Technical Specialist - Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Sutter Health•Sacramento, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Technical Specialist functions as the technical and clinical subject matter expert in one or more laboratory areas and routinely performs Clinical Laboratory Scientist duties in those areas. The role evaluates Quality Control (QC) and Proficiency Testing (PT), takes corrective action when needed, and periodically summarizes results in reports or graphs for Medical Director review. It also performs Quality Assurance (QA) activities, including reviewing patient-testing, instrument-maintenance, and temperature records and taking corrective action as needed. The specialist maintains current knowledge of technological advances and accreditation requirements, helps maintain accreditation readiness, and participates in accreditation surveys and regulatory inspections. The role advises on technical and clinical problem-solving, troubleshooting, and the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and protocols. It develops and coordinates validation and verification plans for new procedures and equipment, creates training materials and competency assessments, and trains and assesses co-workers. The position follows applicable local, state, and federal regulations, codes, policies, and procedures to protect patient privacy and maintain safety and reliability in testing. It requires sound judgment, accurate and reliable work, organization and prioritization, and the ability to respond to changing workload, unexpected problems, shift hand-offs, STAT orders, specimen integrity issues, pending logs, and priority assignments. The position is based at Sutter Medical Center Sacramento, is a limited-term appointment anticipated to last approximately one year, and is scheduled for 40 hours per week on days, with variable days of the week and weekend work as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in biology or a related field.
California Licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS).
Five years of recent relevant experience.
Demonstrated knowledge and technical competence in routine specimen collection, preparation, testing applications, laboratory operations, and quality assurance in one or more assigned clinical specialty areas.
Subject matter expertise in one or more technical laboratory areas.
Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation requirements.
Skill in QC/QA, equipment troubleshooting, training, competency assessment, procedure development, and technical problem-solving.
Ability to organize and prioritize duties and tasks for completion within expected time frames.
Ability to perform duties accurately, precisely, and reliably.
Sound judgment and problem-solving relevant to assigned duties.
Ability to interact compassionately and effectively with patients of diverse ages, backgrounds, values, beliefs, and behaviors.
Ability to respond appropriately to fluctuations in workload, unexpected equipment or information system problems, shift hand-offs, STAT orders, specimen integrity issues, pending logs, and priority assignments.
Ability to follow standard practices, processes, and procedures in sequence.
Knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal regulations, codes, policies, and procedures aimed at protecting patient privacy and safety.

Responsibilities

Evaluate Quality Control (QC) and Proficiency Testing (PT), take corrective action when needed, and periodically summarize results in reports or graphs for Medical Director review.
Perform Quality Assurance (QA) duties, including reviewing patient-testing, instrument-maintenance, and temperature records, and take corrective action when needed.
Maintain current knowledge of technological advances and accreditation requirements for assigned laboratory areas.
Help maintain accreditation readiness and participate in accreditation surveys and regulatory agency inspections.
Advise on technical and clinical problem-solving and troubleshooting to support accurate, actionable test results.
Provide technical input on policies, procedures, and protocols as they are developed and implemented.
Develop and coordinate validation and verification plans for new procedures and equipment.
Develop training materials and competency assessments for new procedures and equipment.
Train co-workers and assess their competency.
Routinely perform Clinical Laboratory Scientist duties in one or more laboratory areas.
Follow applicable regulations, codes, policies, and procedures to protect patient privacy and maintain safety and reliability in testing.
Organize and prioritize duties and respond appropriately to workflow fluctuations, equipment or information system failures, shift hand-offs, STAT orders, specimen integrity issues, pending logs, and priority assignments.