Onboarding plan
Natural Sciences Manager Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new natural sciences manager from first day to full productivity.
Natural Sciences Manager onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: Ph.D., Lab safety certifications (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: LIMS; ELN; budget software; statistical software
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Natural Sciences Manager training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Maintain a chemical hygiene plan
- Enforce PPE
- Investigate incidents
- Follow biosafety rules
- Shadow an experienced natural sciences manager through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: prioritize a lab’s research portfolio
- Supervised practice: prepare a lab for an audit
- Supervised practice: lead a lab safety culture
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Set research priorities: independently
- Manage lab staff: independently
- Manage budgets: independently
- Oversee testing: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, Ph.D.)
- Discuss the career path: Scientist → Senior Scientist → Lab Manager
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prioritize a Lab’s Research Portfolio | |||
| Prepare a Lab for an Audit | |||
| Lead a Lab Safety Culture | |||
| Scientific expertise | |||
| Research planning | |||
| Budgeting | |||
| Lab safety |
How to measure onboarding success
- Time to independent work on instruments or projects
- Documentation or data corrections required
- Rework, out-of-spec results or failed audits
- 90-day retention
How Natural Sciences Manager training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Natural Sciences Manager Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Natural Sciences Manager Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Natural Sciences Manager Career
- Final Knowledge Check