Medical Laboratory Scientist Lead - Chemistry, Renton Central Lab: Core Reference Lab

University of Washington • Seattle, WA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The UW Medicine - Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology (DLMP) in Renton, WA has a fantastic opportunity for a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) Lead - Chemistry with the Core Reference Lab Team at the Renton Central Laboratory. The MLS Lead oversees the automated testing system of the Chemistry Section of the Core Reference Laboratory. The MLS Lead provides advanced technical expertise, workflow oversight, and operational leadership to enhance performance and optimization. This role ensures consistent, high-quality clinical laboratory testing by coordinating daily operations and work assignments, training, mentoring, evaluating, and guiding staff, performing method validation, troubleshooting instrument and assay issues, and maintaining regulatory compliance. The MLS Lead acts as the primary resource for the clinical process by collaborating with managers, supervisors, and medical directors, writing and maintaining SOPs, setting up benches, conducting validation studies, setting up new equipment and validation protocols, and ensuring and contributing to an efficient, safe, and patient-focused lab environment. The MLS Lead may perform duties of an MLS 1 and MLS 2. Work schedule: 100% FTE Work schedule to be discussed with the hiring manager Day shift

Requirements

• Accredited bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science OR equivalent education/experience
• Medical Laboratory Science certification with the American Society for Clinical Pathology or equivalent, or certification with a specialty organization appropriate to the laboratory division
• Three (3) years of professional experience including one (1) year as a Medical Laboratory Scientist 2 or equivalent.
• Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Total Laboratory Automation platforms and high-volume core labs.
• Experience with Clinical Chemistry automation.
• Experience leading teams or functioning in a lead/senior technologist capacity.
• Familiarity with middleware/LIS (e.g., Sunquest, Roche Navify, etc).
• Experience with workflow optimization and lean process improvement.
• Experience with productivity metrics and operational efficiencies.
• Advanced technical troubleshooting.
• Data analysis and quality management.
• Vendor and project coordination.
• Regulatory knowledge and audit readiness.
• Ability to support troubleshooting and workflow processes that are part of the Total Laboratory Automation.

Responsibilities

• Participate in interviewing, hiring, and performance evaluation processes as requested.
• Support a culture of professionalism, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support Total Laboratory Automation workflow.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Core Lab section.
• Prioritize and distribute work assignments based on staffing, efficiency, workload, and turnaround-time requirements.
• Serve as the primary technical resource for technologists and technicians.
• Provide real-time guidance, coaching, mentorship, and performance feedback.
• Escalate staff performance issues to manager when corrective action is needed.
• Assist leadership with workforce planning, scheduling, and staffing adjustments.
• Promote a culture of teamwork, respect, and continuous quality improvement.
• Act as a backup for the manager, if needed.
• Maintain strong theoretical and practical knowledge of all procedures in the section.
• Lead development, evaluation, validation, and implementation of new assays and methodologies.
• Work with faculty to troubleshoot assay issues, resolve instrument or method problems, and improve test performance.
• Develop and manage written current and new instrument/assay validation protocols and perform validation studies.
• Oversee preventive maintenance and instrument care performed by staff, SID teams, and vendors.
• Maintain expert knowledge of instruments, essays, and analytical processes.
• Lead investigation and resolution of instrument failures, QC flags, calibration issues, and workflow disruptions.
• Collaborate with medical directors, supervisors, and vendors on instrumentation performance, assay optimization, and workflow improvements.
• Support method evaluation, validation, and implementation of new tests and equipment.
• Evaluate and optimize workflow to maintain high-volume efficiency and target turnaround times.
• Ensure processes comply with CAP, CLIA, and organizational standards.
• Review QC, proficiency testing results, and quality dashboards; initiate corrective action as needed.
• Oversee section QA activities, including documentation, maintenance logs, and quality indicators.
• Maintain inspection readiness by enforcing regulatory standards and participating in audits, corrective actions, improvement plans, and CAP inspections.
• Develop and maintain training and competency documentation for all tests performed.
• Train new employees, students, and rotating staff on chemistry instrumentation, workflows, and procedures.
• Develop and maintain training materials, competency assessments, and procedure documentation.
• Provide ongoing education and in-services when updates or changes occur.
• Support staff development by identifying knowledge gaps, providing mentorship, feedback, and improvement actions; escalate when appropriate to manager.
• Serve as the point of contact for providers, nursing units, clinics, and other lab sections regarding lab related questions or service concerns.
• Communicate significant and provide recommendations for QC issues, instrument downtime, and operational updates to leadership, and staff.
• Facilitate clear shift-to-shift communication to ensure continuity of patient care.
• Maintain proficiency with email, Word (procedure editing), Excel (data analysis), and procedure management.
• Ensure validation of computer interfaces and support CAP-mandated documentation and testing, escalate when appropriate.
• Utilize LIS functions for QC review, troubleshooting, sample tracking, and workflow monitoring.
• Validate LIS rules, middleware connections, and instrument interfaces.
• Participate in system upgrades, validation testing, and configuration changes.
• Monitor section expenses and contribute to cost-containment strategies; escalate when appropriate.
• Develop and manage division SOPs.
• Approve overtime when delegated and support scheduling needs.
• Assist leadership in performance evaluations and other administrative tasks.
• Oversee and escalate when appropriate adequate inventory, track and order reagents, service contracts, calibrators, supplies, and consumables.

Benefits

• $4,000 recruitment incentive for eligible new employees joining UW Medicine.
• Relocation incentive for eligible new employees.
• Vacation time and sick time off that accrue monthly, including 12 paid holidays.
• State Employee Tuition Exemption Program covering up to 6 credits of qualifying coursework per quarter at the University of Washington or other participating colleges or universities.
• Fully subsidized public transit pass (U-PASS) that covers multiple forms of public transportation in the region.
• Excellent healthcare, dental, disability, retirement, and other plan options.
• Lots of free fantastic fitness, healthy eating, finance, and stress reduction classes offered through the Whole U.

What This Job Offers

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