Operations Research Manager, BRaIN Research Laboratory

University of Washington Medical Center; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Washington Medical Center seeks an Operations Research Manager for the BRaIN Laboratory to oversee biospecimen collection, dissection, processing, storage, and data accounting. You’ll collaborate with neuropathologists and PI to advance brain science through rigorous operations and quality control.

You will lead staff, manage procurement and on-call coverage, and drive process improvements, budgeting, and instrument acquisitions to support multiple brain research studies at

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited Pathologists’ Assistant program.
• ASCP Pathologists’ Assistant certification is required.
• At least two years of supervisory experience in a complex operations environment.
• Experience with histology and IHC workflow is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversees and trains staff performing biospecimen acquisition, dissection, processing, storage, and distribution.
• Manages procurement coordination and guides on-call tissue procurement staff.
• Develops budget, cost analyses, and manages expenditures.
• Implements new autopsy and dissection protocols and trains staff in new methods.
• Ensures inventory accuracy and maintenance of freezers and storage systems.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Communication skills

Problem solving

Organizational skills

Training & mentoring

Team leadership

Education

Master’s degree in Pathologists’ Assistant program

ASCP Pathologists’ Assistant certification

Tools

LIMS

PowerPath

REDCap

Job description

Job Description

The Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology has an outstanding opportunity for an Operations Research Manager to join their team.

About this Opportunity

The UW BioRepository and Integrated Neuropathology (BRaIN) laboratory mission is to advance human brain science, with emphasis on normal brain structure and function, brain aging and neurodegeneration, neurotrauma, and neurooncology, through human brain donation and analysis and sharing, integrating the latest quantitative methods with traditional approaches to delve deeply to discover hidden secrets of human cellular and molecular neuroanatomy and physiology. The BRaIN lab focuses on generating extensive qualitative and quantitative neuropathological data, including traditional neuropathological assessments, digital image analytics from neuroimaging (MRI) and other technologies, organ and tissue reconstructions, whole slide imaging, biochemical and immune-assays, and single cell and spatial omics applications, in association with accompanying clinical, exposure, pharmacy, and psychometric data, to drive local and national human brain injury and disease research.

General Summary:

The primary role of the BRaIN Laboratory’s Pathologists’ Assistant-trained Operations Research Manager is to use an operations-focused approach to meet current commitments and challenges. This role partners with the PI to develop and implement the future vision for the BRaIN lab, focused on diagnostic expertise, biorepository development and management, innovation, collaboration, and education to support human brain science. This role works with the PI/neuropathologists to oversee the complex operations of this research enterprise, particularly with respect to research brain collection, dissection, processing, preservation, sampling, characterization, and sharing, with oversight of all BRaIN lab autopsy, grossing, and specimen storage areas. This position oversees all operations related to biospecimen acquisition, dissection, storage, processing, diagnostic evaluations and staining, and distribution for multiple funded research studies, including, but not limited to the University of Washington Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, the Seattle Longitudinal Study, the Seattle Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Cell Atlas, the BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network, and multiple other studies related to brain aging, injury, and neurodegeneration that use human brain tissue and other biological specimens. This position interfaces with the PI, other neuropathologists and senior scientists, and collaborators to develop, advance, and implement projects and protocols in support of funding applications, local and national presentations, and publications.

In addition to overseeing the daily operations of the BRaIN lab’s tissue procurement, processing, staining, and handling protocols, this role manages and coordinates, at the operations level, multiple significant projects that rely on the tissues processed by the BRaIN lab, makes substantial contributions to determining the feasibility of the goals and objectives of those projects, evaluates proposed or ongoing projects, and interfaces with project managers and research scientists involved in existing or proposed projects. This role also looks for opportunities to enhance technical methodology or content through the expansion of existing or development of new efforts, including extending technology into new application areas. This position exemplifies the BRaIN Laboratory’s vision and values and acts in accordance with University of Washington policies and procedures. Without this position, the impact will be detrimental to the progress of the project, grant, research and UW’s stake in the collaboration and continued work.

This is a full-time day shift position located on the Harborview Medical Center campus. The specific work schedule will be discussed with the hiring manager.

The salary information is provided below.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Oversees and performs gross evaluation, dissection, and documentation per established BRaIN lab procedures.
• Responsible for the coordination and performance of biospecimen dissections for distribution within the BRaIN laboratory and to outside investigators.
• Responsible for performance of operations related to ante-mortem and post-mortem specimen acquisition and storage, which includes the day-to-day scheduling and intake of ante-mortem specimens submitted for research projects.
• Responsible for frequent, effective communication with pathologists, tissue procurement leads, research coordinators and data managers.
• Leads and participates in lab and other meetings, provides regular progress updates, reviews work lists and prioritizes work in conjunction with the neuropathologists, and interacts with the research team and collaborators.

Operations

• Oversight and management of rapid tissue procurement service of the BRaIN laboratory and coordinates participant procurements at outside sites across the country.
• Responsible for procurement coordination; guides and assists Study Coordinators with escalated troubleshooting tissue-procurement-related matters and guides and assists on-call procurement technicians as needed.
• Collaborates with internal and external investigators to ensure proper acquisition and dissection of post-mortem tissue.
• Consults and collaborates with pathologists, technicians, and other staff at outside autopsy sites to ensure the proper intake and shipment of brain and other post-mortem tissues.
• Tracks developments in emerging technologies and methods and provides periodic reporting on those developments to the neuropathologists.
• Implements new autopsy and dissection protocols, training staff in required new techniques and methods. Develops training videos and aids.
• Consults and acquires laboratory instruments and capital equipment.
• Oversees inventory and ensures the BRaIN laboratory is appropriately stocked in all equipment and reagents necessary for all aspects of tissue procurement.
• Maintains responsibility for routine maintenance and proper working condition of biospecimen freezers, refrigerators, and associated alarm system.
• Maintains overall responsibility for accurate data accounting of all biospecimen acquisitions, including brain, spinal cord muscle, fixed and frozen, cerebrospinal fluid, whole blood, plasma, serum.
• Develops and implements quality assurance and quality control measures to ensure optimal biospecimen acquisition, storage, and accounting.
• Identifies and implements continuous process improvement projects and ensures new processes are executed effectively.
• Troubleshoots and works to resolve any issues that arise within the BRaIN lab procurement teams.
• Participates in the development of the divisional budget, prepare data for cost analyses, and manage expenditure of funds throughout the year.
• Negotiates contracts and pricing for equipment, standing orders and service contracts.

Supervisory

• Provides direct supervision and training for staff performing all aspects of biospecimen acquisition, dissection/processing, storage, and distribution.
• Ensures teams are staffed and appropriately scheduled to cover on-call ours of operation.
• Establishes staffing levels, department annual budgets and department performance metrics
• Maintains and/ensures departmental employees’ productivity and work quality.
• Reviews hours, including approving of all on call hours, of the rapid tissue procurement teams.
• Manages the interview and recommend selection of new employees from applicants.
• Manages hiring, work allocation, and performance management
• Manages and performs progressive corrective action that may lead to termination.
• Oversees new employee orientation and ongoing annual training in partnership with the Education Coordinator.
• Continually develops and re‑evaluates strategies to meet requirements and shape superior performance of all employees in the service group.

Working Conditions

• On-call status may be required.
• Must be able to lift or move 25 pounds.
• Must be able to perform repetitive motions required for use of pipette, saw, microtome, and other laboratory equipment.
• Position is in a laboratory with exposure to potentially infectious or hazardous materials, including formaldehyde and xylene.
• Potential for injury due to scalpel blades, razor blades, and caustic substances.
• Travel to outside procurement, autopsy, and collaborating sites, including occasional overnight travel, may be required.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity, your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Department.

• Master’s degree from an accredited Pathologists’ Assistant program required.
• ASCP Pathologists’ Assistant certification is required.

And a minimum of two (2) years of experience in the following areas:

• Supervisory experience preferred, particularly in complex operations with direct staff oversight.
• Performs postmortem examination, to include brain and spinal cord removal
• Experience with histology (embedding, microtomy) and IHC workflow

Additional Qualifications

• Good communication skills and ability to effectively deal with conflict
• High level of professionalism and emotional intelligence with the ability to work well under pressure as well as communicate compassionately with donors’ families.
• Ability to work on multiple projects with frequently changing priorities.
• Strong problem solving, training, mentoring and team building skills with the ability to lead change and motivate staff.
• Ability to learn and instruct others in new procedures required.
• Excellent organizational skills and efficiency necessary.
• Basic computer skills and proficiency with spreadsheets required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with human subjects research regulations, including IRB protocols and HIPAA/privacy requirements as they apply to research biospecimen and data handling, preferred.
• Familiarity with laboratory information systems and research data platforms (e.g., LIMS, PowerPath, REDCap, NACC Uniform Data Set forms) preferred.
• Experience with biorepository or biobanking operations, including specimen chain-of-custody and frozen/fixed specimen inventory management, preferred.
• Experience with budget preparation, cost analysis, or grant-funded research administration preferred.

About the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology