Lab QA Specialist📣 Job Ad

About Saudi Gold Refinery Co. and the Role

Saudi Gold Refinery Co. (SGR) is a Saudi mining and precious-metals company specializing in the refining of gold and precious metals, bullion production, and value-added services. Operating within the Kingdom’s mining value chain, SGR is aligned with Vision 2030 and applicable regulatory and international standards. We are seeking a Lab QA Specialist to join our team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This is a full-time position.

Role Purpose and Reporting Structure

The Lab QA Specialist is responsible for upholding the integrity of SGR's assay operations and quality management systems. This role ensures that all gold and silver bullion produced meets LBMA Good Delivery standards through rigorous data validation and process compliance. The specialist will manage ISO 17025 accreditation requirements and support the laboratory’s technical competency framework, reporting directly to the Lab Manager. This position requires a disciplined professional capable of balancing production timelines with uncompromising quality controls in a high-volume refining environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Validate daily fire assay and instrumental analysis results for accuracy before certificate issuance, including checking calculation logic, reviewing control chart trends, and approving final purity values.
• Maintain the laboratory Quality Management System in strict accordance with ISO 17025 standards, updating standard operating procedures and ensuring equipment calibrations are current and traceable.
• Monitor the chain of custody for all incoming dore samples and outgoing reference materials, verifying sample sealing protocols and ensuring segregation of duties.
• Conduct scheduled internal audits of laboratory processes, chemical inventories, and waste management logs, documenting findings and tracking corrective action plans to closure.
• Coordinate participation in external proficiency testing programs, analyzing z-scores and implementing technical improvements if performance deviates.
• Prepare documentation and evidence packs for LBMA, SASO, and customer audits, responding to auditor queries with factual data and root cause analyses.
• Investigate out-of-specification results or procedural breaches, determining root causes and validating the effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Assess the technical competency of lab analysts through blind sample testing and observation, maintaining training matrices.
• Calculate and review measurement uncertainty budgets for accredited test methods, ensuring reported values include appropriate confidence intervals.
• Verify chemical handling and storage practices comply with HSE regulations and SDS requirements, auditing hazardous waste disposal.

Required Experience and Qualifications

Candidates should possess 2 to 5 years of relevant experience in laboratory quality assurance or a similar role within a refining or analytical environment. A strong understanding of ISO 17025 standards and quality management systems is essential. The role requires proficiency in data validation, audit execution, and the ability to manage compliance with international standards such as LBMA Good Delivery.

Performance Metrics

Success in this role will be measured by key performance indicators, including:

• Achieving zero major non-conformities during external ISO 17025 and LBMA surveillance audits.
• Ensuring 100% of assay certificates are issued with validated data and no post-issuance corrections.
• Successful completion of all proficiency testing rounds with satisfactory z-scores.
• Completing all internal audits on schedule with corrective actions closed within 30 days.
• Maintaining a calibration compliance rate of 100% for all critical measuring equipment.
• Contributing to a reduction in assay re-work rate by 10% through improved procedural adherence.
• Ensuring full update of laboratory SOPs to reflect current operational and regulatory standards.

Company Standards and Commitment

Saudi Gold Refinery Co. operates to LBMA Good Delivery and ISO-aligned quality standards, producing responsibly sourced, traceable, and certified bullion. We invest in the people, processes, and controls behind every bar we produce, safeguarding our reputation for precision and reliability.