An Analytical Chemist studies the chemical components of materials in a mixture or sample, to identify the components and quantify them. May work to develop new pharmaceutical products or provide quality control or toxicology testing for products.
Resumes without cover letters will be ignored Who We Are Vanguard Laboratory is a small, family-owned startup analytical lab in Olympia, WA. We analyze food, agricultural, drinking water, environmental samples and a diverse portfolio of peptides, SARMs/SERMs, nootropics, and supplement actives. Accredited by WA Dept. of Ecology and
A2LA ISO/IEC 17025.
We're tight-knit, collaborative, and relentlessly improvement-driven. The Role (fast-paced & dynamic) We are hiring a Senior Peptide Analytical Scientist to lead the development, optimization, validation, and technical oversight of analytical methods for peptide purity, identity, related substances, and characterization. This is a hands-on laboratory role with substantial responsibility for HPLC/UHPLC, LC-MS/MS, and high-resolution mass spectrometry workflows. The successful candidate will develop new peptide methods, improve existing methods, troubleshoot complex analytical issues, review data, train other analysts, and help build efficient high-throughput testing capabilities. This is not a narrowly defined production-testing position. The right candidate will be comfortable moving between method development, instrument operation, technical problem-solving, data review, quality documentation, and routine testing as laboratory priorities change. What You'll Do Develop, optimize, validate, and implement analytical methods for synthetic peptides, peptide raw materials, and finished peptide products. Develop chromatographic purity methods using HPLC or UHPLC with UV/DAD and mass-spectrometric detection, as applicable. Develop
LC-MS/MS
methods for peptide identity confirmation, targeted analysis, impurity investigation, and fragment-ion interpretation. Perform HRMS analysis for accurate molecular-mass confirmation, isotope-pattern review, charge-state analysis, spectral deconvolution, and impurity characterization. Investigate peptide-related impurities and modifications, including truncations, deletion sequences, oxidation, deamidation, adducts, degradation products, and other sequence-related or process-related impurities. Optimize sample preparation, diluents, extraction conditions, chromatographic columns, gradients, mobile phases, source conditions, acquisition parameters, collision energies, and data-processing workflows. Establish efficient, high-throughput testing workflows that increase sample capacity without compromising traceability, system suitability, or data quality. Design and execute method validation studies, including specificity, selectivity, linearity, range, accuracy, precision, recovery, robustness, carryover, solution stability, LOD/LOQ, and measurement uncertainty, as applicable. Prepare validation plans, validation reports, SOPs, technical worksheets, data-review checklists, instrument procedures, and reporting templates. Perform and oversee routine peptide analyses when needed to support client turnaround times and laboratory workload. Review chromatograms, mass spectra, calibration data, system-suitability results, calculations, technical data packages, and Certificates of Analysis. Identify and resolve questionable or inconsistent results before reports are released. Troubleshoot issues involving sensitivity loss, mass accuracy, ion suppression, source contamination, carryover, peak shape, retention-time shifts, column performance, spectral quality, and instrument instability. Perform or coordinate preventive maintenance, cleaning, calibration, consumable replacement, and vendor service activities. Support investigations, corrective actions, nonconforming-work reviews, proficiency testing, internal audits, and
ISO/IEC 17025
accreditation activities. Provide technical input to project managers and clients regarding method selection, sample requirements, analytical limitations, and interpretation of results. Mentor and cross-train analytical chemists and laboratory staff. Help establish priorities, technical standards, and scalable workflows for Vanguard Laboratory's expanding peptide-testing program. What You Bring Bachelor's MS or OhD degree in analytical chemistry, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutical science, or a related discipline.
Industry / High
Throughput Highly preferred At least five years of hands-on analytical chemistry experience, or equivalent technical depth, in a commercial, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, supplement, contract-testing, ISO/IEC 17025, GMP, or GLP laboratory. Substantial hands-on experience analyzing synthetic peptides using HPLC/UHPLC and mass spectrometry. Demonstrated experience developing and validating analytical methods rather than only running established methods. Strong experience with LC-MS/MS and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Experience with QTOF, Orbitrap, or comparable accurate-mass platforms is strongly preferred. Strong understanding of peptide chromatography, ionization behavior, charge-state distributions, accurate-mass analysis, isotopic patterns, spectral deconvolution, and MS/MS fragmentation. Knowledge of common peptide modifications, degradation pathways, sequence-related impurities, sample-solubility challenges, adsorption, carryover, and stability concerns. Ability to independently select columns, mobile phases, gradients, source conditions, acquisition parameters, and data-processing approaches. Strong understanding of analytical validation, quality control, technical documentation, and defensible data review. Experience working within an ISO/IEC 17025, GMP, GLP, or similarly controlled quality system. Ability to troubleshoot analytical systems systematically and document investigations clearly. Ability to balance method-development projects with production-testing priorities and client turnaround requirements. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work independently, mentor others, and take ownership of technical projects from initial concept through routine implementation. Schedule We're open 8:30-5:30, Mon-Fri, and offer flexibility to arrange an alternate schedule that fits your life while meeting lab needs. What We Offer A culture of continuous improvement and innovation—your work directly shapes our scope and growth.
$500-$2,000 for each method successfully added to our ISO 17025 or DOE scope. Merit-based raises tied to lab and individual performance. How to Apply Submit your resume and cover letter telling us why you want to work at Vanguard.
Please highlight:
Your lc-ms/ms, HRMS, GCMS, etc experience (hardware + software).
ISO/IEC 17025
validations you led (matrices, analytes, performance figures). Experience with peptides and any of SARMs/SERMs, nootropics, supplements .
Job Type:
Full-time Pay:
$64,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Parental leave Professional development assistance Retirement plan Vision insurance Application Question(s): Did you include Cover Letter?
REQUIRED
Experience:
lc/ms/ms: 2 years (Required) Ability to
Commute:
Olympia, WA 98502 (Required) Ability to
Relocate:
Olympia, WA 98502: Relocate before starting work (Required)
