Public Health Laboratory Director

Final filing date: November 20, 2025, at 12:00 PM.

Pay

$9,922 - $12,665 approximate monthly / $57.24 - $73.06 approximate hourly. Future salary increases are outlined in the Shasta County Personnel Rules and the Unrepresented Management Cost of Living Increases.

About Shasta County

Shasta County offers all the amenities of a big city while retaining a comfortable small-town atmosphere. With its natural beauty, diversified culture, affordable housing, excellent educational system, abundance of recreational opportunities, and high quality of life, Shasta County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

About The Department

The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) partners with communities to protect and improve the health and well-being of Shasta County residents. Established in 2006, the HHSA is organized into branches: Behavioral Health & Social Services, Public Health, Economic Mobility, with centralized Administration Services. The HHSA promotes optimal health for all, serving the frail, abused, mentally ill, and those without resources by providing essential services and protecting their health and safety.

The Public Health Branch focuses on community-wide prevention of communicable disease, chronic disease, injury, substance abuse, family violence, and lead poisoning. It helps develop policies and supports community environments that encourage healthy behaviors, promotes nutrition and physical activity, healthy aging, worksite wellness, and healthy communities. The Branch also houses the HHSA’s emergency response unit, and its laboratory provides testing services for Shasta and numerous other Northern California counties.

About the role

Under general direction of the HHSA Public Health Branch Director, the Public Health Laboratory Director plans, organizes, directs, and carries out the activities of the Public Health Laboratory, a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accredited laboratory performing high complexity testing in compliance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA '88); and related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Public Health Laboratory Director is responsible for the overall operation of the laboratory, including oversight and supervision of assigned staff by planning, organizing, directing, and delegating work duties. The role involves performing and interpreting the most difficult and least well-defined laboratory tests, developing, evaluating, and improving laboratory procedures, ensuring prompt and accurate laboratory reporting, and maintaining all appropriate certifications (e.g., CLIA, Public Health Lab, ELAP). The Director assures compliance with applicable regulations, prepares and administers performance evaluations, and assists in budget and contract preparation and monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, implements, and oversees public health laboratory programs, services, and activities; reviews, recommends, and implements policy and procedural changes.
• Analyzes statistical and fiscal data and operational problems to develop operating procedures for laboratory programs and functions.
• Ensures that testing systems provide quality laboratory services for all aspects of test performance, including pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic phases.
• Ensures the physical plant and environmental conditions of the laboratory are appropriate for the testing performed and provide a safe environment for employees.
• Ensures test methodologies are capable of providing the quality of results required for patient care and that verification procedures are adequate.
• Ensures laboratory personnel perform test methods accurately and that the laboratory is enrolled in approved proficiency testing programs.
• Ensures corrective action plans are developed and followed for unacceptable proficiency testing results or deficiencies noted by regulatory agencies.
• Establishes and maintains quality control and quality assurance programs to assure the quality of laboratory services.
• Ensures remedial actions are taken and documented for significant deviations from established performance characteristics.
• Ensures reports of test results include pertinent information required for interpretation and that consultation is available to clients.
• Consults with and acts as a reference for physicians, clinical laboratories, other divisions of the Public Health Branch, and other County departments.
• Interprets Federal, State, local, and internal rules and regulations.
• Supervises, motivates, and assists subordinate staff in resolving complex and technical problems.
• Performs laboratory analysis of drinking water and other specimens.
• Identifies potential funding sources and prepares proposals for contracts and grants.
• Oversees selection of laboratory services and recommends laboratory fees in consultation with the Public Health Branch Director.
• Administers laboratory contracts and budgets; oversees inventory control and preventive maintenance.
• Provides leadership in promoting the Branch’s mission and aligning the Public Health Laboratory’s activities with the mission of the Health and Human Services Agency and Public Health Branch.
• Works to integrate the Public Health Laboratory’s activities with those of other divisions of the Public Health Branch.
• Assists the Branch in seeking and maintaining Public Health Accreditation and increasing access to public health services for hard-to-reach populations.
• May serve on or chair Public Health Branch or Health and Human Services ad hoc committees or team meetings and represent the Branch before community groups and governmental agencies.

Requirements

Knowledge of:

• Bacteriological, serological, mycological, parasitological, virological, and other microbiological principles.
• Laws, regulations, and standards pertaining to public health laboratories.
• Techniques, equipment, and terminology used in the examination of body fluids and tissues, foods, and water.
• Proper laboratory safety precautions and procedures.
• Current trends and concepts in public health microbiology and the general field of public health.
• Causes and modes of transmission of communicable disease.
• Basic principles of administration and supervision.

Ability to:

• Organize a public health laboratory program.
• Perform complex laboratory tests and examinations.
• Maintain proper laboratory safety precautions, procedures, and quality assurance.
• Prepare clear and concise programmatic and fiscal records and reports.
• Set up and operate laboratory equipment; detect equipment malfunctions and substitute alternative testing methods.
• Interpret laws, regulations, and standards pertaining to health and chemical laboratories.
• Analyze and implement policies and procedures.
• Supervise and provide performance evaluations for laboratory personnel (hire, train, motivate, evaluate, and assist in disciplinary processes).
• Actively promote the Public Health Branch’s mission and population-based health outcomes orientation.
• Establish and maintain excellent interpersonal relations with a diverse range of people and agencies.
• Establish and maintain a strong customer service perspective and teamwork approach.
• Identify and solve laboratory technical and administrative problems efficiently.
• Provide innovative and strategic leadership on behalf of Public Health Lab services.

Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the required knowledge and abilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree from an accredited university in a chemical, physical, biological, or clinical laboratory science.
• Two years of laboratory training or experience, or both; and two years of laboratory experience directing or supervising high complexity testing.
• Possession of certification by the American Board of Medical Microbiology, American Board of Clinical Chemistry, American Board of Immunology, American Board of Bioanalysis, or other National accrediting board approved by the Federal Division of Health and Human Services Agency.
• OR held a position as a Laboratory Director or could have qualified as a "Laboratory Director" under regulations at 42 CFR 493.1415, published March 14, 1990, at 55 FR 9538 on or before February 28, 1992.

Special Requirements

• Must be certified as a Public Health Microbiologist by the California Laboratory Field Services.
• Possession of an appropriate California driver’s license.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strong leader interested in strengthening a local LRN-B public health laboratory to serve the needs of the northern California nine-county rural region. This person will possess strong experience and training in public health microbiology and local health department laboratory experience. They will implement strong safety and quality standards for the laboratory and employ strong communication skills to ensure the laboratory serves the regional catchment area effectively. The ideal candidate will oversee lab staff and lab functions, including certification needs, equipment maintenance, and contracting. They will be a leader interested in developing a strong team through clear communication and high expectations and will work to implement standardized processes to ensure smooth laboratory functioning.