Construction Materials Laboratory Manager

Triax Engineering, LLC — Denver Metro, Colorado Full-Time | On-Site | Direct Hire

Pay Range: $75,000 – $90,000 annually, depending on experience and certifications. Benefits and Other Compensation: Health, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off and paid holidays; 401(k) [with company match]; paid professional certifications, renewals, and continuing education; [performance bonus eligibility]; [company vehicle or mileage reimbursement].

Anticipated Application Deadline: [DATE — must be listed]

About Triax Engineering

Triax Engineering, LLC is a Colorado professional services firm providing geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, special inspections, QA/QC testing, geotechnical drilling, and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. Our team of approximately 40 engineers, technicians, and inspectors supports public and private construction across the Denver metro area and the Front Range — roadway and bridge work, commercial and residential development, and municipal projects.

Our laboratory is AASHTO re:source accredited, CCRL inspected, and approved for CDOT project testing. We run on a simple standard: practical engineering, reliable testing, responsive service.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Construction Materials Laboratory Supervisor to lead the day-to-day operation of our materials testing laboratory. This is a hands-on working supervisory role — you will run and review testing, maintain our accreditations, manage equipment and calibration, and direct the work of our laboratory technicians.

This position serves as the laboratory's designated Technical Manager for AASHTO accreditation purposes. You will be the person accountable for the accuracy, defensibility, and turnaround of every result that leaves our lab. Project managers, clients, and agencies rely on that data, and this role owns it.

This position works under the technical direction of Triax's engineering staff on matters requiring professional engineering judgment.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Operations

• Perform and oversee testing of soils, aggregate, concrete, asphalt (HMA), masonry, mortar, and grout in general accordance with applicable ASTM, AASHTO, and CDOT test methods.
• Manage sample intake, tracking, prioritization, and turnaround to meet project schedules.
• Review test data for accuracy and completeness before results are released; investigate and document anomalous or out-of-tolerance results.
• Maintain the cure room, testing equipment, and laboratory facility in proper working condition.

Quality Assurance & Accreditation

• Maintain the laboratory quality management system, including the quality manual, standard operating procedures, and records.
• Manage AASHTO re:source and CCRL assessments, proficiency sample programs, corrective actions, and responses to findings.
• Maintain CDOT laboratory approval and support agency and client audits.
• Own the equipment calibration and verification schedule and associated documentation.

Staff Supervision

• Train, direct, and evaluate laboratory technicians on test methods, safety, and documentation.
• Assign daily work, set testing priorities, and manage laboratory workload and schedules.
• Support technician certification and advancement (ACI, CDOT LabCAT, ICC, and similar).
• Coordinate daily with field operations, project managers, and engineering staff on sample flow and testing priorities.

Business Support

• Track laboratory throughput, equipment needs, and supply inventory; recommend capital purchases.
• Support accurate billing by verifying that testing performed is properly recorded.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of laboratory efficiency, capacity, and safety.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of construction materials laboratory experience, including at least 2 years in a lead, supervisory, or quality-management capacity.
• Working knowledge of ASTM and AASHTO test methods for soils, aggregate, concrete, and asphalt.
• Direct experience with an accredited laboratory quality program (AASHTO re:source, CCRL, A2LA, or equivalent), including assessments and proficiency samples.
• Current certifications, or the ability to obtain within [six] months of hire: ACI Concrete Strength Testing Technician, ACI Aggregate Testing Technician, and CDOT LabCAT certifications relevant to the tests performed.
• Strong recordkeeping and documentation discipline; comfortable with laboratory information management and standard office software.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with technicians, project managers, clients, and agency personnel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in civil engineering technology, construction management, geology, or a related technical field.
• NICET certification in Construction Materials Testing.
• Experience serving as the designated laboratory Technical Manager or Quality Manager of record.
• Experience with asphalt mix design verification and Superpave gyratory testing.
• Experience with masonry, mortar, and grout testing supporting IBC Chapter 17 special inspections.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position works primarily in a laboratory environment with exposure to dust, noise, vibration, and temperature variation. Occasional field or project site visits are required. The role requires the ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, including handling test specimens and materials and operating laboratory equipment.

Why Work at Triax

• Ownership of a real program. You will run an accredited laboratory, not a shift. Decisions about equipment, procedures, and staffing come to you.
• Certifications and training paid for. We cover certification fees, renewals, and continuing education for you and for the technicians you develop.
• Steady, varied work. Our project mix across geotechnical, materials testing, special inspections, drilling, and environmental services keeps the lab busy year-round rather than tied to a single client or sector.
• Direct access to leadership. You will work directly with our President and engineering staff. Good ideas move quickly here.

Triax Engineering, LLC is a Colorado professional services firm providing geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, special inspections, QA/QC testing, geotechnical drilling, and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. Our team of approximately 40 engineers, technicians, and inspectors supports public and private construction across the Denver metro area and the Front Range — roadway and bridge work, commercial and residential development, and municipal projects.

We run on a simple standard: practical engineering, reliable testing, responsive service. Field technicians are the front line of that standard, and we build the role around training, certification, and advancement rather than turnover.