Chemist I or Chemist II

University of Wisconsin Madison • Madison, WI

1d • $50,000

About The Position

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) is the state's public and environmental health laboratory. As part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the WSLH is committed to exploring new ideas which benefit the state, the nation and the world. The newborn screening laboratory has an exciting fast-paced full time public health opportunity for a Chemist. The primary role of this position is to perform clinical laboratory tests to identify and adequately treat metabolic and congenital disorders in newborns, children and adults as a part of the WSLH Newborn Screening Program. The techniques relevant to this position include, but not limited to, tandem mass spectrometry, enzymatic assays, immunoreaction assays, and molecular technologies. Depending on the individual previous working experience and the laboratory need, the expected duties may be with an emphasis on one or two areas. In conjunction with other professionals in the program, this position also assists with pre-analytical, analytical, and post analytical phases of testing, including reporting of screening test results. The person in this position is expected to model and use the tools and principles of quality management in their daily work including: demonstrate exceptional professionalism by establishing and maintaining effective professional relationships with directors, manager, supervisors, coworkers, and all customers. The person must use effective team skills to contribute to the efficient operation of the work unit and the organization. Participation in continuous learning through professional development activities is also expected. The position functions under general supervision and direction of the Chemist Supervisor. Performs testing, manages testing services, and reports results for chemical constituents in specimens and samples collected from humans, plants, animals, or other environmental matrices. Work hours 9:00am – 5:30pm M-F. Rotational weekends and holidays as needed.

Requirements

• The WSLH is certified through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA), and accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Applicants must meet 42 CFR § 493.1489 Standard; Testing Personnel qualifications, High Complexity Testing.
• Additional duties of chemist title include: Participate in maintaining compliance with testing regulatory entities.
• Chemist I: 0-2 years previous experience, or equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job.
• Chemist II : 2 + years previous relevant work experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job. 2+ years work experience in a clinical laboratory setting performing high complexity clinical testing; preferred.
• Must be able to visually distinguish colors. A successful color vision screening test is required prior to an offer of employment.
• Required Bachelor's Degree
• At minimum, a Bachelor of Science degree in a chemical, biological, clinical laboratory science, or medical technology from an accredited institution, is required. An official (or copy of an official) transcript showing conferred degree will be required as a condition of employment.
• For degrees earned outside of the United States, proof of qualification equivalency is required and must be performed by a nationally recognized organization such as the National Association Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) (http://www.naces.org) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( http://www.aice-eval.org ). The candidate is responsible for all expenses related to acquiring and providing proof of qualifications.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative analytical chemistry
• knowledge of high performance liquid chromatography
• knowledge of enzymatic assays
• knowledge of mass spectrometry
• knowledge of quality control principles
• knowledge of quality assurance
• knowledge of method validation
• Knowledge of mathematical functions and ratios
• knowledge of laboratory safety and handling of chemicals, biological samples and laboratory equipment
• knowledge of newborn screening blood collection techniques and precautions
• Knowledge of computer operation principles
• use of quality principles and tools
• effective team skills
• effective customer service skills
• Interpersonal skills
• ability to effectively teach and communicate with students and staff
• effective writing skills
• as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the employee must be able to perform the essential job functions as outlined in the position description with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Responsibilities

• Engages in the development, evaluation, and implementation of new methodologies including techniques for chemical research experiments - 10%
• Performs non-routine instrument maintenance and repairs - 5%
• Provides result interpretation and participates in educational and outreach activities - 5%
• Supports and/or trains new employees, students, and other professional colleagues - 15%
• Establishes and maintains partnerships with internal and external stakeholders and communicates research updates to appropriate entities - 5%
• Prepares technical reports, makes scientific recommendations based on findings, and presents materials to stake holder groups through various mediums - 10%
• Utilizes, maintains, and troubleshoots laboratory instrumentation and information management systems to meet unit objectives in alignment with strategic initiatives - 25%
• Performs high complexity analytical testing, employing quality control and quality assurance practices - 25%

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level