Laboratory Jobs in District of Columbia
Laboratory jobs in District of Columbia are concentrated in federal government agencies, biomedical research institutions, and public health organizations, with demand at every level from entry-level technician to senior research scientist. Most hiring is centered in Washington, D.C., where institutions like the National Institutes of Health, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services consistently fill laboratory roles. Clinical laboratory science, molecular diagnostics, and environmental testing are among the most sought-after specialties in the district. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 8+ Laboratory jobs
Position Summary
SD Solutions is seeking a Physical Scientist / Laboratory Scientist I to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Laboratories and Scientific Services (LSS), Interdiction Technology Branch (ITB). The selected candidate will provide scientific, laboratory, technical, analytical, and operational support for CBP interdiction technology programs. The position will assist Government scientists, engineers, program managers, logisticians, and operational stakeholders with laboratory operations, scientific testing, test and evaluation activities, data collection and analysis, equipment and inventory management, technical documentation, logistics coordination, and technology transition.
DHS and/or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) experience is strongly preferred.
Key Responsibilities
- Support day-to-day laboratory operations, including test preparation, equipment setup, sample handling support, data collection, and maintenance of laboratory records.
- Assist Government personnel with planning, executing, observing, and documenting laboratory, pilot, and field testing activities.
- Develop and maintain test data sheets, test execution records, technical notes, and supporting documentation.
- Assist in preparing laboratory and field test plans, test reports, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), and technical procedures.
- Collect, organize, analyze, and summarize scientific and technical data using Microsoft Excel and other approved tools.
- Identify trends, observations, anomalies, and findings in laboratory and field-test data for Government review.
- Support laboratory equipment and asset management activities, including inventories, calibration records, maintenance logs, utilization reports, and equipment lifecycle documentation.
- Assist with receipt, storage, issuance, shipment, repair, return, and retirement of Government equipment and laboratory assets.
- Maintain accurate technical, inventory, logistics, and program records.
- Support preparation of technical memoranda, briefings, fact sheets, presentations, and decision-support materials.
- Assist with requirements documentation and technical inputs supporting Government acquisition activities.
- Maintain schedules, action-item trackers, meeting notes, status information, and other program-management documentation.
- Support technical reachback by researching and documenting responses to field or operational inquiries.
- Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, analysts, logisticians, acquisition personnel, program managers, and operational personnel.
- Participate in laboratory workflow and process-improvement initiatives and support field demonstrations, operational assessments, and technology-transition activities as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in chemistry, physical science, materials science, forensic science, biology, environmental science, engineering, or a closely related scientific or technical discipline.
- Approximately 0-3 years of relevant professional, academic, internship, laboratory, research, or technical experience.
- Basic understanding of scientific methods, laboratory practices, test execution, data collection, and technical documentation.
- Ability to support laboratory or field testing activities and organize, evaluate, and summarize scientific or technical data.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information to technical and nontechnical audiences.
- Strong attention to detail, organization, and the ability to manage multiple assignments, action items, and deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and related productivity tools.
- Ability to work primarily on-site in Ashburn, VA or Washington, DC and travel as required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience supporting DHS, CBP, CBP Laboratories and Scientific Services (LSS), or another DHS component.
- Experience working in a Federal Government laboratory, research, engineering, or technical environment.
- Experience supporting scientific research, applied R&D, testing, test and evaluation, or technology demonstration programs.
- Familiarity with laboratory equipment, instrumentation, calibration, maintenance, and controlled-equipment procedures.
- Familiarity with chain-of-custody procedures, laboratory safety documentation, or laboratory quality practices.
- Experience preparing SOPs, test reports, technical reports, technical memoranda, or briefings.
- Experience with Government inventory, asset, property, or equipment-management processes.
- Exposure to systems engineering, requirements management, configuration management, or technology-transition processes.
- Experience supporting law-enforcement, homeland-security, border-security, defense, or public-safety missions.
- Active DoD Secret security clearance.
Education
Required: Bachelor's degree in chemistry, physical science, materials science, forensic science, biology, environmental science, engineering, or a related scientific/technical discipline.
Preferred: Master's degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline.
Key Technical Skills
- Laboratory operations
- Scientific testing
- Test planning and execution
- Scientific data collection
- Data analysis / Microsoft Excel
- Technical report writing
- SOP / CONOPS development
- Equipment lifecycle management
- Calibration / maintenance tracking
- Inventory management
- Logistics coordination
- Technology transition
- Technical reachback
- Microsoft Office
Security / Access
Candidates must be able to satisfy applicable DHS and CBP background investigation, suitability, facility/system access, security briefing, CUI, privacy, training, and nondisclosure requirements. Certain positions may require a DoD Secret security clearance.
Location
22001 Loudoun County Parkway, Ashburn, VA 20147 or 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004.
Additional support may be required at CBP locations throughout the United States, with occasional international travel. The majority of contractor personnel are expected to work full-time at an ITB office based on Government requirements.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is an early-career scientist or engineer who combines strong scientific fundamentals with excellent documentation, analytical, and organizational skills. The candidate is comfortable working in laboratory and field environments and can collaborate effectively with scientists, engineers, program managers, logisticians, and Government stakeholders. A candidate who has previously supported CBP, DHS, another Federal laboratory, or a homeland-security/defense test and evaluation organization would be particularly attractive.
About SD Solutions
SD Solutions, LLC is a federal contractor supporting civilian and national security customers with mission, digital, data, and cybersecurity services. We value technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and mission-focused delivery.
SD Solutions, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Position Summary
SD Solutions is seeking a Physical Scientist / Laboratory Scientist I to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Laboratories and Scientific Services (LSS), Interdiction Technology Branch (ITB). The selected candidate will provide scientific, laboratory, technical, analytical, and operational support for CBP interdiction technology programs. The position will assist Government scientists, engineers, program managers, logisticians, and operational stakeholders with laboratory operations, scientific testing, test and evaluation activities, data collection and analysis, equipment and inventory management, technical documentation, logistics coordination, and technology transition.
DHS and/or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) experience is strongly preferred.
Key Responsibilities
- Support day-to-day laboratory operations, including test preparation, equipment setup, sample handling support, data collection, and maintenance of laboratory records.
- Assist Government personnel with planning, executing, observing, and documenting laboratory, pilot, and field testing activities.
- Develop and maintain test data sheets, test execution records, technical notes, and supporting documentation.
- Assist in preparing laboratory and field test plans, test reports, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), and technical procedures.
- Collect, organize, analyze, and summarize scientific and technical data using Microsoft Excel and other approved tools.
- Identify trends, observations, anomalies, and findings in laboratory and field-test data for Government review.
- Support laboratory equipment and asset management activities, including inventories, calibration records, maintenance logs, utilization reports, and equipment lifecycle documentation.
- Assist with receipt, storage, issuance, shipment, repair, return, and retirement of Government equipment and laboratory assets.
- Maintain accurate technical, inventory, logistics, and program records.
- Support preparation of technical memoranda, briefings, fact sheets, presentations, and decision-support materials.
- Assist with requirements documentation and technical inputs supporting Government acquisition activities.
- Maintain schedules, action-item trackers, meeting notes, status information, and other program-management documentation.
- Support technical reachback by researching and documenting responses to field or operational inquiries.
- Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, analysts, logisticians, acquisition personnel, program managers, and operational personnel.
- Participate in laboratory workflow and process-improvement initiatives and support field demonstrations, operational assessments, and technology-transition activities as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in chemistry, physical science, materials science, forensic science, biology, environmental science, engineering, or a closely related scientific or technical discipline.
- Approximately 0-3 years of relevant professional, academic, internship, laboratory, research, or technical experience.
- Basic understanding of scientific methods, laboratory practices, test execution, data collection, and technical documentation.
- Ability to support laboratory or field testing activities and organize, evaluate, and summarize scientific or technical data.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information to technical and nontechnical audiences.
- Strong attention to detail, organization, and the ability to manage multiple assignments, action items, and deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and related productivity tools.
- Ability to work primarily on-site in Ashburn, VA or Washington, DC and travel as required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience supporting DHS, CBP, CBP Laboratories and Scientific Services (LSS), or another DHS component.
- Experience working in a Federal Government laboratory, research, engineering, or technical environment.
- Experience supporting scientific research, applied R&D, testing, test and evaluation, or technology demonstration programs.
- Familiarity with laboratory equipment, instrumentation, calibration, maintenance, and controlled-equipment procedures.
- Familiarity with chain-of-custody procedures, laboratory safety documentation, or laboratory quality practices.
- Experience preparing SOPs, test reports, technical reports, technical memoranda, or briefings.
- Experience with Government inventory, asset, property, or equipment-management processes.
- Exposure to systems engineering, requirements management, configuration management, or technology-transition processes.
- Experience supporting law-enforcement, homeland-security, border-security, defense, or public-safety missions.
- Active DoD Secret security clearance.
Education
Required: Bachelor's degree in chemistry, physical science, materials science, forensic science, biology, environmental science, engineering, or a related scientific/technical discipline.
Preferred: Master's degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline.
Key Technical Skills
- Laboratory operations
- Scientific testing
- Test planning and execution
- Scientific data collection
- Data analysis / Microsoft Excel
- Technical report writing
- SOP / CONOPS development
- Equipment lifecycle management
- Calibration / maintenance tracking
- Inventory management
- Logistics coordination
- Technology transition
- Technical reachback
- Microsoft Office
Security / Access
Candidates must be able to satisfy applicable DHS and CBP background investigation, suitability, facility/system access, security briefing, CUI, privacy, training, and nondisclosure requirements. Certain positions may require a DoD Secret security clearance.
Location
22001 Loudoun County Parkway, Ashburn, VA 20147 or 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004.
Additional support may be required at CBP locations throughout the United States, with occasional international travel. The majority of contractor personnel are expected to work full-time at an ITB office based on Government requirements.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is an early-career scientist or engineer who combines strong scientific fundamentals with excellent documentation, analytical, and organizational skills. The candidate is comfortable working in laboratory and field environments and can collaborate effectively with scientists, engineers, program managers, logisticians, and Government stakeholders. A candidate who has previously supported CBP, DHS, another Federal laboratory, or a homeland-security/defense test and evaluation organization would be particularly attractive.
About SD Solutions
SD Solutions, LLC is a federal contractor supporting civilian and national security customers with mission, digital, data, and cybersecurity services. We value technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and mission-focused delivery.
SD Solutions, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
See All 8 Laboratory Jobs in District of Columbia
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Find Laboratory JobsLaboratory Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Laboratory Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in laboratory jobs across District of Columbia.
- Active District of Columbia clinical laboratory license or ASCP certification for regulated roles
- Bachelor's degree in medical laboratory science, biology, chemistry, or related field
- Proficiency with laboratory information systems and standard instrumentation
- Experience following CLIA, CAP, or federal biosafety compliance protocols
- Ability to obtain federal security clearance for government or defense-affiliated positions
- Strong documentation skills and familiarity with quality control procedures
Laboratory Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a laboratory in District of Columbia?
Clinical laboratory personnel in District of Columbia must hold a valid license issued by the D.C. Department of Health's Health Regulation and Licensing Administration. Most positions require a bachelor's degree in medical laboratory science or a closely related discipline, along with a national certification such as ASCP or AMT. Federal laboratory roles may substitute or supplement these with agency-specific background checks and clearance requirements.
Which companies hire laboratorys in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring laboratorys in District of Columbia right now include Guidehouse, Bond Health, and MedStar Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. The district's dense concentration of federal agencies, military medical facilities, and nonprofit research organizations makes it one of the more stable laboratory hiring markets on the East Coast.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most laboratory jobs?
Washington account for the largest share of laboratory openings in District of Columbia. Washington, D.C. itself drives the majority of demand because the federal government, large academic medical centers, and public health agencies are headquartered there, while adjacent areas reflect overflow hiring from the same major institutions.
Are there remote laboratory jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, but they're rare. Laboratory work is largely hands-on and site-dependent, so most roles require physical presence in a facility. About 67% of laboratory openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those tend to be in data analysis, regulatory affairs, or laboratory informatics rather than bench or clinical work.
How can I get hired as a laboratory in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a laboratory technician or phlebotomy role at a D.C. hospital system such as MedStar Health or George Washington University Hospital, both of which hire new graduates and offer structured onboarding. An ASCP phlebotomy certification or a completed externship at a D.C. clinical site strengthens a first application considerably. Federal agencies also post lab aide positions that accept candidates still completing their degrees.
Where can I find and apply to laboratory jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to laboratory jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the district. Search the roles available, find the ones that match your background, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 8 Laboratory Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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