Research Associate

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject-matter expert providing authoritative advice and consultation on difficult, complex, or unique tests using specialized knowledge (e.g., PCR, specialized tests, microbiology automation).
• Apply recent, hands-on clinical microbiology experience to work with patient specimens and the instrumentation typically found in a hospital laboratory.
• Perform method validations, including assessment of accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, normal ranges, and interfering substances.
• Apply laws, policies, and clinical laboratory accreditation requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain specialized testing.
• Advise on test selection, troubleshooting, workflow, and instrumentation, and contribute to standard operating procedures.

Requirements

• Recent hands-on experience in a Clinical Microbiology laboratory (hospital, clinic, or reference lab) working with patient specimens and instrumentation typically found in a hospital laboratory.
• Expert-level/specialized knowledge in PCR, specialized tests, and/or microbiology automation.
• Experience providing authoritative advice and troubleshooting for markedly difficult, unique, or emerging tests; examples include molecular testing on the Cepheid Infinity, bacterial identification and susceptibility testing on bioMérieux VITEK, and blood-culture detection on BacT/ALERT.
• Experience performing method validations (accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, normal ranges, interfering substances).
• Experience applying laws, policies, and clinical laboratory accrediting requirements to establish, monitor, and maintain specialized testing; experience authoring SOPs.
• Prior clinical microbiology experience in a VA/VHA hospital laboratory or the VA Public Health Reference Laboratory (PHRL) at Palo Alto.
• Experience advising laboratory directors and providers on test selection, workflow design, instrumentation recommendations, and adoption of emerging methods/technology.
• Experience in a CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified high-complexity laboratory.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science, microbiology, medical technology, or a related life science required; advanced degree preferred.
• ASCP certification (e.g., MLS, or microbiology specialist M(ASCP)/SM) strongly preferred.

Skills

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Public Trust clearance.

Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience.

Pay

• $90,000 - $115,000

Schedule

• Onsite role based in Northern California, with occasional travel to affiliated medical facilities in the surrounding region.