Company Description
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer, and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Facebook.
Job Description
The Senior Clinical Laboratory Associate (CLA) is responsible for supporting the daily operations of the Clinical Laboratory and assisting the Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) during patient testing. In addition to the primary role of Senior CLA there will be a need to provide back-up support to the other groups (Reporting, Biospecimen Management, QC, etc.).. The Senior CLA will serve as a lead to the CLA team to coordinate tasks, divide workload, manage projects and review documents as assigned. The Senior CLA demonstrates the skills and competency to assist the CLS in automated sample processing and in all other support functions.
The nature of the work requires excellent attention to detail, effective written and verbal communication skills, the ability to multitask and be flexible with tasks and schedules, and the ability to work independently in a team environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
In accordance with California Business and Professions Code BPC § 1269, the following activities may be performed under the supervision of the laboratory director or appropriately licensed personnel:
- Sample collection or receipt, sample preparation, labeling, handling, preservation or fixation, assay processing or preparation, and/or transportation and storage of specimens;
- Assist the CLSs in a licensed clinical laboratory in performing sample processing;
- Assist the CLSs during automated methods of patient testing;
- Perform routine equipment maintenance according to the laboratory’s standard operating procedures;
- Create sample batches, print labels and label tubes and plates;
- Assist licensed testing personnel in troubleshooting activities;
- Prepare and store reagents for sample processing and sample archiving;
- Order and stock laboratory supplies;
- Print and file of laboratory records;
- In the case of qualitative and semi-quantitative tests, the unlicensed personnel may add the test reagent to the specimen or vice versa, but the results must be read by the laboratory director or appropriately licensed personnel.
- Check, monitor and resolve routine cold storage temperature and laboratory temperature and initiate a service request as necessary;
- Perform general laboratory tasks include cleaning of racks, laboratory equipment and benches;
- Document all corrective actions taken when test systems deviate from the laboratory’s established performance specifications;
- Perform internal audits and inspection preparation;
- Address audit findings;
- Organize the maintain schedule of the laboratory and equipment;
- Ensure calibration of laboratory equipment is scheduled and performed on time;
- Write and revise standard operating procedures under supervisor instruction, as needed;
- Identify process improvement opportunities and report to laboratory management;
- Lead the training of new and existing CLAs on current and new procedures;
- Provide guidance for CLAs, give constructive feedback and provide peer review feedback for evaluations.
- Participate in projects under the supervision of a CLS or Supervisor along with maintaining quality and efficient work flow of daily duties;
- Help manage the training of new laboratory personnel and of new procedures with existing procedures under the guidance of a CLS or Supervisor; and
- Perform other duties as assigned; and
- Report all concerns of test quality and/or safety to the Laboratory Supervisor, Laboratory Director or Safety Officer.
Qualifications
- Minimum of Associated degree or equivalent required;
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Biomedical Laboratory Science, Clinical Science or related field preferred;
- At least three years of Guardant Health Clinical Laboratory experience or equivalent high complexity and volume laboratory experience preferred;
- Previous laboratory work experience preferred;
- Strong computing skills;
- Proficiently executed Good documentation practices;
- Advanced knowledge of reagent stability and storage, quality control policies, and factors that influence test results;
- Demonstrates strong practical reasoning and sound judgment;
- Skilled in making informed and effective decisions;
- Exhibits exceptional attention to detail and a strong commitment to precision in all tasks;
- Strong communicator with ability to maintain open communication with internal employees, managers;
- Proficient in delivering and receiving constructive feedback to promote transparent communication and drive ongoing enhancement;
- Capable of independently executing tasks with minimal direction, while maintaining a collaborative approach that avoids complete isolation;
- Ability to distribute work equitably among team members as per operational requirements;
- Ability to prioritize tasks with a high emphasis on quality and time;
- Proactively initiate and drive projects;
- Able to drive creativity by encouraging, solving problems and sharing ideas;
- Consistently contributing innovative solutions and seizing opportunities for process improvement;
- Ability to participate in projects, update others on progress and complete assignments as expected;
- Demonstrate a high level of competency when assisting in the analytical sample processing steps all other supporting functions; and
- Advance working knowledge of applicable local, state and federal laboratory regulations (CLIA, CAP, NYSDOH)
Work Environment:
- Hours and days may vary depending on operational needs;
- Standing or sitting for long periods of time may be necessary;
- May be exposed to hazardous materials, blood specimens and instruments with moving parts, heating or freezing elements, and high-speed centrifugation;
- Repetitive manual pipetting may be necessary; and
- Some lifting (up to 25 pounds) may be necessary.
Additional Information
For positions based in Palo Alto, CA or Redwood City, CA, the hourly range for this full-time position is $42.02 to $57.79. The range does not include benefits and, if applicable, overtime, bonus, commission, or equity.
Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including, but not limited to, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. If you are selected to move forward, the recruiting team will provide details specific to the factors above.
Employee may be required to lift routine office supplies and use office equipment. Majority of the work is performed in a desk/office environment; however, there may be exposure to high noise levels, fumes, and biohazard material in the laboratory environment. Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
Guardant Health is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our hiring processes for candidates with disabilities, long-term conditions, mental health conditions, or sincerely held religious beliefs. If you need support, please reach out to Peopleteam@guardanthealth.com
Guardant Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
To learn more about the information collected when you apply for a position at Guardant Health, Inc. and how it is used, please review our Privacy Notice for Job Applicants.
Please visit our career page at: http://www.guardanthealth.com/jobs/
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