Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Kaiser Permanente; San Marcos (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaiser in San Marcos, California seeks a Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist to provide functional direction to Clinical Laboratory Scientists across multiple areas (Hematology, Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry) under CLIA. The role requires strong judgment and adherence to quality and regulatory standards.

Key duties include enforcing policies, supervising staff, updating procedures, and communicating with the supervisory team, while ensuring accurate test results and ongoing staff development.

Qualifications

• Two years recent experience as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.
• Strong leadership and QA experience preferred.
• Ability to interpret complex lab results and supervise multiple areas.

Responsibilities

• Uphold Kaiser Permanente policies and applicable laws.
• Demonstrate duties of a CLIA general supervisor.
• Provide patient education on specimen requirements and testing.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Quality assurance

Education

Clinical Laboratory Scientist License (California)

Job description

Job Summary:

Provides functional direction and guidance to Clinical Laboratory Scientists as assigned. Performs, completes and releases laboratory tests of all complexities as defined by (CLIA) Clinical Lab Improvement Act, such as but not limited to Hematology, Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry). Analysis of tests to include specialized laboratory tests and analyses in one or more areas of clinical laboratory such as Hematology, Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunohematology, Urinalysis, Serology, Parasitology and chemical morphological examinations to obtain data for use in diagnosis and recording laboratory test results on the population serviced (e.g., pediatric, neonatal, adolescent, adult, and geriatric clients). The above is performed with minimum supervision, using critical judgment and responsibility.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Upholds Kaiser Permanentes Policies and Procedures, Principles of Responsibilities and applicable state, federal and local laws.

• Demonstrated ability to perform the duties of a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) general supervisor such as outlined below.

• Participates in direct patient care by providing the patient with information to enhance the understanding of laboratory test, instructing the patient on specimen requirements and conditions for specialized testing and collecting from the patient samples to include blood, body fluids, secretions, and tissues for analysis.

• Recommends new methodologies, assists Supervisory Team by evaluating, incorporating and writing new procedures.

• Assists in keeping existing procedure manuals updated by periodically reviewing written procedures and eliminating obsolete procedures after conferring with Supervisory Team.

• Assists in the evaluation of work performance of other Clinical Laboratory Scientists and Medical Clinical Laboratory Scientist students assigned to the Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientists area.

• Attends seminars/workshops in order to keep abreast of new developments in the clinical laboratory field.

• Shares through lectures to co-workers information from seminars/workshops attended and medical literature read.

• Discusses clinical laboratory problems of mutual interest with the Supervisory Team and other laboratory Supervisor and Clinical Pathologists in order to provide continuous communication of vital information within operating units.

• Provides general guidance and specific instructions when required to all Clinical Laboratory Scientists, Laboratory Assistants, clerical staff and students.

• Accepts responsibility of assisting in work areas not primarily their own as time permits.

• The Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist will assist supervisory team in certain lead functions as well as assuring the activity to promote the best achievement in the department.

Basic Qualifications:

Experience

• Two (2) years recent experience as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist

• NOTE: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REGIONAL REFERENCE LABS (RRL):

• Function competently as a Licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist in a high volume Laboratory demonstrating knowledge of principles, theories, practices, techniques. Must have Good communication skills and able to solve problems. And, as appropriate for the department/specialty, within the last three (3) years, at least six (6) months experience:

• Note: CLS students one (1) year internship can be considered meeting the experience requirement below.

• Experience in automated instrumentation; knowledge testing principles; molecular based procedures; QC protocols; knowledge in autoverification, EIA, chemiluminence and IFA platforms;knowledge of method validations, and hematology validation, QC and calibration, manual diff count. (CORE LAB, inlcudes AUTO CHEM, IMMUNOLOGY, HEMATOLOGY).

• Experience and knowledge in using high complex methods employing electrophoresis,chromatography, and mass spectrometry, and Special Coagulation (SPECIAL CHEMISTRY, SPECIAL COAGULATION, BIOCHEMICAL GENETICS).

• Read, interpret, work-up and report culture results for all areas of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteriology; proficient in reading and interpreting stained smears; knowledge and ability to set-up and report automated/molecular identification and susceptibility testing

• and interpret results (BACTERIOLOGY).

• NOTE: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REGIONAL FLOW CYTOMETRY (LOS ANGELES):

• One year recent experience in Flow Cytometry analysis such as leukemia / lymphoma phenotyping, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, T cell subset enumeration, DNA cell cycle analysis and cytochemical staining.

• A Clinical Laboratory Scientist with a limited license will only qualify for a CLS position within their specialty and only applicable in the following departments at the Regional Reference Laboratories: Chemistry limited license qualifies for Automated Chemistry or Esoteric Chemistry CLS positions; Toxicology limited license qualifies for Esoteric Chemistry CLS positions; Immunology limited license qualifies for Molecular or Immunology CLS positions; Microbiology limited license qualifies for Bacteriology, Molecular or Immunology CLS positions; Hematology limited license qualifies for Hematology and Special Coagulation.

Education

• N/A

License, Certification, Registration

• Clinical Laboratory Scientist License (California)

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of and to utilize the principles, theories, practices, techniques and methods required of a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience as a department lead highly preferred.

• Applicant must have strong quality assurance experience in multiple laboratory sections.

Notes:

• Position requires at least 50% bench time working as a laboratory generalist.

COMPANY: KAISER

TITLE: Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

LOCATION: San Marcos, California

REQNUMBER: 1453701

External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, state and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran, or disability status.