Lab Coordinator
About The Position
The NMSU Food Safety Laboratory seeks a Lab Coordinator to support the operation, quality management, and continued growth of an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited food safety testing laboratory. The position coordinates laboratory activities and provides technical and quality assurance support for food microbiology testing, documentation, quality control, internal audits, corrective actions, and accreditation requirements. The coordinator helps maintain and continually improve the laboratory’s ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system while supporting daily operations, testing, personnel coordination, and client service. The laboratory is student-supported and focuses on food safety testing, research, and applied services for industry, government, and other stakeholders. The position is based in Las Cruces and is full-time, with a standard Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. schedule. Work is normally performed indoors. The role involves light physical effort for no more than two hours per day, handling objects up to 10 pounds, and some standing or walking. The work environment involves some exposure to hazards or physical risks, requiring basic safety precautions.
Requirements
- Associate's degree and two years of relevant experience, or a bachelor's degree.
- No specific professional license is required.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in food science, microbiology, biology, or a closely related field.
- Professional experience in a food, environmental, clinical, or other analytical laboratory.
- Demonstrated experience with laboratory quality assurance and quality control programs.
- Experience developing, implementing, maintaining, or continually improving an ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system.
- Experience supporting laboratory accreditation, internal audits, external assessments, corrective actions, and proficiency testing.
- Knowledge of food microbiology, microbiological testing methods, molecular methods, and laboratory quality control practices.
- Experience with laboratory information management systems, technical documentation, equipment calibration, method verification/validation, and data review.
- Experience training and supervising laboratory personnel, students, or technicians.
- Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Certification as a laboratory quality professional, such as ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA), or a related credential.
- Formal training or certification in ISO/IEC 17025, laboratory auditing, quality management systems, food microbiology, biosafety, or related areas.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate daily laboratory operations, including sample processing, testing activities, workflow, and laboratory resources.
- Maintain and continually improve the laboratory’s ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system and ensure compliance with accreditation requirements.
- Coordinate quality assurance and quality control activities, including document control, recordkeeping, quality monitoring, corrective actions, and continual improvement.
- Support internal audits, external assessments, surveillance visits, proficiency testing, and other accreditation activities.
- Review laboratory documentation and testing records for accuracy, completeness, traceability, and compliance with established procedures.
- Support development, revision, verification, validation, and implementation of laboratory methods, SOPs, and quality procedures.
- Perform and/or oversee food microbiology testing and related laboratory activities within the laboratory’s scope of services.
- Coordinate training and provide technical guidance to laboratory personnel, students, and other staff on testing methods, quality requirements, and laboratory procedures.
- Support equipment calibration, maintenance, verification, inventory, and related documentation.
- Assist with sample receiving, accessioning, tracking, testing, reporting, and records management.
- Support laboratory safety, biosafety, and contamination-control practices.
- Assist with client services, laboratory projects, research activities, and other operational needs of the Food Safety Laboratory.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
Associate degree
