Senior Lab Specialist

At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and creating safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome—both here and Outside. We value individual differences and are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive work environment where everyone can bring the best of their experience and talents and truly thrive.

Help shape the future of outdoor products at L.L.Bean. As a Senior Lab Specialist, your expertise ensures every item meets the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance.

Working within L.L.Bean’s Product Testing Lab, you will get to contribute to creating the future of product through complex laboratory testing and reporting.  Collaborate with  laboratory personnel and improve technical training and knowledge. Perform correlation testing with outside laboratories (independent, vendor and mill). Test, review and assess materials and products for safety and quality performance to delight and protect consumers and the L.L.Bean brand across all product groups. Assist the laboratory team to work with internal teams, mills, and vendors to improve products for Safety and Quality Performance. 

Responsibilities:

• Assist as a Lab resource for equipment maintenance and calibration. Coordinate equipment repair and/or replacement.

• Assist in guiding personnel concerning available company resources and policies.

• Help to communicate departmental policies & procedures. Make recommendations for changes.

• Advise internal and external laboratory customers (designers, developers, 3rd party labs) on test procedures including interpretation of test performance and results.

• Communicate testing and standards to improve product/components with internal and external teams/vendors.

• Suggest remediation/improvement to product/components for test results/performance.

• Evaluate for appropriateness of test requests.

• Evaluate test results in relation to industry and L.L.Bean performance requirements and make recommendations for improvement.

• Make qualitative decisions for borderline test results and/or approve/reject third party test results.

• Establish awareness, where possible, of legal implications regarding products evaluated.

• Know and follow all safety rules and procedures. Report any unsafe acts or conditions to the proper person.

• Perform administrative and clerical duties, as needed.

• Perform additional related responsibilities, as requested.

• Evaluate external testing laboratories and make recommendations regarding external support.

• Evaluate existing testing machinery and make recommendations for changes.

• Obtain required certification and training for device operation and machine maintenance.

• Attend and participate in product line review meetings.

• Meet with external vendors and customers, as needed.

• Organize and take part in videos, photo shoots, commercials, magazines, and TV shows to highlight the lab.

• Utilize test laboratories as appropriate to provide testing services when in-house capabilities are exceeded. Maintain familiarity with services to accomplish objectives.

• Assist with the evaluation of external laboratories as appropriate.

• Assist with training of laboratory personnel and internship program.

• Maintain and increase proficiency in knowledge of textiles and materials, and practice of standard test methods for Product Performances.

• Research and communicate knowledge of fabric, material and component developments.

  • Continued Education: Participate in ongoing professional development and training opportunities to stay current with industry trends, advancements, and best practices.

  • Attend seminars and classes as appropriate to increase textile, material, equipment, sporting goods, and home product knowledge regarding product testing and safety.

  • Identify and master ASTM, AATCC and any other relevant test methods. Execute consistently at 100% accuracy.

  • Evaluate and rate test results using standard scales.

  • Research, Design, and Implement new test procedures.

  • Help create new testing matrices and methods by leveraging previous data and comparing the results with field results.

  • Work closely with design and development teams to improve and update products.

  • Contact and meet with mills and vendors to help design and improve products and test apparatus.