Christopher Kern

Laboratory professional with leadership responsibility in high-volume environmental testing operations. Experienced in workflow management, staff training, SOP standardization, and instrument oversight. Trusted escalation point for high-priority and compliance-sensitive products. Strong operational mindset supported by analytical and mathematical training. Proven ability to improve turnaround times and maintain quality standards.

Lead Laboratory Technician & Analyst at New England Testing Laboratory (2022-01 – Present)

Lead laboratory operations with oversight of GC implementation and team coordination for high-volume environmental testing.

• Coordinate daily and weekly workflow scheduling and prioritization for semi-volatile and extraction teams.
• Assess incoming workload and reallocate resources to ensure timely completion of high-priority projects.
• Lead operation and oversight of majority of GC implementation within the department.
• Mentor and cross-train team members in extraction methods to tighten quality and operational consistency.
• Oversee standards, reagents, and inventory control to ensure uninterrupted laboratory operations.
• Serve as liaison between departments regarding turnaround times and workload updates.
• Became first point of contact for critical testing issues and urgent sample escalations.
• Improved turnaround reliability by proactively adjusting daily production priorities.
• Led SOP development and revisions to ensure standardized, compliant extraction workflows.
• Built cross-functional trust through consistent communication of completion timelines.

Climbing Director at Mt. Norris Scout Reservation (2015-01 – 2022-12)

Directed multi-week residential leadership program with focus on safety and scheduling in risk management environment.

• Directed multi-week residential leadership program (70 hours/week), overseeing safety and scheduling.
• Led team operations in a controlled, safety-critical risk management environment.
• Managed large participant volumes (up to 500+ annually), developing leadership and safety enforcement skills.

Pool Supervisor at Ripples Swim School (2019-01 – 2022-12)

Supervised pool operations and staff.

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics – Rhode Island College (2022-01)