MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST IV - 64046950 1

About the role

This is a professional position responsible for maintaining and enhancing the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories capacity to conduct rapid and accurate diagnosis of biological threat agents for bioterrorism preparedness activities in the State of Florida. The incumbent will work independently to implement and adapt methods and procedures to detect a variety of biologic agents, as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), that have the potential for use in biological terrorism to cause harm to and panic in the general population. Will serve as the Lead worker for Bioterrorism (BT) and LRN activities for the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories.

Responsibilities

• Maintains and enhances the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories capacity to conduct rapid and accurate diagnosis of biological threat agents such as Bacillus anthracis, Yesinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Brucella species and Clostridium botulinum toxin.
• Provides scientific and technical direction and guidance to BT coordinators throughout the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories statewide facilities.
• Serves as the Lead worker for Bioterrorism (BT) and LRN activities for the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories.
• Collaborates with CDC, LRN, local, state, and national organizations to maintain the national network that provides the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories access to advanced capacity and confirmatory testing for the above-mentioned priority biologic threat agents.
• Conducts studies to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic assays.
• Participates in periodic planning and coordination meetings with CDC, LRN and other agencies.
• Maintains a system for specimen transport, chain-of-custody, triage, testing and referral.
• Recommends plan for rapid reporting and integration of information systems for diagnostic test results, surveillance data, etc., for use by key agency personnel.
• Serves as the lead trainer for all Bureau of Public Health Laboratories BT staff.
• Serves as Principal Investigator for the Select Agent Program (SAP) at the Jacksonville laboratory.
• Plans, designs, develop, and integrates new technologies and advanced methods for rapid diagnosis of the priority threat biologic agents.
• Collaborates with CDC to maintain quality assurance standards that ensure proper chain of custody, adequate security, transport and storage of specimens, secure and effective communication of laboratory results, and acceptable performance in an external proficiency-testing program.
• Plans and coordinates with other Jacksonville laboratory sections, such as molecular and virology, to meet the Advanced LRN Reference Laboratory minimum testing volume requirements.
• Performs related duties as required, including preparing presentations of results as needed, preparing administrative reports for the Bioterrorism Laboratory Program Advisor and Laboratory Administration, and assisting in surge testing for other departments as directed.

Requirements

Minimum: - State of Florida Clinical Laboratory License. Preferably a technologist in microbiology. - Bachelor’s degree - 5 years of experience.