HLA Supervisor

American Red Cross • Charlotte, NC

1d • Onsite

About The Position

By joining the American Red Cross you will touch millions of lives every year and experience the greatness of the human spirit at its best. Are you ready to be part of the world's largest humanitarian network? Join us—Where your Career is a Force for Good! Joining The American Red Cross is like nothing else – it’s as much something you feel as something you do. You become a vital part of the world’s largest humanitarian network. Joining a team of welcoming individuals who are exceptional, yet unassuming. Diverse, yet uncompromising in unity. You grow your career within a movement that matters, where success is measured in people helped, communities made whole, and individuals equipped to never stop changing lives and situations for the better. When you choose to be a force for good, you’ll have mentors who empower your growth along a purposeful career path. You align your life’s work with an ongoing mission that’s bigger than all of us. As you care for others, you’re cared for with competitive compensation and benefits. You join a community that respects who you are away from work as much as what you do while at work. Where Your Career is a Force for Good! Supervise and assure the smooth daily operation of the HLA laboratory. Assist with maintaining the department’s goals and budget operations. Assist in managing and participating in internal (blood center and HLA laboratory), external (federal, state, local, AABB, American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), etc.) quality control, documentation, proficiency and inspection programs. Oversee the implementation/validation of new testing procedures/equipment. Assist with the interviewing and evaluation of candidates to fill vacancies. Assist with the training, retraining and competency assessments of staff. Provide support, development and/or serve as a technical resource to internal or external customers including the demonstration of laboratory procedures to visiting scientists, physicians and colleagues. Be available for emergency services, troubleshooting or on-call duties as required. Maintain appropriate state and board certifications, if applicable, and attend continuing education programs. May perform all HLA procedures, processes and special testing as needed. Performs work in compliance with accrediting agency standards. Provide support, development and/or leadership guidance to all volunteers. Perform all duties and responsibilities in compliance with standard operating procedures and other applicable Federal, State, and local regulations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Biological Science or Chemistry required.
• Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS), Medical Technologist (MT), Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) or equivalent certification.
• Licensure if required by state.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in clinical testing, to include 3 years in an ASHI accredited histocompatibility laboratory or equivalent combination of education and related experience required.
• For New York state: Experience must include 6 years of pertinent clinical laboratory experience with at least two years in a clinical laboratory having a director at the doctoral level.
• 1 year of lead or supervisory experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to provide training and guidance to laboratory personnel.
• Good problem-solving skills for technical and personnel issues.
• Must possess critical-thinking skills and strong attention to detail.
• Promote quality-driven work environment.
• Knowledge of quality control, quality assurance principles and proficiency testing procedures.
• Proficient in HLA laboratory testing, workflow and organization.
• Knowledge of regulatory issues related to laboratory work performance.
• Ability to delegate laboratory tasks or assignments to staff appropriately and effectively.
• Effective time management skills.
• Ability to work on a team and independently.

Nice To Haves

• CHT(ASHI) or CHS(ASHI) certification or in the process of pursuing preferred.
• Management experience in a clinical histocompatibility testing laboratory preferred.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and assure the smooth daily operation of the HLA laboratory.
• Assist with maintaining the department’s goals and budget operations.
• Assist in managing and participating in internal (blood center and HLA laboratory), external (federal, state, local, AABB, American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), etc.) quality control, documentation, proficiency and inspection programs.
• Oversee the implementation/validation of new testing procedures/equipment.
• Assist with the interviewing and evaluation of candidates to fill vacancies.
• Assist with the training, retraining and competency assessments of staff.
• Provide support, development and/or serve as a technical resource to internal or external customers including the demonstration of laboratory procedures to visiting scientists, physicians and colleagues.
• Be available for emergency services, troubleshooting or on-call duties as required.
• Maintain appropriate state and board certifications, if applicable, and attend continuing education programs.
• May perform all HLA procedures, processes and special testing as needed.
• Performs work in compliance with accrediting agency standards.
• Provide support, development and/or leadership guidance to all volunteers.
• Perform all duties and responsibilities in compliance with standard operating procedures and other applicable Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Supervise the daily operation of the HLA laboratory.
• Assign laboratory tasks to staff and schedule testing in accordance with the laboratory manager’s instructions to achieve organizational and daily production goals and to ensure the timely and accurate completion of test results and issuing of testing reports to clients.
• Supervise laboratory staff including, but not limited to, scheduling, training, coaching, and contributing input to performance evaluations.
• Assist in the evaluation, discipline, transfer and discharge of staff, and the interviewing and evaluation of candidates.
• May perform testing as appropriate.
• Oversee the operation and maintenance of all laboratory equipment and software.
• Communicate with vendors; perform emergency equipment service or troubleshooting, when needed.
• Oversee the execution of prescribed validation plans for processes and equipment.
• Evaluate, prepare, validate, and implement new laboratory techniques, procedures, and the quality assurance program.
• Assist in compliance, quality improvement activities and inspection management.
• Review quality control results and other compliance tasks such as change control.
• Review and interpret results; prepare and review final reports, written or electronic.
• May compile and report monthly HLA testing statistics.
• Coordinate periodic laboratory proficiency testing and reporting.
• May sign-off on proficiency testing reports.
• Demonstrate test procedures to visiting scientists, physicians, and colleagues.
• Maintain an orderly workspace.
• Oversee the ordering, receiving, inspection and preparation of supplies and reagents.
• Oversee the receipt, coordination, shipment and transport of donor and patient blood samples.
• Monitor adherence to standard operating procedures and interpret test results in accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements.
• Assure records are reviewed, managed, and archived according to requirements.
• Monitor discrepancy occurrences and resolutions to assure appropriate decisions, product dispositions and documentation of problems.
• Take remedial actions and document when deviations occur from laboratory’s established performance specifications.
• Ensure patient test results are reported only when the system is functioning properly.
• Communicate with hospital or transfusion facility personnel to report patient findings, resolve problems, provide units to recipients and/or receive orders.
• Provide reference and consultation services to hospitals and transfusion services.
• Communicate and collaborate with internal customers in other departments and regions regarding testing schedules, coordination of the receipt of test results and hand-offs to improve quality and efficiency.
• Perform internal and external customer education.
• Prepare and present case studies and educational reviews, as requested.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental Vision plans
• Health Spending Accounts & Flexible Spending Accounts
• PTO: Starting at 15 days a year; based on type of job and tenure
• Holidays: 11 paid holidays comprised of six core holidays and five floating holidays
• 401K with up to 6% match
• Paid Family Leave
• Employee Assistance
• Disability and Insurance: Short + Long Term
• Service Awards and recognition

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees