METS Lab – Middle East Testing Services is actively hiring an experienced Team Head – Food & Water Department for its Abu Dhabi, UAE facility. This is a senior laboratory management role within an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited testing laboratory — responsible for leading the Food & Water Testing Department, managing laboratory operations and a specialist team, overseeing method validation and verification, maintaining quality control systems and ensuring full compliance with accreditation requirements. The ideal candidate brings a minimum of 5 years of food and water testing experience in an ISO 17025-accredited environment and holds a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or a related field.
Apply directly by sending your CV to: hr@metslab.aeSubject line: Team Head – Food & Water Department | Abu Dhabi, UAE. Apply promptly — this role is actively being filled.
About METS Lab — Middle East Testing Services, Abu Dhabi
Company: METS Lab — Middle East Testing Services — a professional testing and analysis laboratory based in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Accreditation: ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory — meeting the highest international standards for testing and calibration competency
Department: Food & Water Testing — covering regulatory, safety, quality and compliance testing for food and water samples
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — serving clients across the UAE and wider GCC region
Apply: Send CV to hr@metslab.ae — Team Head – Food & Water Department
Why This Team Head Role at METS Lab Is a Strong UAE Career Opportunity in 2026
Leadership Authority: Full departmental leadership of the Food & Water Testing function within an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory — a senior, high-responsibility career position
ISO 17025 Expertise Value: ISO/IEC 17025:2017 laboratory management experience is among the most in-demand technical competencies in the UAE testing and inspection sector
Abu Dhabi Testing Market: Abu Dhabi’s food safety and water quality testing sector is growing rapidly — driven by regulatory expansion, population growth and food security priorities
Career Advancement: Team Head positions in ISO-accredited laboratories in the UAE are key stepping stones to Laboratory Manager, Technical Director and Quality Director roles across the GCC
Position Overview
The Team Head – Food & Water Department at METS Lab in Abu Dhabi is a senior technical and managerial role responsible for leading all aspects of the Food & Water Testing Department — including laboratory operations, team management, method validation and verification, quality control, technical record management and compliance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation requirements. The successful candidate brings deep expertise in food and water testing methodologies, a strong understanding of accreditation requirements and the leadership capability to drive technical excellence, team performance and consistent, reliable test results across the department.
Why This Role Matters: At METS Lab, the Team Head of Food & Water Testing is the technical and managerial cornerstone of a department that directly serves the public health and regulatory compliance needs of clients across Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Every validated test method, every quality control check, every accurate result and every timely report your team produces contributes to food safety, water quality and consumer protection in one of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly urbanizing markets. This is a role where technical expertise and leadership have real, measurable public health impact.
Key Responsibilities
Departmental Leadership & Team Management
- Lead, manage and develop the Food & Water Testing Department team — setting clear performance expectations, providing technical guidance and building individual and collective capability.
- Oversee daily laboratory operations within the department — ensuring efficient workflow management, resource allocation and consistently high-quality test output across all food and water testing activities.
- Foster a culture of technical excellence, continuous improvement and professional development within the Food & Water Testing team.
- Coordinate with laboratory management, quality systems and other departments to ensure integrated, efficient and compliant departmental operations.
Food & Water Testing Operations
- Oversee the execution of food and water testing activities in accordance with relevant regulatory standards, client specifications and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation requirements.
- Maintain strong, current knowledge of food and water testing requirements and applicable national and international standards — ensuring the department’s testing scope remains current and commercially relevant.
- Review and approve test results, analytical reports and client-facing documentation to ensure accuracy, reliability and full compliance with quality requirements.
- Ensure timely delivery of test results and reports — meeting client turnaround time commitments and regulatory reporting deadlines consistently.
Method Validation, Verification & Quality Control
- Lead method validation and verification activities across the Food & Water Testing Department — ensuring all test methods are appropriately validated, documented and fit for purpose.
- Oversee quality control programs within the department — including the use of reference materials, proficiency testing participation, internal QC checks and trend monitoring of QC data.
- Maintain comprehensive, accurate and audit-ready technical records in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements for documentation, traceability and data integrity.
- Manage and respond to internal and external audit findings — implementing timely, effective corrective and preventive actions to maintain accreditation status.
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Compliance & Reporting
- Ensure the Food & Water Testing Department operates in full compliance with all ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements — from technical competence and equipment calibration to impartiality and confidentiality.
- Support accreditation assessments and external audits by ensuring the department is always audit-ready and all documentation and processes meet accreditation body requirements.
- Prepare and present technical reports, departmental performance metrics and quality system status updates to laboratory management and senior leadership as required.
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or a closely related scientific field — mandatory educational requirement for this senior department head role.
- Strong academic grounding in food and water science, analytical chemistry and laboratory quality systems is expected from all candidates.
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in food and water testing within an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory — mandatory experience requirement.
- Proven experience in laboratory operations management and team leadership in a testing and analysis environment.
- Practical knowledge of method validation and verification, quality control systems and technical record management within an ISO 17025 framework.
- Good understanding of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements and their practical application in an accredited testing laboratory environment.
Key Skills & Competencies
ISO/IEC 17025:2017Food Testing MethodsWater Testing MethodsMethod ValidationMethod VerificationQuality Control (QC)Technical RecordsTeam LeadershipLaboratory OperationsAudit ReadinessReporting & CommunicationAccreditation Management
About METS Lab — Middle East Testing Services
METS Lab – Middle East Testing Services is a professional testing and analysis laboratory based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, operating under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation — the internationally recognized benchmark for testing laboratory competence and impartiality. METS Lab provides food, water and related testing services to a broad client base across Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the wider GCC region, supporting regulatory compliance, quality assurance and food safety objectives across multiple industry sectors.
This Team Head opportunity represents a meaningful senior career step for an experienced food and water testing professional ready to take on full departmental leadership responsibility within an ISO-accredited UAE laboratory environment — contributing directly to food safety and water quality outcomes that matter to consumers, regulators and businesses across Abu Dhabi and the region.
Who Should Apply?
- Senior Food & Water Testing Scientists from ISO 17025 Laboratories in UAE or GCC: With 5+ years of food and water testing experience in an accredited laboratory environment and proven team leadership capability.
- Laboratory Team Leaders from Food Safety or Environmental Testing: Ready to step into a departmental head role with full responsibility for ISO/IEC 17025:2017 compliance, method validation and team management in Abu Dhabi.
- Food Science or Chemistry Graduates with Accreditation Management Experience: Holding a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and a strong track record in method validation, QC program management and ISO 17025 auditing within UAE or GCC testing laboratories.
- Quality Systems-Focused Laboratory Managers: With demonstrable expertise in ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements, proficiency testing, internal audit management and technical documentation — ready for a senior departmental leadership role at METS Lab.
- UAE-Based Testing Industry Professionals: Seeking career advancement into a Team Head or Department Manager position at one of Abu Dhabi’s established ISO-accredited food and water testing service providers.
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