Laboratory Coordinator

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: The major duties and tasks of this job.

Staff Management and bench work

• To be responsible for the day-to-day supervision and management of Salmonella group laboratory staff; ensuring that they adhere at all times to SOPs.
• To be responsible for ensuring that their laboratory is appropriately staffed at all times. This will include generating staff rotas and coordinating leave as appropriate, as well as ensuring when staff are on leave their duties are covered by another team member.
• The post holder will be responsible for supervising (& mentoring) the work of junior members of staff as required and may be required to spend time on the bench processing specimens.
• Conduct line management and annual appraisals of laboratory technical staff members. Use this mechanism to identify staff who would benefit from additional or further training which will benefit both the staff member and the Salmonella group.

Line management and Training

• To attend all mandatory laboratory training sessions and to assist in the training of new staff/students/visitors as appropriate.
  • To specifically train the laboratory technicians to the required standard.
• All relevant Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) are read, understood, signed and adhered to.
• To ensure that competency logs/checklists within the laboratory are developed and implemented as required and filed in the staff training files.
  • To ensure that all Salmonella Laboratory technicians attend the MLW training programmes for new equipment and techniques
  • Identifying training needs within the laboratory and communicating these to the Programme Manager.

Health & Safety

• Ensure that all new staff and visitors who work in the lab receive a suitable laboratory safety induction and adhere to health and safety guidelines.
• To follow safe practice, respecting the safety of fellow workers at all times as laid out in the MLW Health and Safety Guidelines, and any specific departmental safety protocols.
• To ensure that all areas of the laboratory are kept clean and tidy by implementing a routine cleaning and disinfection schedule as instructed.
• To attend at least once a year, the quarterly scheduled Health and Safety sensitizations.
• To immediately notify the Line Manager of all accidents, and potential hazards.

Quality Assurance and Improvement

• To be familiar with, and adhere to, the ISO 15189:2012, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good laboratory Clinical practice (GCLP) regulations, MLW Laboratory Quality Management Policy, Quality Management System, and all associated documents and requirements.
• To ensure that sample processing and testing is done in accordance with approved standard operating procedures (SOPs) as set out either by the Line Manager or Principal Investigator (PI).
• To countercheck and validate results before reporting, and co-ordinate with the data department on data storage, backup and reporting
• To be responsible for establishing, implementing and maintaining routine internal QC systems in the laboratory; ensuring that all QC procedures are adequately performed and documented.
  • To open, fill out and complete non-conformance reports and take the necessary corrective action in the event of any incorrect or unacceptable results.
  • To be responsible for ensuring all EQA samples within the laboratory are tested as per approved SOPs and the results communicated in a timely manner.
  • Participates in QC/QI for area of specialty and laboratory indicators. Does not report patient/participants results unless quality control data are within accepted parameters. Recognizes out of control values, takes corrective action, and notifies others of changes.
  • To be involved in the establishment of new assays and tests within the laboratory. This will involve input into evaluating the suitability and feasibility of doing any new test or assay within the laboratory with relation to drafting SOPs, consumables and equipment required, staff training, validation etc.

Stock Control and orders

• To establish and maintain a regular monthly stock check within the laboratory.
• Implement an inventory management system to keep track of all laboratory supplies, reagents, and equipment through stock checks.
• To co-ordinate all requests for orders for consumables and small equipment, both local and international, in a timely fashion to ensure that items do not run out of stock and cause a service interruption.

Equipment

• Ensure that routine maintenance and checks are carried out and documented according to the relevant SOPs on all laboratory equipment within the laboratory.
• Ensure that all equipment faults and problems are documented and reported in a timely manner using the relevant SOP.
• Be involved with the procurement and installation of any new pieces of equipment which may be required in the laboratory.

Documentation 

• Responsible for honestly and accurately completing records, reports and other statistical information for master files. Follows laboratory policy for data retrieval, record keeping, specimen identification, requisition, reporting, and charting procedures to ensure that records are kept in compliance with GCP and ISO15189:2012
• To be involved in the review, writing and implementation of SOPs and other documentation as appropriate.
• Supervise the use of the Prelink LIMS System within the laboratory as required.
• Maintain documentation regarding staff KPIs and disciplinary issues, involving laboratory management where necessary

Proactive leadership and communication

• To be proactive in the workplace, identify and follow-up on meeting action points, and ensure that all issues that impact the laboratory are immediately reported through the correct channels.
• To be actively involved with internal process improvement projects and ensure that a culture of constructive criticism is embraced.
• Acts independently on the line manager’s direction and accepts responsibility of the adopted policy and procedures of the laboratory.
• To ensure that all queries and feedback from laboratory users are dealt with as a priority, and that a high level of communication is maintained at all times.
• To be active in all other areas relating to communication, including actively engaging with feedback processes in order to ensure continual improvement of the laboratory.
• Uses positive interpersonal skills to educate/support lab users and promote success of team members.
• Uses clear and concise verbal and written communication with staff.

Key Performance Indicators

• To successfully meet the assigned individual performance Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure that the Salmonella group objectives are ultimately achieved.
• Attendance and participation or chairing of Laboratory Management Team (LMT) meetings as required by the PI.
• Attend regular study team (& other) meetings to present updates on the laboratory work as required.

To carry out any other duty deemed to be reasonable as assigned by their line manager.

 Error of Judgment

Failure to abide by the Health & Safety protocols and putting one-self, colleagues and Study participants at risk and failure to attend Health & Safety session a year, will lead to disciplinary action.

All staff are employed under the MLW Programme and are ultimately responsible to the Programme whether directly employed under the Core Grant, a Research Fellowship or project grant. All staff are expected to be flexible and may be required to contribute to the activities of the Core Programme or another project(s).

Interested applicants should apply by sending, a cover letter, copies of relevant certificates, detailed CV with 3 traceable referees (with at least 2 professional referees) to the address below or email to vacancies@mlw.mw. This should be in 1 pdf format.

MLW recognizes its responsibility in safeguarding and protecting communities, research participants and patients with whom MLW is working. Please note that successful candidates will be requested to undergo a safeguarding check prior to appointment and at regular time points during employment.

ONLY SHORT-LISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED.