Research Associate

drtstrategies; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

DRT Strategies, Inc. seeks a seasoned clinical microbiology expert to serve a national VA public health program. You’ll provide authoritative guidance on molecular methods to specialized microbiology automation and validate new techniques to improve testing quality.

This onsite role in Northern California collaborates with clinicians, epidemiologists, and laboratory staff, employing experience in high‑complexity labs and regulatory standards to protect patient care and outbreak response.

Qualifications

• Recent hands-on experience in a Clinical Microbiology laboratory.
• Expert‑level knowledge in PCR, specialized tests, and/or microbiology automation.
• Experience advising on test selection, troubleshooting, workflow, and SOPs.
• Experience performing method validations (accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, normal ranges, interfering substances).
• Experience applying laws, policies, and clinical laboratory accrediting requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain specialized testing; experience authoring SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject-matter expert providing authoritative advice and consultation on difficult, complex, or unique tests using specialized knowledge (e.g., PCR, specialized tests, microbiology automation).
• Apply recent, hands-on clinical microbiology experience to work with patient specimens and the instrumentation typically found in a hospital laboratory.
• Perform method validations, including assessment of accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity, normal ranges, and interfering substances.
• Apply laws, policies, and clinical laboratory accreditation requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain specialized testing.
• Advise on test selection, troubleshooting for workflow and instrumentation, and contribute to SOPs.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

SOP development

Clinical microbiology expertise

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science, microbiology, medical technology, or related life science

ASCP certification (MLS or microbiology specialist)

Tools

PCR instrumentation

Microbiology automation

VITEK systems

BacT/ALERT

Job description

This position is associated with a future business opportunity and is currently in the pre-proposal phase. Hiring is contingent upon contract award.

Overview

DRT Strategies delivers expert management consulting and information technology (IT) solutions to large federal agencies, state and local government and commercial clients in health care, technology, andfinancial services industries.

The three letters of our name, DRT, stand for Driving Resolution Together, which is the core philosophy on which the company was founded. That is, we collaborate with our clients to solve their most pressing challenges - together.

We are problem solvers dedicated to your success, combining Fortune 500 experience with small business responsiveness. We have established a reputation with our clients as a forward-thinking consulting firm with demonstrated success in implementing solutions that lead to meaningful results. Our world-class consultants unite people to work collaboratively to achieve project goals and make vision a reality.

Project Description

This opportunity supports a national public health program within the Department of Veterans Affairs, focused on disease surveillance and rapid response to emerging health events across the VA system. The work involves epidemiologic investigations, large-scale patient lookback and notification efforts, and specialized public health laboratory testing in support of clinical care and outbreak response. Personnel collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, data analysts, and communications staff to investigate potential exposure events and deliver timely, accurate findings. This is an onsite role based in Northern California, with occasional travel to affiliated medical facilities in the surrounding region. Ideal candidates bring prior experience in a federal health, public health, or clinical research setting and are comfortable handling sensitive patient information in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Job Summary

Serve as the go-to clinical microbiology expert for a national VA public health program. You'll provide authoritative guidance on the most difficult, complex, and emerging tests, from molecular methods to specialized microbiology automation, while validating new techniques and advancing the quality of specialized testing. This is a role for a seasoned clinical microbiologist who wants to be the technical authority others turn to, working at the leading edge of diagnostic science in service of patient care.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject-matter expert providing authoritative advice and consultation on difficult, complex, or unique tests using specialized knowledge (e.g., PCR, specialized tests, microbiology automation).
• Apply recent, hands-on clinical microbiology experience to work with patient specimens and the instrumentation typically found in a hospital laboratory.
• Perform method validations, including assessment of accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, normal ranges, and interfering substances.
• Apply laws, policies, and clinical laboratory accreditation requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain specialized testing.
• Advise on test selection, troubleshooting, workflow, and instrumentation, and contribute to standard operating procedures.

Required Experience

• Recent hands‑on experience in a Clinical Microbiology laboratory (hospital, clinic, or reference lab) working with patient specimens and instrumentation typically found in a hospital laboratory.
• Expert‑level/specialized knowledge in PCR, specialized tests, and/or microbiology automation.
• Experience providing authoritative advice and troubleshooting for markedly difficult, unique, or emerging tests; examples include molecular testing on the Cepheid Infinity, bacterial identification and susceptibility testing on bioMérieux VITEK, and blood‑culture detection on BacT/ALERT.
• Experience performing method validations (accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, normal ranges, interfering substances).
• Experience applying laws, policies, and clinical laboratory accrediting requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain specialized testing; experience authoring SOPs.

Preferred Experience

• Prior clinical microbiology experience in a VA/VHA hospital laboratory or the VA Public Health Reference Laboratory (PHRL) at Palo Alto.
• Experience advising laboratory directors and providers on test selection, workflow design, instrumentation recommendations, and adoption of emerging methods/technology.
• Experience in a CAP‑accredited, CLIA‑certified high‑complexity laboratory.

Education & Training

• Bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science, microbiology, medical technology, or a related life science required; advanced degree preferred.
• ASCP certification (e.g., MLS, or microbiology specialist M(ASCP)/SM) strongly preferred.

Work Authorization, Clearance Requirement, & Additional Information

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Public Trust clearance. Due to contract requirements, candidates must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (green card holders) to be eligible.
• No agencies, third parties, or Corp-to-Corp submissions.

Salary Range

• $90,000 - $115,000
• Salary commensurate with experience.

DRT Strategies, Inc. (DRT) follows the guidelines outlined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to provide all employees and qualified applicants employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities will be provided. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources by emailing [e-mail], or by dialing 571-482-2517.

For additional information, please review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, E-Verify (English), E-Verify (Spanish), Right to Work (English), Right to Work (Spanish).

Please be aware of recruitment fraud where malicious individuals might pose as DRT Strategies. Only job postings and emails from drtstrategies.com are authentic and legitimate communications regarding DRT Strategies employment opportunities. Please contact Human Resources at [e-mail] if you believe you have received a fraudulent email.