Principal Scientist (Biological Threat Emergency Response) - CR590

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Richmond, VA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of General Services, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) is seeking a highly experienced Principal Scientist to provide technical leadership and drive advanced laboratory operations that protect public health and the environment. This role serves as a workgroup leader and performs testing during emergencies or high-volume periods. The position involves designing and leading validations of new instrumentation and methodologies, providing technical project management, and offering technical and troubleshooting guidance for laboratory instrumentation and test methods. The Principal Scientist will also provide highly technical consultation on the interpretation of analytical results and participate in LIMS development and testing. This is a full-time, restricted position funded by a federal grant, located in Richmond, Virginia, requiring on-site reporting. Employees in this position are eligible for the state employee benefits package.

Requirements

Meet Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) requirements for technical supervisor in a high complexity testing laboratory as defined by 42 CFR 493.1449.
Experience in Molecular Biology testing.
Experience serving as a team leader with the ability to prioritize, schedule, and coordinate laboratory testing of others.
Experience with safe laboratory practices.
Experience operating and troubleshooting laboratory instrumentation.
Experience with quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures and how to properly document and interpret QC data.
Experience training staff.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and work in a team environment.
Must pass a fingerprint-based criminal background check.

Nice To Haves

Experience performing high complexity, high volume Polymerase Chain Reaction (Standard and Real-Time) testing.
Experience with computerized laboratory information management systems (LIMS); spreadsheets, MS Office products, and/or laboratory software programs.
Experience with nucleic acid extraction from a variety of matrices.
Experience with MALDI-TOF bacterial identification methodologies.
Experience with microbial identification techniques and bacterial culture setup.
Experience with the development and validation of new methods.
Experience with CLIA regulations and audits.
Experience working in a BSL-3 laboratory.

Responsibilities

Serves as workgroup leader and performs testing as required by supervisor or during periods of emergency or high volume of submissions.
Assists Lead Scientists and/or Group Manager in preparing grant applications, tracking grant objectives and progress, and providing routine reports.
Designs and leads validations and verifications of new instrumentation and methodologies.
Provides technical project management under direction of Group Manager or Chief of Operations.
Provides technical and troubleshooting guidance for laboratory instrumentation and test methods.
Provides highly technical consultation to agency users, program managers, laboratory staff, and physicians on the interpretation of analytical results.
Participates in LIMS development, user testing, and system validation activities to ensure the timely and accurate release of results, as requested.