SUMMARY:
A Head - Biorepository and PBMC Laboratory (Two Year Contract) vacancy is available at our Client, Wits Health Consortium's Clinical Laboratory Services (Wits CLS) in Braamfontein, Johannesburg - Gauteng.
POSITION INFO:
Background
The Clinical Laboratory Services (Wits CLS), is a division of the Wits Health Consortium (WHC) of the School of Pathology. Wits CLS’s main purpose is to support the teaching and research activities of the School of Pathology through the provision of laboratory services, diagnostic and research advice, and data management support in accordance with the standards of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP).
Wits CLS is an accredited laboratory and has a comprehensive quality management plan to ensure adherence to GCLP and its accreditation standards ensuring the integrity of clinical laboratory for clinical trial study participant care. Wits CLS has achieved ongoing certifications for SANAS (South African National Accreditation System) ISO 15189 and GCLP Accreditation through the British Qualogy Group and is also inspected by the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) annually.
Main purpose of the job
- To manage the CLS PBMC Laboratory and H3 Africa Biorepository professionally and ensure effective management of staff to meet required standards of GCLP practice and international quality assurance schemes
Location
- Spencer Lister Building, Braamfontein
Key performance areas
Daily management of PBMC laboratory
- Oversee and monitor equipment like biosafety hoods level 2 &3, refrigerated centrifuges plus automated pipettes including pipette guns for calibration and maintenance by laboratory staff to ensure accurate and reliable results
- Oversee the implementation and correct application of all PBMC plus ELISPOT processing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the industry standards governed by the HVTN and other network partners
- Plans and manages the activities of all staff in the PBMC and Biorepository sections to ensure they achieve their performance objectives and ensure the most optimal utilization of available resources, with the planning of their performance indicators
- Training and professional development of all staff in the PBMC and Biorepository sections to ensure continuity in operations plus learning of the latest industry techniques plus trends
- Oversee and implement safe working conditions and procedures in order to ensure compliance with all legislation, providing the staff with the relevant technical expertise to identify possible risks in terms of contamination of samples and individuals
- Perform the role of a medical technologist as required in accordance with operational needs with the ability to carry out PBMC isolation plus setting up of ELISPOT assays
Biorepository and Shipping management
- Oversee the implementation and correct application of all policies and procedures to ensure compliance to shipping plus biorepository requirements
- Plans and manages the activities of staff to ensure they achieve their performance objectives and ensure the most optimal use available resources
- Training and professional development of staff in terms of bio banking techniques including IATA shipping regulations plus techniques as per client requirements
- Oversee and implement safe working conditions and procedures in order to ensure compliance with all legislation
- Perform the role of a Biorepository manager as required in accordance with operational needs
- Work with potentially hazardous and infectious samples, required to observe safety procedures at all times
- IATA regulations training on shipment of dangerous goods, tracking of shipments, creation of shipping manifests, data reconciliation, management of stored samples vs shipped, understanding of biorepository software (LDMS)
- Shipments management and regulations of biological specimen shipping
Data Management
- Work in a pressurized environment, high workload volumes
- Flexibility and meeting turnaround times are critical
- Data analysis and management to review all data collected prior to sharing with a sponsor or other partners
Statistical Process control and analysis
- Statistical analysis and process control of all shipping data to ensure continuous improvements
- Use analysis software to compare files from different databases to ensure correctness plus uniformity across the organization
- Use comparison software to create data summaries for updating all stakeholders on a regular basis
- Collate statistical data for presenting in a dashboard for easier understanding by all responsible stakeholders
Budgeting and costing of tests
- Develop an annual operating budget for all PBMC laboratory and biorepository operations, ensuring that all projects remain within budget
- Monitor and control expenses against budget in order to control costs and maximize the profitability of the laboratory
- Provide lasting solutions to all raised issues with adequate cost-effectiveness for all sections of the PBMC lab
Quality assurance
- Manage the correct application of quality assurance processes and standard operating procedures to ensure corrective actions are taken as required
- Ability to raise non-conformities, implement corrective actions, and provide preventative action plans ensuring the avoidance of recurring issues to promote continuous improvement
- Be able to pre-empt and identify risk areas, implementing risk-averse and avoidance techniques to ensure that all aspects of the project are kept within acceptable guidelines
Project management support
- Interact with project managers and site co-coordinators to resolve site queries in real-time ensuring timely responses to these queries
- Ensuring that all project-related requirements are met to ensure client satisfaction to minimize negative responses related to all shipping and biobanking queries
Required minimum education and training
- A Master’s degree in Medical Technology, Biomedical Sciences, or equivalent
- A PhD or equivalent is desirable
Professional body registration
- Registered with Health Professions Council of South Africa
Desirable additional education, work experience, and personal abilities
- Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) courses
- Training in laboratory management
- Cost-effective utilization of all resources
- Ability to optimize processes to achieve maximum efficiencies
- Ability to work and motivate staff in a high-pressure working environment
- Ability to provide staff with laboratory technical expertise and guidance
- Will be required to work overtime
Required minimum work experience
- Minimum 5 years post qualification experience, with 2 years in a management role
- Experience in clinical trials, PBMC diagnostic laboratory, and biorepository management
- Data management, workflow engineering, Quality Assurance Management, and proficiency in statistical analysis
TO APPLY
- Only if you do meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV - Please Apply Online
- Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position.
- The closing date for all applications is 09 June 2021.
- Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates.
- Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful.
- In accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan, preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto.
Please note that AJ PERSONNEL is only responsible for the advertising of the advertisement on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium.
AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position.
NB! This job is now closed. You can apply for other jobs by uploading your CV.
