Diagnostic Laboratory Services (DLS) Quality Manager, Biomedical & Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine: UTIA

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

19d•$63,000 - $73,000•Onsite

About The Position

The College of Veterinary Medicine is hiring a Quality Manager within the Biomedical & Diagnostic Sciences department to lead the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System for Diagnostic Laboratory Services. The role ensures alignment with American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians accreditation requirements, applicable ISO standards, and institutional quality requirements. The Quality Manager serves as the laboratory’s designated subject-matter expert and independent resource for quality matters. Working with laboratory leadership, service directors, technical personnel, and administrative staff, the position evaluates laboratory processes, maintains accreditation readiness, identifies quality and compliance risks, coordinates audits and corrective actions, and promotes continuous improvement. The position exercises independent judgment in assessing quality issues, conducting investigations, recommending corrective actions, and monitoring the effectiveness of quality-system activities. It has direct access to laboratory administration on quality matters and may escalate significant concerns to laboratory leadership. The position is based on-site in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Veterinary Medical Center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, and occasional weekend, evening, or holiday work may be required. The anticipated hiring range is $63,000–$73,000. Applicants must be authorized to work full-time in the United States without needing employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Applications should include a resume and cover letter.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in biological science, veterinary technology, laboratory science, quality management, public health, or a closely related field.
At least three years of progressively responsible experience developing, administering, supporting, or auditing a quality-management system.
Experience must include one or more of the following: accreditation programs; regulatory compliance; internal or external audits; corrective and preventive action processes; quality assurance or quality-improvement programs; or interpreting and applying quality standards, regulations, or accreditation requirements.
Knowledge of quality-management systems, accreditation standards, and regulatory compliance requirements.
Knowledge of laboratory operations, testing workflows, document-control systems, and records-management practices.
Knowledge of internal-audit methodologies, risk-management principles, root-cause analysis techniques, and corrective and preventive action processes.
Skill in collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting quality and performance data; identifying trends; and developing recommendations for process and quality improvement.
Skill in organizing complex projects, audits, accreditation activities, and competing priorities.
Skill in preparing reports, policies, procedures, forms, and technical documentation, and communicating technical, quality, and regulatory information to diverse audiences.
Ability to exercise independent judgment when evaluating quality concerns and recommending corrective actions; conduct objective investigations; and maintain appropriate confidentiality.
Ability to train, advise, and positively influence personnel at multiple organizational levels.
Ability to establish collaborative working relationships while maintaining independence and objectivity in quality oversight; build effective teams and foster collegiality.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
Legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in biological science, veterinary technology, laboratory science, quality management, public health, or a closely related field.
Five or more years of quality-management experience in a veterinary diagnostic, clinical, public health, healthcare, research, or similarly regulated laboratory environment.
Experience with American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians accreditation, ISO 17025, ISO 15189, ISO 35001, or comparable laboratory quality and safety standards.
Experience with internal or external audit programs, corrective and preventive action program administration, organizational quality-improvement initiatives, or laboratory information management or quality-management software.
Licensed Veterinary Technician credential.
Certified Quality Auditor certification.
Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence certification.
Comparable quality-management, laboratory-quality, or auditing certification.
Formal training in quality-management systems, accreditation, auditing, or regulatory compliance.
Knowledge of veterinary diagnostic laboratory operations and accreditation requirements, medical and veterinary terminology, and laboratory biosafety and biosecurity principles.
Skill in using laboratory information management systems, quality-management software, and electronic records systems.
Ability to apply continuous-improvement methodologies in a regulated laboratory environment.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Diagnostic Laboratory Services Quality Management System.
Ensure compliance with American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians accreditation standards, applicable ISO standards, and institutional quality requirements.
Coordinate quality programs and activities across laboratory service areas.
Develop, revise, and maintain quality policies, manuals, procedures, forms, plans, and related documentation.
Monitor laboratory processes and workflows for quality, consistency, and compliance; establish, track, analyze, and report quality indicators and performance metrics.
Evaluate quality data and trends, recommend operational improvements, and prepare quality reports and recommendations for laboratory leadership.
Coordinate annual management reviews and quality-program assessments; advise laboratory leadership about quality, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
Develop, administer, and continuously improve the internal audit program; schedule, coordinate, and conduct audits of laboratory operations and quality processes.
Train and provide technical guidance and work direction to personnel participating in internal audits; document audit findings and monitor their resolution.
Coordinate preparation for accreditation assessments and external quality reviews; serve as the primary laboratory liaison and coordinator during inspections and external audits.
Coordinate responses to audit findings, monitor completion of corrective actions, and maintain year-round accreditation readiness.
Facilitate quality-related risk assessments and advise laboratory leadership on identifying, evaluating, and mitigating operational risks.
Investigate quality incidents, nonconformities, testing errors, client complaints, and other quality-related operational concerns.
Manage the corrective and preventive action program, including evaluating client complaints and feedback for potential quality-system issues.
Conduct or facilitate root-cause analyses; coordinate corrective and preventive actions; monitor their effectiveness and verify resolution of identified issues.
Maintain quality-risk registers, mitigation plans, and improvement records, and promote continuous-improvement initiatives throughout Diagnostic Laboratory Services.
Administer the document-control system and coordinate quality-document review, revision, approval, distribution, and retention.
Ensure current approved quality documents are maintained and that quality records meet applicable retention requirements, accessibility, traceability, integrity, and security needs.
Coordinate quality-related training and educational resources; provide orientation and training on quality-management policies, systems, and procedures.
Provide quality-system guidance and resources to support supervisors administering competency-assessment programs.
Promote employee awareness of quality principles, accreditation standards, and regulatory expectations; encourage participation in improvement initiatives and foster accountability, collegiality, and quality ownership.