Director, State Public Health Laboratories

WA State Dept of Health; Shoreline (WA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

WA State Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratories seeks an executive leader to oversee the state’s reference labs. You will direct 250+ staff across microbiology, environmental labs, and newborn screening, while guiding quality, compliance, and strategic investments.

You will drive laboratory modernization, foster equitable outcomes, and partner with Tribal Nations, local health jurisdictions, and federal agencies to protect communities through reliable testing and rapid outbreak

Qualifications

• Board-certified physician-scientist or doctoral‑level laboratory leader with appropriate licensure.
• Two years of supervision/direction of high-complexity testing.
• Current certification by an HHS‑approved board; active laboratory-director credentials.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive, scientific, and operational leadership for Washington’s Public Health Laboratories (PHL).
• Oversee 250+ employees and multiple programs including microbiology, newborn screening, quality assurance, safety, and central services.
• Ensure quality, regulatory compliance, accreditation, and modernization of laboratory methods and information systems.
• Steward a $66 million biennial operating budget and guide capital investments for infrastructure and capabilities.
• Build partnerships with Tribal Nations, health jurisdictions, healthcare and regulatory partners, and federal agencies.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Public health

Equity & inclusion

Communication to executives

Education

MD or DO with pathology certification

Doctoral degree in lab science

Job description

The Public Health Laboratories – Where Science Protects Communities

At the Public Health Laboratories, every test matters. From hunting emerging pathogens to ensuring every newborn in the state gets life‑saving screenings, your work will drive disease detection, outbreak response, and protect Washington’s most vulnerable. We’re the state’s reference lab, tracking rare threats like rabies, hantavirus, and West Nile virus, analyzing outbreaks, and safeguarding food and water safety. Here, science meets service in a collaborative, equity‑driven team committed to real‑world impact and public health at scale.

The Opportunity:

As the Director of State Public Health Laboratories, you will provide executive, scientific, and operational leadership for Washington’s multi‑disciplinary Public Health Laboratories (PHL). You will oversee more than 250 employees and laboratory programs spanning public health microbiology, environmental laboratory sciences, newborn screening, quality assurance, safety, operations, and central services. You will set strategic direction, lead senior laboratory leaders, and ensure the PHL has the workforce, systems, resources, and scientific capabilities needed to deliver reliable laboratory services.

This role is accountable for the overall administration and performance of the PHL, including laboratory quality and accreditation, regulatory compliance, workforce and organizational development, financial stewardship, laboratory modernization, emergency preparedness, and implementation of new testing methods and technologies. You will oversee a biennial operating budget of approximately $66 million and help guide significant investments in laboratory infrastructure, equipment, information systems, and scientific capabilities.

As Washington's senior public health laboratory leader, you will also serve as a scientific advisor and represent the PHL with Tribal Nations, local health jurisdictions, health care and laboratory partners, and state and federal agencies. Your leadership helps ensure Washington has a strong, coordinated laboratory system capable of detecting disease, supporting newborn screening and environmental health programs, informing outbreak investigations, and responding to biological, chemical, and other public health emergencies.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Lead the strategic direction and overall operation of Washington's Public Health Laboratories, aligning scientific capabilities, workforce, resources, and services with current and emerging public health needs.
• Direct a multi-disciplinary laboratory organization of more than 250 employees, providing executive leadership to senior leaders responsible for microbiology, environmental laboratory sciences, newborn screening, operations, quality assurance, safety, and administrative services.
• Ensure laboratory quality, safety, regulatory compliance, and accreditation by establishing organizational standards and maintaining effective quality management, security, training, and performance systems.
• Guide the development, validation, modernization, and implementation of laboratory methods, technologies, information systems, and testing capabilities to improve quality, capacity, turnaround time, and operational effectiveness.
• Strengthen organizational culture and workforce sustainability by developing leaders, promoting employee growth and well‑being, addressing performance and organizational challenges, and creating an environment grounded in transparency, accountability, inclusion, and respect for scientific expertise.
• Direct strategic and operational planning, including stewardship of a $66 million biennial operating budget and significant capital investments, to ensure resources are aligned with laboratory priorities and long‑term needs.
• Lead laboratory preparedness and response for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, outbreaks, and biological and chemical threats, including maintaining critical laboratory response capabilities.
• Build partnerships with Tribal Nations, local health jurisdictions, health care and laboratory communities, federal agencies, policymakers, and national public health organizations to strengthen Washington's laboratory system and advance coordinated public health priorities.

Why You’ll Love This Role:

• Lead at scale. You'll guide a large, multidisciplinary scientific organization where decisions span people, operations, technology, quality, finance, and long‑term strategy.
• Shape the future of laboratory services. You'll have the opportunity to advance laboratory modernization, scientific capabilities, infrastructure, and organizational practices while preparing the PHL for emerging public health needs.
• Strengthen Washington's public health response. The laboratory services you lead provide critical information for disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, newborn screening, environmental health, and emergency response.
• Build partnerships beyond the laboratory. You'll work with Tribal, local, state, and federal partners to strengthen the broader laboratory system and ensure Washington has the scientific capacity needed to protect communities across the state.

What You Bring:

You are an experienced scientific and organizational leader who can balance the technical demands of complex laboratory operations with the responsibility of leading people, resources, and long‑term strategy. You understand that strong laboratory performance depends not only on scientific excellence, but also on effective systems, thoughtful resource decisions, capable leaders, and a workforce that feels respected and supported.

You lead with transparency, accountability, and curiosity, and you are comfortable making consequential decisions in complex or rapidly changing environments. You value diverse perspectives, recognize and address barriers within systems and practices, and build relationships across disciplines, organizations, and communities. You can translate complex scientific and operational issues for executives, policymakers, public health partners, and other audiences while keeping the PHL focused on delivering accurate, timely, and trusted laboratory services for the people of Washington.

Minimum Qualifications:

There are multiple pathways to qualify for this position. You must meet the federal qualification requirements for a Laboratory Director of a laboratory performing high-complexity testing under 42 CFR § 493.1443 through one of the following options and any additional criteria listed. Please ensure any relevant experience defined below is outlined in your cover letter, resume, and/or applicant profile.

• Option 1 – Board-Certified Pathologist: MD or DO, licensed to practice in the state where the laboratory is located, and certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, or both by the American Board of Pathology or American Osteopathic Board of Pathology.
• Option 2 – Physician/Podiatric Physician with High-Complexity Experience: MD, DO, or DPM, appropriately licensed, and at least two years of experience directing or supervising high-complexity testing, plus the applicable laboratory-director continuing education requirement.
• Option 3 – Doctoral-Level Laboratory Scientist: An earned doctoral degree in chemical, biological, clinical or medical laboratory science, or medical technology from an accredited institution; OR another earned doctorate with either:At least 16 semester hours of doctoral-level coursework in biology, chemistry, medical technology, clinical laboratory science, or medical laboratory science
  OR
• An approved thesis/research project in one of those areas related to human laboratory testing; AND current certification by an HHS-approved board, and at least two years of laboratory training/experience and two years of experience directing or supervising high-complexity testing, plus the applicable laboratory-director continuing education requirement.
• Option 4 – Grandfathered CLIA Laboratory Director: An individual who was qualified and serving as a Laboratory Director of high‑complexity testing in a CLIA‑certified laboratory as of December 28, 2024, and has continuously served in that capacity since that date.

Additional Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Experience providing strategic leadership and direction for a large, complex organization, including establishing organizational vision and priorities, leading organizational change, and aligning resources and operations with strategic goals.
• Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and experience providing executive-level leadership, including leading and developing leaders, building organizational capacity, fostering an accountable and engaged workforce, navigating complex organizational challenges, and leading multidisciplinary teams and programs.
• Experience leading organizational efforts to identify and address systemic barriers, improve equitable outcomes, and integrate equity into policies, practices, programs or services.
• Experience overseeing laboratory quality management systems, regulatory compliance, and accreditation requirements.
• Experience developing and implementing laboratory policies, procedures, quality assurance, or operational standards.
• Experience leading or supporting public health, clinical, environmental, or other complex laboratory operations that collaborate with governmental or regulatory partners.
• Knowledge of advanced molecular testing methods and technologies used in public health or diagnostic laboratory services.
• Knowledge of laboratory regulatory and accreditation standards applicable to complex laboratory operations.
• Skilled in communicating complex scientific, technical, and operational information to executive leaders, policymakers, and diverse stakeholder groups.