Lead Technical Coordinator

Bloodworks NW • Seattle, WA

5d • $41 - $64 • Onsite

About The Position

Bloodworks Northwest is hiring a Lead Technical Coordinator to provide leadership, technical expertise, coordination, and support in its HLA/Immunogenetics Laboratory in Seattle, Washington. The role coordinates ordering, scheduling, and billing of HLA testing and independently performs, reviews, interprets, approves, and reports clinical laboratory testing—including emergency testing—in accordance with applicable regulations, manufacturer requirements, and Standard Operating Procedures. It also creates, reviews, approves, and releases official reports to customers.

The position provides advanced troubleshooting, staff training, mentoring, and guidance on protocols, policies, and procedures. The Lead Technical Coordinator participates in the laboratory’s on-call rotation, uses independent judgment, and acts as Supervisor in the absence of department management. In the lead on-call general supervisor capacity, the role helps oversee after-hours laboratory operations, supports clinical consultations and virtual crossmatches, advises on-call technologists, reviews emergency test reports, communicates results, and assists with equipment alarm monitoring and emergency test ordering.

As a member of the HLA leadership team and technical specialist function, the role supports department goals, regulatory compliance, staff communication, laboratory quality and productivity, validation and implementation of methods and equipment, training and competency assessment, equipment and reagent quality control, quality indicators, and organizational projects. The position is highly regulated and involves time-critical decisions affecting transfusion and transplant patient care.

Requirements

• Must qualify as a General Supervisor under ASHI Standards section E.1.4 and as a General Supervisor for high-complexity testing under CLIA Subpart M.
• Bachelor of Science degree in clinical laboratory science or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Current ACHI-Certified Histocompatibility Technologist (CHT) certification.
• Maintain active certification and submit continuing education credits every three years: 6.0 CEC (60 contact hours) for CHT and 8.0 CEC (80 contact hours) for CHS.
• Proficiency in all equivalent functions of the Technologist IV or Technical Specialist position, typically representing at least 6 years of HLA experience.
• Three years of experience in an assigned on-call rotation within the last five years.
• Demonstrated technical and procedural expertise in HLA/Immunogenetics testing.
• Ability to perform independent work with a high degree of accuracy and prioritize and reprioritize work effectively under tight deadlines, varying workload, and stress.
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to multitask effectively.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to participate in an independent on-call rotation, answer calls within 10 minutes, and respond during inclement weather and other emergencies.
• Ability to understand the criticality of testing related to blood components prepared for transfusion and organs being transplanted, the financial value of reagents and blood components, and the need to comply with applicable regulations, including AABB, CFR, EU, CLIA, HIPAA, state requirements, and FDA Good Manufacturing Practices.
• Required mental abilities include discretion, decision-making, teamwork, interpersonal skills, problem analysis, training, independent judgment or action, and English reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension.
• Other required mental abilities include creativity, customer service, mentoring, supervising, basic math, presentations and teaching; advanced math is used occasionally and basic programming rarely.
• Ability to perform required physical activities, including frequent handling of items, seeing, hearing, sitting, standing, walking, stooping, talking, reaching, and repetitive hand/wrist motions; occasional bending, feeling, and repetitive foot motions; and rare crawling, climbing, and kneeling.
• Ability to push up to 30 pounds and lift and carry up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to lift a 20-pound freezer rack from a liquid nitrogen freezer, using protective gloves, from 3 feet to 6 feet.
• Significant manual dexterity to operate instruments and enter required data.
• Ability to work weekends and holidays as assigned and scheduled on-call periods of up to 4–5 days each month.

Nice To Haves

• ACHI-Certified Histocompatibility Specialist (CHS) certification.
• One year of experience leading and/or managing complex laboratory quality assurance programs.
• Two years of prior laboratory leadership experience.
• Functional proficiency with Crystal Reports and SQL.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate ordering, scheduling, and billing for HLA testing.
• Independently perform, review, interpret, approve, and report clinical laboratory testing, including emergency testing, in compliance with regulations, manufacturer requirements, and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Create, review, approve, and release official reports to appropriate customers.
• Provide advanced-level troubleshooting, staff training, mentoring, and advice on laboratory protocols, policies, and procedures.
• Participate in the independent on-call rotation, exercise sound judgment, respond to calls within 10 minutes, and provide coverage during emergencies and inclement weather.
• Act as Supervisor in the absence of department management.
• Assist in setting department goals and objectives consistent with Bloodworks’ mission and model and coach staff to Bloodworks values.
• Help ensure department documents, procedures, and actions comply with applicable laws, regulations, standards, and policies; report discrepancies to department management.
• Meet customer needs and expectations and maintain cooperative relationships with coworkers and customers.
• As lead on-call General Supervisor, meet ASHI General Supervisor requirements, including review and approval of final reports before release.
• Assist Immunogenetics Directors and Supervisors with after-hours oversight of the HLA/Immunogenetics Laboratory and provide test-data interpretation for clinical consultations with physicians.
• Provide data to Immunogenetics Directors for virtual crossmatches and advise on-call technologists on interpretation of test results.
• Carry an appropriate electronic communication device and respond within 10 minutes.
• Perform final report review remotely or in the laboratory for emergency testing, including deceased donor initial workups, final crossmatching, post-transplant monitoring, and transfusion support.
• Report test results verbally or electronically to appropriate transplant coordinators.
• Assist with oversight of 24-hour REES alarm monitoring for equipment in coordination with Supervisors.
• Send morning email updates to the HLA Coordinator shared mailbox to help ensure emergency testing is ordered.
• Maintain confidentiality as a member of the HLA leadership team, communicate regularly, provide honest feedback to leadership peers, and support their success.
• Perform assignment of antibody specificities, including epitope analysis and appropriate epitope nomenclature.
• Participate in scheduling laboratory operations and interviews, and assess candidates’ qualifications against position needs.
• Keep department procedures and references current and accurate, and support optimal productivity and cost-effectiveness for testing.
• Manage HLA/Immunogenetics Laboratory validation protocols.
• Manage quality control, calibration, maintenance, and reagent quality control for assigned equipment and areas.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for department software, training, and competency assessments in the assigned area.
• Coordinate implementation of new laboratory methods and equipment and participate in review of nonconformances.
• Track performance metrics and quality indicators and represent HLA in organization-wide projects related to the role.
• Complete required quality control testing, competency evaluations, and read-only training accurately and on time.
• Maintain knowledge of policies, processes, procedures, and regulations; comply with all applicable SOPs.
• Attend staff meetings, follow up when unable to attend, and conduct periodic Lead Technical Coordinator meetings.
• Earn ASHI-mandated continuing education credits and attend appropriate Bloodworks-sponsored teleconferences and ASHI-approved educational seminars.
• Submit on-call scheduling preferences promptly and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees regularly scheduled for 24 or more hours per week, with family coverage available.
• Retirement plans (401a and 401b).
• Consolidated paid leave program accruing 4.8–6.8 weeks per year, based on length of service.
• Subsidized transit program.
• Educational reimbursement.
• Relocation assistance bonus may be available to candidates hired from outside the service area.

What This Job Offers

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