Medical Lab Scientist, Specialist - Clinical Pediatrics - First Shift

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

 

About Duke University Health System Clinical Laboratories

 

Pursue your passion for caring and innovation as a team member in the state-of-the-art Duke Health laboratories. Duke Health laboratories are College of American Pathologists accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certified. The multidisciplinary team is committed to serving the rare and complex testing needs of Duke Health's diverse patient population by providing timely and accurate results, educating the next generation of laboratorians, scientists and physicians, and researching and developing the cutting-edge diagnostics of tomorrow.

Medical Lab Scientist, Specialist in the Clinical Pediatrics Lab at Duke University Hospital in Durham.Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 

General Description

 

Perform a variety of routine and complex technical tasks in the performance of laboratory tests to obtain data for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Job duties are dependent on the laboratory and may be composed of a combination of the following duties and responsibilities related to the specialization.

 

Duties and Responsibilities 

 

• Supervise, coordinate, and perform a variety of highly complex technical tasks in a variety of specialized laboratories.
• Tasks are performed according to written procedures and policies with careful monitoring of quality control and quality assurance practices. Coordinate and participate in specialized laboratory procedures requiring advanced skill and theoretical knowledge.
• Operate complex or computerized instrumentation. Calibrate, maintain, align, and troubleshoot/repair instrumentation according to standard operating procedures and knowledge and experience.
• Supervise and ensure the timely processing of patient samples or perform processing as needed based on staffing levels using appropriate identification techniques and written procedures to ensure quality material for testing.
• Provide advanced problem solving, troubleshooting, interpretation and consultation, verification of specimen quality and test results. Communicate problems/issues to responsible individuals.
• Oversee the maintenance of inventory.
• Lead, coordinate, and/or perform in the development and validation of clinical assays to include performance, analysis, and written documentation of findings. Maintain appropriate documentation of initial and ongoing validations in compliance with internal and external regulatory agencies.
• Make recommendations for new equipment, set up, evaluate, and operate new equipment required for specific laboratory tests and assume adequate responsibility to maintain operations, including validation of instrumentation, standard operating procedures, and schedule for preventative maintenance.
• Supervise, coordinate, and participate in lab inspections; work with inspectors. Interpret accrediting agencies' standards or guidelines and translate requirements into departmental operation policies and procedures.
• Evaluate section readiness and adhere to standards. Implement corrective action as soon as any deficiency is identified. Bring any non-compliance issues to the attention of management.
• Coordinate, oversee and perform proficiency testing as directed to maintain compliance with regulatory agencies.
• Develop and oversee quality control and quality assurance procedures and programs to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations. Recognize, respond to, and report issues as needed. Assure remedial action is taken and documented whenever test systems deviate from established performance specifications. Ensure that patient results are not reported until corrective action has been taken and the test system is functioning properly.
• Ensure all written procedures and policies are current and have been reviewed by supervisor or manager.
• Collaborate with management team to initiate projects and develop action plans to improve unit performance through a Process Improvement (PI) project.
• Maintain turnaround time and other key indicators and provide reports to management. Make recommendations for plans to improve unit performance through a process improvement project.
• Institute, understand, comply, and perform all necessary safety procedures. Maintain compliance with all safety training. Report all safety incidents within 24 hours.
• May prepare lab meeting agendas. Review staff safety and compliance training to ensure completion.
• Oversee and coordinate competency assessment of st