Senior Scientist - CL636 & CL671

Title: Senior Scientist - CL636 & CL671

State Role Title: Scientist II

Hiring Range: $67,000 - $81,000

Pay Band: 5

Agency: Department of General Services

Location: DCLS

Agency Website: www.dgs.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Department of General Services, Division of Consolidated Laboratories (DCLS) seeks two qualified candidates to serve as Senior Scientists in the Sequencing and Bioinformatics Group (SBG). SBG performs Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to support enteric, respiratory and nosocomial pathogen characterization for disease surveillance, outbreak response and tracking, and to discover antimicrobial resistance genes in bacterial pathogens. This position is responsible for serving as one of three NGS Laboratory Team Leaders in the SBG. The Senior Scientist is responsible for coordinating a timely laboratory response to communicable disease and foodborne outbreaks, reporting critical results directly to Epidemiologists at the Virginia Department of Health, and serving as a point of contact for the Mid-Atlantic region PulseNet community to assist with the coordination of all PulseNet Foodborne Disease Surveillance initiatives specifically related to next NGS testing and analysis.

As a team leader, the Senior Scientist will coordinate daily customer service efforts impacting the Sequencing and Bioinformatics Group, coordinate analysis with members of the Bioinformatics Team and Lead Scientists, review and report analytical WGS results, write, review and update laboratory Standard Operating Procedures, monitor all Quality Assurance procedures, and perform routine analysis of specimens. In addition, this position will perform method review, assist in method validation and implementation, perform cost analyses, maintain and monitor laboratory safety practices, coordinate continuing education for DCLS and Mid-Atlantic region public health lab scientists, and maintain the laboratory competency assessment program. These duties are performed independently with minimal supervision from the Group Manager.

NOTE:  Applicants for this position will also be considered for Senior Scientist in SBG position number CL671.

Minimum Qualifications

• Meet Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) requirements for a technical supervisor in a high complexity testing laboratory as defined by 42 CFR 493.1449, within 6 months of hire.
  
• Work-related laboratory experience, technical knowledge, and demonstrated ability in next-generation sequencing and complex data analysis using data management software.
  
• Experience with laboratory training of scientists.
  
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  
• Experience operating and troubleshooting laboratory instrumentation.
  
• Detailed understanding of QA/QC and safety concepts and procedures in a laboratory environment.
  

Additional Considerations

• Experience extracting nucleic acid from a variety of matrices.
  
• Experience isolating microorganisms on selective and non-selective media,
  
• Knowledge of MS Office products, laboratory instrument software programs, and laboratory information management systems (LIMS).
  
• Experience developing and validating new laboratory methods.
  
• Experience serving as a team leader with the ability to prioritize and coordinate laboratory testing of others.
  
• Experience with CLIA regulations and audits or other accredited standards.
  
• Work successfully in a fast-paced team environment.
  

DGS offers excellent health benefits at affordable pricing, pre-tax spending accounts, paid life insurance, paid Short- and Long-Term Disability benefits, paid holidays, vacation, an