MLS Lead

University of Washington Medical Center; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

UW Medicine's Transfusion Service Laboratory at Harborview Medical Center seeks a Medical Laboratory Scientist Quality Lead to advance patient safety and operational excellence across the transfusion service. You will serve as a technical lead for complex serologic investigations and regulatory readiness, while mentoring staff and ensuring compliant, safe testing practices.

The role integrates MLS expertise with daily transfusion operations, requiring ongoing competency, collaboration with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science or equivalent.
• MLS certification required with ASCP or equivalent.
• Minimum three years professional experience, including one year as MLS 2.

Responsibilities

• Lead transfusion service quality operations and staff.
• Investigate transfusion-related deviations and patient safety events.
• Provide bench support during staffing surges and emergencies.
• Coordinate regulatory inspections and prepare documentation.
• Mentor MLS staff and ensure compliance with standards.

Skills

Transfusion medicine

Quality leadership

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in MLS

Tools

Laboratory information systems

Job description

The UW Medicine - Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology (DLMP) in Seattle, WA has a fantastic opportunity for a Medical Laboratory Scientist Quality Lead with the Transfusion Services Laboratory at Harborview Medical Center.

Join the Transfusion Service Laboratory (TSL) as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) Quality Lead and play a key role in advancing patient safety, transfusion quality, and operational excellence across UW Medicine. This specialized MLS Lead position combines advanced transfusion medicine expertise with laboratory quality leadership to support safe, compliant, and efficient blood bank operations.

In this role, you will serve as a technical resource for complex serologic investigations, transfusion-related patient safety events, regulatory compliance activities, and process improvement initiatives while working closely with laboratory leadership, clinical teams, and front‑line staff. Unlike a traditional compliance-focused role centered primarily on coordination of audits, investigations, and quality system workflows, this position is deeply integrated into daily transfusion service operations and requires active MLS certification, advanced technical judgment, and ongoing competency in blood bank testing practices.

The MLS Quality Lead also provides mentorship and operational support to laboratory staff and may provide bench support during critical staffing or operational needs to help ensure continuity of patient care services.

• 1.0 FTE
• Monday-Friday
• Day shift

What you’ll contribute:

Technical Quality Leadership

• Serve as the lead MLS resource for transfusion service operations, technical quality, and blood bank patient safety practices across all campuses.
• Lead technical investigation and resolution of transfusion-related deviations, non-conforming events, and patient safety concerns.
• Apply advanced transfusion medicine knowledge and MLS judgment to evaluate blood product suitability, donor compatibility, patient safety risks, and operational compliance concerns during investigations and quality reviews.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary review activities with laboratory staff, supervisors, medical directors, nursing, anesthesia, and clinical teams regarding transfusion-related quality and safety issues.
• Utilize expert technical judgment to identify root causes, evaluate corrective actions, and develop sustainable process improvements.
• Review quality data trends and investigation outcomes to identify systemic risks and operational improvement opportunities.
• Serve as a technical consultant and escalation resource for complex blood bank operational, quality, or compliance concerns.
• Review and provide technical guidance for complex serologic investigations, antibody identification workups, compatibility testing discrepancies, and transfusion-related testing issues requiring advanced MLS expertise.
• Exercise independent technical judgment in evaluating transfusion testing practices, blood product suitability, and operational risks impacting patient care.

Leadership and Laboratory Operations

• Provide lead‑level coordination and leadership of daily transfusion quality operations and workflows.
• Regularly assign, organize, instruct, schedule, and review quality‑related work activities of staff consistent with UW lead responsibilities.
• Monitor workflow priorities related to investigations, audits, validations, corrective actions, inspection readiness, and operational support activities.
• Collaborate with laboratory leadership, faculty, supervisors, and medical directors to support operational continuity and regulatory compliance.
• Promote staff participation in quality improvement, patient safety, and regulatory readiness activities.
• Maintain competency in transfusion service testing and provide direct bench support during staffing shortages, workflow surges, emergency operations, or other situations impacting continuity of patient care services.
• Ensure quality practices are operationally integrated into patient testing workflows and transfusion service laboratory operations.
• May perform duties of an MLS as operationally necessary to support laboratory services.

Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance

• Provide technical leadership and operational leadership for transfusion service quality activities integrated within daily blood bank operations.
• Evaluate laboratory practices, testing workflows, and technical operations to ensure compliance with transfusion service standards and patient care requirements.
• Serve as a primary laboratory contact during regulatory and accreditation inspections, coordinating requests from inspectors and providing documentation demonstrating compliance.
• Prepare inspection materials, retrieve quality documentation, and facilitate communication between inspectors, laboratory leadership, and staff during inspections.
• Maintain workflows within the electronic quality management system to ensure accurate documentation, timely resolution of events, and regulatory‑compliant records.
• Review quality assurance reports, quality control documentation, maintenance records, and operational data to confirm standards of care and regulatory expectations are met.
• Lead implementation of corrective and preventive actions resulting from investigations, audits, inspections, or quality reviews.

Validation and Process Improvement

• Lead development, coordination, and execution of validation plans for new equipment, methods, procedures, software, and operational processes.
• Coordinate validation activities and ensure documentation meets regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Lead implementation of process improvements that strengthen regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and patient safety.
• Analyze and present quality metrics, audit findings, and investigation outcomes to laboratory leadership and committees to support data‑driven operational decisions.
• Collaborate with laboratory leadership and technical staff to develop, revise, review, and maintain laboratory procedures and workflows.

Teaching, Training, and Staff Development

• Provide technical expertise, mentorship, and quality‑focused education related to transfusion service operations, patient safety practices, investigations, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide structured mentorship, technical guidance, and regulatory education to MLS staff, trainees, and students.
• Serve as a resource for laboratory staff regarding quality systems, regulatory requirements, electronic quality management systems, and investigation processes.
• Coordinate and review training documentation and competency‑related activities associated with quality systems and operational changes.
• Communicate updates to procedures, protocols, regulatory standards, and quality initiatives to laboratory personnel.
• Collaborate with the Transfusion Service Training and Education Lead to identify recurring technical or operational errors, assess opportunities for process improvement, and develop targeted education or competency support when system-based corrective actions are insufficient to mitigate risk.
• Provide technical expertise and operational insight to support development of transfusion service educational materials, remediation activities, and quality‑focused staff training initiatives.

Instrumentation, Equipment, and Information Systems

• Utilize laboratory information systems, electronic quality management systems, databases, and reporting tools to support transfusion quality operations.
• Provide quality leadership related to equipment calibration, maintenance, quality control, and interface documentation to ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Collaborate with instrument/equipment vendors, technical support teams, and laboratory information system personnel regarding equipment performance, interface concerns, validations, and compliance documentation.

Communication and Customer Service

• Represent the transfusion service laboratory professionally during interactions with regulatory agencies, accreditation inspectors, clinical departments, blood suppliers, and interdisciplinary teams.
• Facilitate communication between laboratory staff, managers, faculty, inspectors, vendors, and clinical partners during investigations, inspections, and operational events.
• Communicate technical and regulatory information clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Support collaborative problem-solving and conflict resolution related to quality and patient safety concerns.

Job Knowledge and Professional Growth

• Maintain advanced knowledge of transfusion medicine, blood bank operations, quality systems, and regulatory standards.
• Maintain competency in CAP, FDA, AABB, Joint Commission, and institutional requirements.
• Maintain technical competency and proficiency in transfusion service testing methodologies and operational workflows.
• Participate in continuing education, professional development activities, departmental meetings, and regulatory training.
• Maintain MLS certification and ongoing competency requirements.

Perform Related Duties as Assigned

• Perform additional duties and responsibilities delegated or assigned by management or faculty leadership, including special projects and operational initiatives.
• May rotate to other sections and perform duties of an MLS 1 or MLS 2 when necessary to support patient care operations.
• Perform other duties as required.

What you’ll need:

• Accredited bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science OR equivalent education/experience

AND

• Medical Laboratory Science certification with the American Society for Clinical Pathology or equivalent, or certification with a specialty organization appropriate to the laboratory division

AND

• Three years of professional experience including one year as a Medical Laboratory Scientist 2 or equivalent.

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.