Managing Director, Process Safety Laboratory
Job Description Job Description In compliance with applicable pay transparency requirements, the application window for this position is expected to close on November 30, 2026, subject to change based on business need. A Day in the Life and the Impact You’ll Make: The General Manager, Process Safety Testing is the on-site business, people, safety, and technical leader for the Princeton Process Safety Testing Laboratory. This role is responsible for creating and sustaining a strong safety culture, developing leaders and employees, fostering accountability, and building an engaged, high-performing team. The General Manager provides leadership and oversight for the DEKRA Princeton Process Safety Laboratory, with responsibility for P&L performance, safety, equipment reliability, quality, and profitable growth. The role combines engineering and production-minded leadership with laboratory experience and serves as a visible partner to customers, Sales, Marketing, Consulting, and shared services. This position also serves on the Process Safety North America leadership team. The General Manager translates market demand into executable laboratory capacity by improving local processes, increasing asset reliability and utilization, maintaining accreditations and regulatory compliance, and delivering a consistent customer experience across the Process Safety business. Long-term success in this role requires more than operational and technical leadership. This position is responsible for strengthening the site’s culture, developing people and local leaders, and reinforcing an environment where safety, accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement shapes how the organization operates every day. About DEKRA's Princeton Process Safety Laboratory DEKRA's Princeton Process Safety Laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art equipment to help clients around the world understand and manage the risks associated with industrial dusts, powders, gases, vapors, and reactive chemicals. Serving industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, chemical processing, energy, and advanced materials, the laboratory conducts a wide range of process safety tests that support safer facility design, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. The team work alongside experienced scientists and engineers in a collaborative, hands-on environment, generating critical safety data that helps prevent incidents, protect employees, and improve industrial processes across some of the world's most innovative companies. What You’ll Do: Business Leadership and Growth Own the Princeton site P&L, annual operating plan, forecasts, capital priorities, and performance against revenue, margin, and budget commitments. Lead the site growth plan by connecting market opportunities, pricing, capacity, staffing, and investment decisions; identify risks early and bring practical solutions to senior leadership. Provide on-site leadership for daily laboratory operations in partnership with laboratory managers and technical leads, with clear ownership, priorities, and escalation paths. Establish and monitor practical operating metrics, including safety, quality, turnaround time, backlog, sample throughput, capacity, equipment utilization, on-time delivery, and financial performance. Drive standard work and continuous improvement across inquiry, test selection, quoting, project setup, scheduling, execution, reporting, invoicing, and collections handoffs. As appropriate, implement digital or AI-enabled improvements that reduce rework, shorten cycle time, improve visibility, and create a consistent customer experience. Ensure critical equipment has effective preventive maintenance, repair, reliability, calibration, spare-part, and capital replacement plans; coordinate vendors and global technical resources as needed. Work with lab managers to match staffing and skills to demand, identify constraints before they affect delivery, and build scalable laboratory capacity without compromising safety or quality. Technical, Quality, Safety, and Compliance Leadership Actively contribute to a culture of safety and health by demonstrating accountability, communication, and oversight in the following key areas: Strategic Alignment, Accountability, Performance Monitoring, Reports, Communication & Engagement, Incident Management, and Corrective Actions. Serve as a credible technical leader for process safety testing and ensure that testing is performed with purpose, sound technical judgment, and clear connection to customer needs. Maintain ISO/IEC 17025 and other applicable accreditations and certifications; ensure the laboratory consistently follows approved quality systems, methods, documentation, and review requirements. Champion DEKRA safety programs and values and maintaining a psychologically safe operating culture in a hazardous testing environment. Ensure compliance with applicable government regulations, site permits, controlled-material requirements, and internal policies. People and Organizational Leadership Maintain a high-performing, collaborative site team with clear roles and responsibilities. Coach and develop laboratory managers, technical experts, engineers, technicians, and administrative support; mentor emerging leaders and strengthen succession and technical bench depth. Create consistent communication rhythms, including site updates, cross-functional operating reviews, one-on-ones, and issue escalation before problems become significant. Lead organizational change with clear, timely communication and operational continuity, including knowledge transfer from experienced leaders and technical experts. Promote a One Process Safety culture across Testing, Consulting, Sales, Marketing, and shared services while maintaining clear local accountability for Princeton operations. What You’ll Bring: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, or a related technical field Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in process safety testing, laboratory operations, technical services, engineering operations, or a closely related environment, including personnel leadership. Demonstrated experience leading operations or laboratories with P&L, budgeting, forecasting, and capital-planning responsibility. Proven ability to use data and operational metrics to make sound decisions and improve business performance. Strong electrical and mechanical knowledge, with demonstrated ability to diagnose equipment failures, identify root causes, and implement practical, effective solutions. Practical knowledge of hazardous laboratory operations; experience with combustible dust, chemical reaction hazards, flammability, thermal stability, or related testing is strongly preferred. Proven ability to improve operational performance using standard work, metrics, Lean or Kaizen methods, capacity planning, and equipment-reliability practices. Commercial judgment and experience supporting technical sales, key accounts, proposals, pricing, and business development in a technical-services environment. Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and change-management skills; able to translate strategy into clear priorities and dependable execution. Demonstrated ability to collaborate across Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR, Legal, IT, and global technical teams. Self-directed and comfortable balancing customer needs, technical risk, employee development, operational priorities, and financial performance. Physical Considerations: Ability to work in a general office and hazardous laboratory environment and to complete extended periods of computer-based work. Ability to work flexible hours as needed, lift 25-50 pounds such as luggage or equipment, move with a full range of motion, and quickly evacuate buildings in an emergency. May work around or be exposed to chemicals, chemical fumes, dust, allergens, irritants, controlled substances, pharmaceuticals, loud noise, extreme temperatures, and chemical, electrical, or mechanical hazards. Travel Considerations: Domestic travel is required, estimated up to 10%; limited international travel may be required. What You’ll Receive for the Value You Bring: Compensation: The base pay for this position ranges from $150,000 annually to $190,000 annually. Actual pay is based on several factors including market location and position-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This position is eligible for the DEKRA North America annual bonus plan. Benefits: DEKRA North America strives to provide a competitive benefits package to colleagues and promotes physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Colleagues can self-select from our benefits to create a package unique to their needs. These benefits include access to competitive health care and retirement benefits, paid time off, mental health well-being resources, and opportunities to learn and develop. Below is a list of benefits we offer our colleagues: Health & Well-being Benefits: Health care benefits: medical & prescription, dental, vision (including Domestic Partners) Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity supplemental insurance Company Health Savings Account contribution Flexible Spending Account for eligible health care and dependent care expenses Paid time off such as vacation, sick leave, and floating holidays Mental and emotional support resources through our Employee Assistance Program Wellness Program to increase activity and health habits, with ability to earn participation rewards Paid Parental Leave Travel Assist (Domestic/International) Financial Benefits: 401(k) plan, with an employer match Company paid Short- & Long-Term Disability benefits Group term life insurance with options to buy-up for self and others Working Advantage – DEKRA’s official corporate discount program Growth and Development Benefits: Education Assistance Program Student Loan Repayment Assistance Internal training and development resources to grow your career LEAD Forward Leadership Development Program
