Laboratory Scientist 2 - Virology (PN20013913)

State of Ohio • Reynoldsburg, OH

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Public Health Laboratory supports ODH, local health departments, and clinicians throughout Ohio in disease outbreak investigations, public health emergencies, and identifying causes of disease to aid treatment and prevention. Its services include screening for diseases of public health interest, reference support to confirm low-incidence infectious agents, laboratory investigations of epidemiological patterns, and oversight of the state alcohol breath testing program.

As a Laboratory Scientist 2, you will work with public health scientists to produce timely, accurate, high-quality data that supports early warning, outbreak and emergency response, and the identification of illness sources. The role performs high-complexity testing on clinical and environmental samples using specialized knowledge, training, and judgment. Methods may include microbiological culture and identification, PCR and next-generation sequencing, complex chemical separations, radiochemistry and radiological analysis, mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and isoelectric focusing.

This is a permanent, full-time classified position with the Ohio Department of Health, located at 8995 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The stated compensation is $28.76 per hour, with an opportunity for an increase to $30.10 per hour after six months of satisfactory performance and yearly raises thereafter. Selected candidates must be vaccinated for Hepatitis B or be willing to receive vaccination at no cost after hire. The work involves exposure to biofluids and tissue, sharps, caustic or toxic chemicals, and/or explosives. Candidates may work varying hours and must provide their own transportation.

Requirements

• Meet one of the stated minimum qualification pathways: 42 months of pertinent laboratory experience; undergraduate core coursework in a biological, chemical, natural, or physical science plus 12 months of pertinent laboratory experience; completion of a Master of Science core program in a biological, chemical, natural, or physical science; or 12 months of experience as a Laboratory Scientist 1.
• For Department of Health positions, meet at least one of the additional qualification options: an associate degree in medical technology; MLT certification; a relevant bachelor's degree plus 12 months of pertinent specialty or subspecialty laboratory experience or training; specified education and training equivalent to 60 semester hours plus 24 medical laboratory technology semester hours and 18 months of pertinent laboratory experience; or specified education and training equivalent to 60 semester hours plus required science credits and 18 months of documented experience in each specialty where high-complexity testing is performed.
• Provide proof of Hepatitis B vaccination before the first day of work, or be willing and able to receive the vaccination after hire.
• Be able to provide own transportation.
• Meet one or more of the listed position-specific criteria considered during further evaluation, including relevant laboratory education or MLT certification, and experience in serological or molecular procedures, assay workflow, troubleshooting, quality assurance and quality control, inventory, training, equipment and records maintenance, technical procedure writing, virus identification and characterization, or communicating with laboratory, technical, or public health professionals.

Nice To Haves

• Undergraduate or advanced degree in chemical, physical, biological, or clinical laboratory science, or medical technology, or Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) certification.
• Experience performing serological procedures, such as fluorescent antibody tests or immunoassays.
• Experience applying serological assay workflow best practices.
• Experience troubleshooting assay and instrument problems.
• Experience with quality assurance programs and documenting quality control.
• Experience in inventory control of reagents and supplies.
• Experience training others in microbiological and/or molecular techniques.
• Experience maintaining equipment, inventory, and records.
• Experience writing technical laboratory procedures.
• Experience performing molecular procedures, such as conventional or real-time PCR, digital PCR, or next-generation sequencing.
• Experience identifying and characterizing viruses.
• Experience communicating with laboratory, technical, and/or public health professionals.

Responsibilities

• Perform high-complexity testing requiring specialized knowledge, training, and judgment on clinical and environmental samples.
• Use testing methods including inoculating specimens on microbiological culture media; documenting observations such as colony morphology; performing Gram stains and biochemical tests; and using microbial identification methods such as MALDI-TOF, CIDT, BACTEC MGIT, and Panther Fusion.
• Perform PCR and next-generation sequencing procedures, complex sample preparations involving chemical separation techniques, radiochemistry analysis, radiological counting, data analysis and reporting, gross alpha/beta and gamma analysis, liquid scintillation, mass spectrometry, HPLC, and isoelectric focusing.
• Perform quality-control testing on media, reagents, and test kits and record observations.
• Communicate explanations of test results to physicians, local health departments, and other government agencies.
• Monitor routine laboratory supplies in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, including ODH Terrorism Response staff, State Highway Patrol, FBI, EMA, Public Safety, and local health departments.
• Maintain work-related documentation and use the Laboratory Information Management System to input and process data.

Benefits

• Medical coverage.
• Free dental, vision, and basic life insurance premiums after completion of the eligibility period.
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal and sick leave, and 11 paid holidays per year.
• Childbirth, adoption, and foster care leave.
• Education and development opportunities, including Employee Development Funds and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• Public retirement systems, including OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS, and optional deferred compensation through Ohio Deferred Compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed