Quality Assurance Manager

Arapahoe County • Centennial, CO

5d • $84,565 - $135,083 • Onsite

About The Position

Under limited direction from the Laboratory Director, this position coordinates all quality aspects related to the Unified Forensic Laboratory (UFL).

The following duty statements are illustrative of the essential functions of the job and do not include other non-essential or marginal duties that may be required:

Performs administrative and professional level work involving the development, implementation, and management of all aspects of the quality assurance systems of the UFL.
Coordinates attainment/continuation of accreditation by the collaborative development and administration of professional and technical laboratory practices and incorporation of new technologies.
Advises the Management of the Laboratory of necessary changes, administrative, and security to ensure continuing compliance with accreditation standards.
Develops, leads, and assesses the quality assurance and proficiency testing functions to ensure policies and processes are in compliance with accreditation standards and agency policies.
Develops procedural and training manuals, monitoring procedures, and recording formats to ensure and report on compliance with all quality assurance.
Prepares quality assurance reports on each laboratory function/section for review by laboratory management.
Assists management with inspection evaluations; prepares and submits annual accreditation review reports to management.
Coordinates administrative reports and documents to record activities, accomplishments, and needs of the UFL to include equipment and resources to record laboratory activities to meet accreditation standards.
Develops and ensures maintenance of record keeping processes to retain all manuals, reports, and records pertinent to corrective actions, security/safety issues, proficiency testing, and training/education, and quality assurance activities affecting all laboratory operations and staff.
Monitors laboratory practices to identify deficiencies and ensure adherence to laboratory protocols, procedures, and continuing compliance with accreditation standards.
Studies technical problems, proposes corrective actions, and verifies implementation to address discrepancies identified from proficiency tests, external laboratory audits/inspections, or complaints.
Relative to quality assurance activities and compliance, prepares and provides court testimony, monitors and evaluates court testimony, and evaluates case review procedures.
Instructs assigned staff on administrative, technical, and security policies and protocols; explains application of policies and procedures to specific work assignments and circumstances.
Recommends training to improve the quality of the skills and proficiency of all laboratory staff; trains and informs staff of changes in laboratory protocols and procedures, accreditation standards, and quality assurance needs.
Attends conferences and training to keep current with developments in professional/legal and accreditation standards that affect crime laboratories; reviews scientific/professional reports to be informed of issues facing the functions directed.
Prepares and coordinates the preparation of accreditation applications and supporting documentation to include development of action steps and time schedules for ensuring continuing accreditation of each laboratory function.
Assesses needs, researches technical options, and participates in the development of proposals or specifications for automated record keeping systems and databases.
Tracks grant expenditures and submits regular reporting
Reviews laboratory requests according to suitability and acceptance guidelines
Performs related work as assigned.

Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of modern forensic laboratory equipment and procedures.
• Extensive knowledge of criminal acts, methods of operation and investigative procedures.
• Extensive knowledge of all areas of Criminalistics.
• Considerable knowledge of criminal law, criminal court proceedings and rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of law enforcement accreditation standards at the Sheriff’s Office and UFL.
• Knowledge of computers and commonly used computer software programs.
• Ability to operate computers and commonly used computer software programs, as well as any other standard office equipment as required by position.
• Ability to give acceptable expert testimony in courts of law.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with superiors, coworkers and other law enforcement/judicial personnel.
• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written English, to include public speaking.
• Ability to apply sound reasoning and decision-making.
• Ability to interact in a professional manner with all staff.
• Ability to get along well with others.
• EDUCATION: Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic Science, Natural Sciences, Criminalistics or a closely related field.
• EXPERIENCE: Two (2) years’ experience performing crime scene and/or laboratory duties associated with the processing of evidence in a law enforcement agency.
• Must obtain CPR and First Aid certification within the initial probationary period.
• Must possess a valid Colorado Driver's License.
• Must complete initial probationary period and training successfully.

Nice To Haves

• EDUCATION: Master’s Degree in Forensic Science, Natural Science, Criminalistics, or a closely related field.
• EXPERIENCE: Three (3) years’ experience performing crime scene and/or laboratory duties in a law enforcement agency, or experience with ISO/IEC 17025 in a laboratory setting.

Responsibilities

• Performs administrative and professional level work involving the development, implementation, and management of all aspects of the quality assurance systems of the UFL.
• Coordinates attainment/continuation of accreditation by the collaborative development and administration of professional and technical laboratory practices and incorporation of new technologies.
• Advises the Management of the Laboratory of necessary changes, administrative, and security to ensure continuing compliance with accreditation standards.
• Develops, leads, and assesses the quality assurance and proficiency testing functions to ensure policies and processes are in compliance with accreditation standards and agency policies.
• Develops procedural and training manuals, monitoring procedures, and recording formats to ensure and report on compliance with all quality assurance.
• Prepares quality assurance reports on each laboratory function/section for review by laboratory management.
• Assists management with inspection evaluations; prepares and submits annual accreditation review reports to management.
• Coordinates administrative reports and documents to record activities, accomplishments, and needs of the UFL to include equipment and resources to record laboratory activities to meet accreditation standards.
• Develops and ensures maintenance of record keeping processes to retain all manuals, reports, and records pertinent to corrective actions, security/safety issues, proficiency testing, and training/education, and quality assurance activities affecting all laboratory operations and staff.
• Monitors laboratory practices to identify deficiencies and ensure adherence to laboratory protocols, procedures, and continuing compliance with accreditation standards.
• Studies technical problems, proposes corrective actions, and verifies implementation to address discrepancies identified from proficiency tests, external laboratory audits/inspections, or complaints.
• Relative to quality assurance activities and compliance, prepares and provides court testimony, monitors and evaluates court testimony, and evaluates case review procedures.
• Instructs assigned staff on administrative, technical, and security policies and protocols; explains application of policies and procedures to specific work assignments and circumstances.
• Recommends training to improve the quality of the skills and proficiency of all laboratory staff; trains and informs staff of changes in laboratory protocols and procedures, accreditation standards, and quality assurance needs.
• Attends conferences and training to keep current with developments in professional/legal and accreditation standards that affect crime laboratories; reviews scientific/professional reports to be informed of issues facing the functions directed.
• Prepares and coordinates the preparation of accreditation applications and supporting documentation to include development of action steps and time schedules for ensuring continuing accreditation of each laboratory function.
• Assesses needs, researches technical options, and participates in the development of proposals or specifications for automated record keeping systems and databases.
• Tracks grant expenditures and submits regular reporting
• Reviews laboratory requests according to suitability and acceptance guidelines
• Performs related work as assigned.

Benefits

• Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office employees are provided benefits to include, but not limited to, medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, retirement plan and paid time off.
• Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office employees participate in a mandatory defined benefit program designed to help employees establish a source of income for retirement years. Through the Plan, eligible employees must set aside 9.00 percent, which is subject to change in the coming years, on a pretax basis of which the County matches at 9.75%. The County also contributes 6.2% to Social Security.

What This Job Offers

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