Medical Laboratory Technician Program Director (Master's, MLS Cert Reqd)

Ocean County College; Toms River (NJ); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocean County College seeks a Program Director for the Medical Laboratory Technician program to provide strategic leadership, curricular oversight, and accreditation coordination. The role focuses on faculty supervision, student success, and budget-aligned operations to meet workforce needs.

The position requires NAACLS expertise, strong leadership, and willingness to travel to affiliated clinical sites. This is a full-time, in-person opportunity in New Jersey.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in medical laboratory science or related discipline.
• MLS certification by a recognized agency (e.g., ASCP).
• Minimum five years of teaching and clinical laboratory experience.
• Four years of leadership/management experience that involved accountability for outcomes.
• Familiarity with NAACLS standards and accreditation processes.
• Willingness to work flexible hours and travel to affiliated clinical sites as needed.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the MLT Program’s organization, development, and effectiveness.
• Direct day-to-day operations including faculty workload, scheduling, and academic planning.
• Ensure ongoing NAACLS accreditation compliance; coordinate self-study and annual reports.
• Maintain current knowledge of accreditation, licensure, and certification requirements.
• Oversee curriculum planning, revision, and assessment aligned with NAACLS competencies.
• Teach assigned courses and maintain office hours for student support.
• Ensure consistency and quality of course delivery across modalities and sections.
• Recruit, orient, supervise, and evaluate program faculty and staff in collaboration with the Dean of STEM.
• Mentor adjunct and full-time faculty; facilitate regular program meetings.
• Maintain regular contact with students for advising and feedback.
• Support student learning with outside-class availability and activities.
• Monitor student progress, retention, and graduate outcomes; pursue CQI.
• Lead program evaluation and continuous quality improvement planning.
• Use outcomes data, evaluations, and surveys to guide decisions.
• Participate in budget development and resource allocation for the program.
• Collaborate with Dean and Finance Office for instructional resources.
• Advocate for equipment and supplies aligned with goals.
• Maintain professional development and participate in associations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Data analysis & reporting

Training delivery

Education

Master's degree in medical laboratory science

MLS certification (ASCP)

Doctoral degree in MLS or related

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Student databases

Financial aid systems

SIS/LMS platforms

Job description

The Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Program Director is responsible for the overall administration, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the MLT Program in accordance with institutional policies and the standards set forth by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). The Program Director will oversee all aspects of program effectiveness, including curriculum development, faculty supervision, student success, and accreditation compliance. This position plays a key leadership role in ensuring that the program meets workforce needs, maintains high instructional quality, and operates within budget and institutional guidelines. Completion of a NAACLS-required Faculty Fact Sheet will be required at the time of hire.

Classification: Non-Affiliated Administrator

Staff Duration: Full Time 12 months

This is an in-person position. Non-local candidates must be willing and able to relocate to a commutable distance from Tom's River, NJ to begin the position.

Ocean County College does not provide visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities

1. Provide leadership for the organization, development, evaluation, and effectiveness of the MLT Program.
2. Direct the day-to-day operations of the program including faculty workload, student scheduling, and academic planning.
3. Ensure ongoing compliance with NAACLS accreditation standards and coordinate preparation of all required self-study reports, annual reports, and documentation.
4. Maintain current knowledge of accreditation, licensure, and certification requirements relevant to the profession.
5. Oversee curriculum planning, revision, and assessment, ensuring alignment with NAACLS competencies and institutional outcomes.
6. Serve as a faculty member within the program, teaching assigned courses and maintaining regular office hours for student support.
7. Ensure consistency and quality in course delivery across all modalities and sections.
8. Recruit, orient, supervise, and evaluate program faculty and staff in collaboration with the Dean of STEM.
9. Provide ongoing mentorship and support to adjunct and full-time faculty members.
10. Facilitate regular program meetings and ensure timely communication across all program personnel.
11. Maintain regular and consistent contact with students throughout the academic year for academic advising, mentoring, and program feedback.
12. Support student learning through availability outside class and participation in student-focused activities (e.g., orientation, clinical placement support).
13. Monitor student progress, retention, and graduate outcomes, and implement strategies for continuous improvement.
14. Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive program evaluation and continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan.
15. Use data from student outcomes, clinical evaluations, employer feedback, and graduate surveys to make informed program decisions.
16. Participate in budget development, resource allocation, and fiscal planning for the program.
17. Collaborate with the Dean of STEM and Finance Office to ensure sufficient instructional and laboratory resources are available.
18. Advocate for equipment and supply needs aligned with program goals.
19. Maintain professional expertise through ongoing professional development, certifications, and participation in local/national professional associations.
20. Document professional development hours in accordance with NAACLS requirements.
21. Other duties, initiatives and projects as assigned.

Qualifications

1. Master’s degree in medical laboratory science or a related discipline.
2. Certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) or equivalent by a recognized certifying agency (e.g., ASCP).
3. Five years of teaching experience and clinical laboratory experience.
4. Four years of leadership or supervisory experience that required accountability for department, unit, function, program or team/student results.
5. Demonstrated knowledge of NAACLS standards and accreditation processes.
6. Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
7. Demonstrated proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite, student databases and financial aid systems; ability to create detailed reports, documents, presentations and deliver basic training on systems.
8. Experience with curriculum development, assessment, and faculty supervision.
9. Commitment to ongoing professional development.
10. Willingness to work flexible hours and travel to affiliated clinical sites as needed.

Additional Qualifications

1. Doctoral degree in medical laboratory science or a related discipline.
2. Prior experience as a program director or academic coordinator in an accredited MLT or MLS program.
3. Experience managing budgets and engaging with external stakeholders (e.g., advisory boards, clinical affiliates).
4. Familiarity with student information systems, learning management systems, and digital curriculum tools.