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Laboratory Manager

Employer
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Location
Houston, Texas
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
Nov 24, 2020

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Discipline
Health Sciences
Organization Type
Healthcare/Hospital

Job Details

Laboratory Manager

Key Functions

  1. Administrative Responsibility
    • Discusses and recommends staffing needs with the Deputy Chair and Department Administrator and schedules personnel to provide adequate coverage. Counsel employees and assists with evaluations. Recommends merit increases, promotions, and transfers when appropriate.
    • Acts as contact between the GI Medical Oncology administrative offices and the laboratory. Maintains open communication with GI Medical Oncology administrative staff.
    • Facilitates submission and processing of Material Transfer Agreements for PIs and staff according to policy and procedures, acting as primary contact with the Office of Research Administration and Legal Services during the transfer process.
    • Facilitates submission and processing of laboratory protocols to the IRB for PIs and staff, as requested
    • Visually monitors inventories of consumable common supplies and replaces depleted items in a timely fashion to ensure continuity in lab experimental procedures. Reviews and approves requisitions for new common supplies and implements purchases when necessary. Works closely with and maintains open communication with departmental Buyer.
    • Assists with preparation of grant and contract applications as requested by lab investigators. Provides estimates to PI regarding estimated needs and cost of personnel, equipment and supplies over the period of the proposed grant.
    • Acts as property controller for all inventoried laboratory equipment. Maintains and updates equipment manuals and records. Resolves missing equipment items.
    • Assists Departmental Timekeeper with the Kronos time and attendance system. Updates employees on their time balances. Handles requests for leave of absence and processes through appropriate departmental personnel.
    • Maintains communication with all laboratory PIs. Assists in coordinating collaborative issues among the laboratory P.I. and their respective employees. Carries out requests from P.I. as deemed appropriate.
    • Acts as contact between Information Services and the laboratory. Assists with purchase and set-up of new computers and software. Works with Information Services to insure proper function of laboratory computers and software.
    • Facilitates coordination of databases and lab management software in support of the department and individual laboratory PIs.
    • Acts as contact between Research Facilities and laboratories. Reports facilities-related problems to Research Facilities and provides follow-up. Initiates and completes work request forms for specific changes or repairs and provides cost estimates to P.I.
    • Works closely with SVP-CAO Facilities Operations in planning, designing and improving laboratory space. Provides necessary documentation with regards to space improvement/changes.


  1. Fiscal Responsibility
  • Provides justification for research capital and operating budgets.
  • Reviews and makes recommendations for purchasing based on anticipated workload. Works with vendors to insure availability of newest laboratory products. Negotiates with vendors for best pricing on supplies and equipment.
  • Recommends and expedites replacement or purchase of new equipment. Investigates the need for new or replaced equipment and obtains quotes. Obtains departmental approval for major equipment purchases. Coordinate with vendor the delivery, installation and personnel training of new equipment.
  • Makes recommendations on the advisability of service contracts for major common equipment and oversees and manages service contracts.
  • Aides in fiscal year budgetary planning. Provides cost breakdown of individual PI common account usage. Prepares common account lab operating budgets including justifications for new expenditures. Uses the computer to review on-line status of common account and accuracy of account records, expenditures and balances.
  • Ensures purchase request are appropriate for funding source and/or project according to grant agency and institutional policies.


  1. Laboratory Regulatory Compliance
    • Ensures the laboratory is prepared for isotope inspections and safety accreditation.
    • Oversees and facilitates repairs and maintenance of equipment as problems arise and/or as necessary with vendor, CDAC, Biomedical Engineering or Biosafety.
    • Supervises the overall appearance of the laboratory. Ensures that supplies and materials are stored properly.
    • Oversees daily maintenance of all laboratory common equipment. Supervises the upkeep and organization of common equipment areas. Oversees the instruction of proper use and care for all common equipment.
    • Supervises multiple glassware washing facilities, sterilization, and specialized cleaning of equipment.
    • Supervises tissue cultures facilities, the development and implementation of policies for this area, policing of infractions, and direction of technicians preparing media. Monitors quality control of any prepared item, as well as the purchasing and maintenance of the equipment in this area.


  1. Laboratory Safety and Education
  • Plans and/or conducts in-service programs.
  • Coordinates with administrative staff to organize laboratory educational activities, including departmental seminars and journal club.
  • Requires and encourages lab personnel to take safety courses and any other courses that may benefit them in their job performance. Plans and supervises the training of lab personnel (technicians, students, post-docs, fellows) with respect to proper laboratory techniques, uses of laboratory equipment and supplies and safety procedures. Coordinates with the appropriate MDACC offices to provide specialized courses when needed.
  • Provides first-day new employee laboratory and safety orientation for all new lab personnel. Gives tours of the laboratory to visitors.
  • Demonstrates and practices laboratory safety precautions. Provides verbal and/or written instructions to lab personnel on standards and specialized laboratory safety procedures. Develops new safety protocols as needed. Attends annual safety courses required by MDACC and other as necessary. Supervises the handling of radioisotopes, chemically hazardous materials and biohazardous materials in procedures specified to meet MDACC safety guidelines. Maintains and updates laboratory safety notebooks (MSDS, Emergency Plan, Radiation Certificates, Safety Plan, Isotope Disposal, Wipe Tests, Chemical Hygiene Plan, Radiation Plan)


  1. Laboratory Functions
  • Supervises the tissue culture facilities. Trains new employees in proper tissue culture sterile technique. Provides orientation for all new tissue culture facility users. Coordinates flow hood and incubator usage. Inspects tissue culture areas on a daily basis. Insures that all tissue culture supplies are in stock and readily available.
  • Coordinates core equipment use, maintenance, and training, including through delegation to laboratory staff
  • Coordinates with PI Provides oversight and management of lab desk / office space for departmental lab staff.
  • Ensures that all cell lines being utilized in the laboratory are not contaminated through routine STR fingerprinting and mycoplasma testing.
  • Responsible for maintenance and preparation of core reagents. Involving the growing, counting, freezing of cell stocks and overseeing the storage and testing of these lines for possible contamination.
  • Maintains frozen cell lines and accurate recorded keeping of these cell lines, including keeping a log of plasmid maps for transfected cell lines. Facilitates sharing of cell lines per policy.
  • Maintains safe environment and tracking of experimental data lab notebooks for laboratory PIs.
  • Conducts research with limited supervision. Participates in the design and execution of experiments using biochemical, molecular, and biological assays some of which may involve radioisotopes or known carcinogens or mutagens. Assays may include Northern, Southern, or Western analyses, enzyme assays, molecular cloning, and invasions and clonogenic assays.
  • Develop and maintain standard procedures for the overall operation of the laboratory. Participate in the development and revision of technical protocols. Modifies and/or develops new techniques. Maintain accessible procedures and protocols that ensure the quality and integrity of the procedures performed in the department.


The above functions require the following abilities and skills:

Must possess the ability to be clearly understood by verbal communication in face-to-face encounters and by telephone, read printed and written data, assimilate pertinent information in order to compose written correspondence. Must have a strong command of the English language and be able to communicate well verbally and in writing. Must be able to understand verbal and written directions. Must be able to response and assist other employees and visitors, as required.

Must have the ability to manually record data, use a computer and typewriter keyboard.

Must have the ability to travel to and from different destinations, including inpatient and outpatient care areas. Must also be able to maintain a satisfactory work environment by organizing and redistributing files, records, etc., requiring bending, stooping, reaching, lifting, etc.

Education Required: Bachelor's degree in one of the basic sciences or related field.

Experience Required: Seven years experience in laboratory operations to include two years in a supervisory capacity. Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate program may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html

Company

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston is one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. It was named the nation's No. 1 hospital for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report's 2023 rankings. It is one of the nation's original three comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute.

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