICP-MS instrumentation.
  
• Laboratory Instrumentation Management: Direct instrument maintenance, calibration, qualification, troubleshooting, and performance verification to ensure operational readiness and reliable analytical results.
  
• Laboratory Expansion & Commissioning: Coordinate new equipment installations, instrument onboarding, laboratory capacity expansion, and commissioning activities.
  
• Product Quality & Documentation: Manage QA/QC data, verify product specifications, maintain accurate analytical records, and issue Certificates of Analysis (COAs) to support product release and shipping.
  
• Process & Production Support: Partner with engineering, operations, and technical teams to optimize rare earth separation processes, analyze feedstocks, and resolve quality-related challenges.
  
• Compliance & Safety: Ensure laboratory operations align with applicable safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
  
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve analytical efficiency, instrumentation reliability, data integrity, and overall laboratory performance.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, QA/QC Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related scientific discipline.
  
• 10+ years of QA/QC experience within chemical processing, manufacturing, or a related industrial environment.
  
• Hands-on experience with ICP-OES and/or ICP-MS, including analytical testing, method development, or instrument oversight.
  
• Proven experience managing analytical laboratory operations, technical personnel, and quality control programs.
  
• Demonstrated ability to oversee laboratories utilizing multiple analytical instruments and complex equipment systems.
  
• Strong background in instrument maintenance, calibration, qualification, troubleshooting, and operational readiness.
  
• Experience managing expanding instrumentation portfolios while maintaining data integrity, regulatory compliance, and laboratory efficiency.
  
• Experience supporting laboratory equipment installations, commissioning, and capacity expansion projects.
  
• Excellent organizational, leadership, problem-solving, and project management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with rare earth elements, mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, or specialty chemical manufacturing.
  
• Knowledge of environmental regulations and industrial laboratory safety practices.
  
• Experience supporting process optimization, facility commissioning, or manufacturing scale-up.
  
• Strong computer proficiency, technical documentation skills, and the ability to manage competing operational priorities.
  
• Adaptability and a proactive, hands-on leadership approach in an evolving manufacturing environment.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Competitive Compensation: $125,000–$150,000 annually, based on qualifications and relevant experience.
  
• Direct-Hire Position: Permanent career opportunity.
  
• Leadership Impact: Take ownership of critical laboratory and quality operations.
  
• Innovative Industry: Contribute to advanced rare earth separation and processing technologies.
  
• Professional Growth: Play a key role in laboratory expansion, process improvement, and operational development.