DIRECTOR, PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY

Code: 01659 Local Competitive

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Examples of work

• Plans, organizes, and directs a central laboratory equipped to perform all public health laboratory services required by the State Department of Health, including: (1) bacteriological--namely, chlamydial, mycoplasma, mycobacterial, and parasitology, (2) viral and rickettsial, (3) immuno- serology, and (4) developmental clinical chemistry.
• Develops newer more sensitive procedures to aid in the diagnosis, control, and management of preventable diseases.
• Supervises the conduct of public health laboratory examinations upon request of Departmental units, physicians, dentists, veterinarians, and public health workers associated with the following: water supplies, sewage, stream pollution, milk and milk products, food and food products, animals and animal parts suspected of harboring diseases transmissible to man, smear or slide preparations, blood specimens, and culture specimens; and examination of human and other tissues, body fluids, body discharges, and of industrial wastes that pose a threat or are of direct interest to public health.
• Makes investigations of immuno-serologic methodologies that can be developed and incorporated into the routine and advanced methods of diagnosis of clinical specimens.
• Designs and develops laboratory services to meet the needs of new and proposed public health programs.
• Evaluates existing laboratory techniques and modifies or develops new and/or improved procedures.
• Interprets test results of pathological and environmental specimens.
• Directs laboratory staff in the performance of their duties, establishes their work schedule and assigns them specific areas of responsibility in the laboratory operations.
• Plans and directs the training of laboratory personnel.
• Evaluates staff performance, on a regular basis.
• Review the work of laboratory personnel to see that it conforms to established practices and procedures and checks to see that it is technically correct.
• Recommends hiring, firing, and disciplining of employees.
• Formulates policies and procedures for the proper performance of all testing procedures.
• Has charge of the laboratory services and is responsible for preparing and installing an internal quality control program that includes: (I) standards of identity, quality, and purity (based upon reference sources) and sees that these methods are used in the various testing and examining procedures, (2) standards for calibrating instruments and equipment, (3) development of recording systems for technical staff to ensure that necessary controls in the work steps will be documented.
• Makes recommendations to administrative staff on actions to be taken in connection with carrying out a public health program.
• Attends professional meetings and reads professional journals to keep abreast of developments in the various testing and analyses work.
• Prepares and dictates technical reports, correspondence and budget recommendations.
• Establishes and directs a record keeping system.

Requirements

The following requirements will vary based on the licensure conferred on the laboratory by the New Jersey Department of Health.

<b>Education and Experience</b>

I. Possession of a valid and current license as a bioanalytical laboratory director issued pursuant to NJSA. 45:9-42.1 et. seq. prior to November, 1978.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the specialized fields of microbiology, such as bacteriology, mycology, immunology, serology, etc.
• Thorough knowledge of the interrelationship of the general principles and theories of chemistry and biology as they relate to public health.
• Thorough knowledge of the methods used in studying the chemical, immunologic, serological reactions of microorganism.
• Thorough knowledge and the application of current methods, procedures, and techniques peculiar to some phase of the applied field of microbiology involved, e.g., water pollution, food, dairy, and epidemiology.
• Knowledge of public health laws and standards.
• <b>ABILITY</b>
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of the position. Communication may include such forms as American Sign Language or braille.
• Ability to inspect the work of a laboratory staff and to review specific procedures and techniques to ensure proper application of instructions and methodology.
• Ability to adapt to a wide range of problems, scientific methods, procedures and techniques peculiar to pollution work, and regulatory control work pertaining to food products, etc.
• Ability to recognize a wide range of microbiological problems and their scientific implications.
• Ability to work effectively with people in other organizations.
• Ability to discuss solutions to scientific and technical problems.
• Ability to supervise and direct the work of the employees through supervisory staff.
• Ability to keep abreast of current developments in the field of microbiology and the applied fields of microbiology such as pollution, food, etc.
• Ability to develop procedures and establish policy for a public health laboratory service; to determine that appropriate policies, procedures and regulations are being followed in the various activities of the laboratory.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

Applicants who possess a valid and current license as a bioanalytical director, as indicated above, which was initially issued subsequent to November 1978, shall, in addition, meet one of the following requirements:

A. A valid and current license to practice medicine in the state of New Jersey supplemented by certification, or board eligibility in anatomical and/or clinical pathology in accordance with the standards of the American Board of Pathology or the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology.

<b>OR</b>

B. A valid and current license to practice medicine in the state of New Jersey.

<b>AND</b>

Four years of general clinical laboratory training and experience, two years of which shall have been in one of the laboratory specialties in an approved clinical laboratory.

Certification in one of the laboratory specialties by the American Board of Pathology or Osteopathic Pathology, or Medical Microbiology or Clinical Chemistry or Bioanalysis or other national laboratory specialty accrediting board acceptable to the New Jersey Department of Health may be substituted for the experience indicated above.

<b>OR</b>

II. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a doctoral degree in the chemical, physical or biological sciences.

<b>AND</b>

Four years of general clinical laboratory training and experience, two years of which shall have been in one of the laboratory specialties in an approved clinical laboratory and one year of experience in giving technical supervision to medical technologists and technicians.

Certification in one of the laboratory specialties by the American Board of Medical Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, Bioanalysis or other national accrediting board acceptable to the New Jersey Department of Health may be substituted for the experience indicated above.