Hiring an Extraction Lead & Setting Up a Compliant Lab

What to look for in an extraction lead

• Hands-on depth: real experience with the systems you run (for example closed-loop hydrocarbon or distillation), plus post-processing.
• Safety mindset: knowledge of C1D1 environments, PPE, lockout/tagout and emergency response, and a habit of following procedure.
• Quality systems: GMP thinking, SOP writing, batch records, deviation and CAPA handling.
• Data discipline: tracks yields, run logs and KPIs, and uses them to improve.
• Leadership: trains and schedules a team and communicates clearly with compliance and management.

Building blocks of a compliant lab (overview)

• Licensing and local approvals: state cannabis regulator, building and fire authorities.
• Engineered facility: hazardous-location (C1D1) room design where required, ventilation, gas detection, fire safety, and sign-off by a professional engineer.
• Listed or engineer-reviewed equipment with documented commissioning and maintenance.
• Documentation: SOPs, training records, SDS, batch records, and seed-to-sale traceability as your state requires.
• QA/QC: in-process checks, third-party testing and a product release process.

Requirements vary by state and municipality, so confirm with regulators and qualified engineers. I offer consulting on SOPs, GMP/QA-QC systems, training and lab setup.

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