Sr. Laboratory Coordinator

We are seeking a Senior Laboratory Coordinator who will provide operational oversight of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Precision Medicine Center of Excellence (COPD PMCOE) and Asthma PMCOE Biorepositories. Will provide supervision and technical assistance to research study staff on all aspects of laboratory operations, human biospecimen collection and processing, data collection, data management, and analysis, with a high level of independence and minimal supervision.

The range of duties includes, but is not limited to: project planning, experimental design, developing methodology, conducting procedures, modifying procedures as needed, data collection and analysis, laboratory management, project management, preparing reports, and communication and instruction. Work may include the training of staff, students and others in performing specific techniques or phases of experiments.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Coordinates the operations of the COPD and Asthma PMCOE Biorepositories, with responsibility for administrative and scientific activities.
• Serves as the primary liaison with outside clinical laboratory contacts and collaborators.
• Manages the Pulmonary Division OpenSpecimen software, and provides expertise and training to Faculty, Junior Faculty and their staff to help catalog and manage their biospecimens in OpenSpecimen.
• Collects biospecimens from patients including, blood, urine, buccal swabs, nasal swabs and sputum.
• Performs all biospecimen processing including sterile cell cultures, microscopic image scanning, peripheral blood mononuclear cell cryopreservation, serum and plasma processing, and cell line creation and maintenance.
• Coordinate receiving of samples and storage logs of all specimens, including use of specified electronic system such as OpenSpecimen.
• Handle all issues relating to lab equipment, supplies, storage, shipping and receiving of specimens and transport of specimens. Maintain DOT/IATA training relevant to shipping of all biospecimens.
• Oversees and participates in study record management and data collection. Assist with preparation of technical reports, manuscripts, abstracts, invention disclosures, presentations, and funding applications. Generate graphs, funder reports, and scientific meeting presentations. Helps prepare manuscripts for publication.
• Extracts and manages clinical data from Epic of required subjects.
• Prepares tissue samples including but not limited to: Cryostat and microtome sectioning of frozen and paraffin embedded tissue, DNA and RNA extraction from tissues, scoring of stained tissue, quantifying staining intensity, preparing and reporting on slides. Utilizes expertise in determining process and handling of specimens.
• Reviews techniques and research protocols to ensure reproducibility and issues recommendations.
• Documents results under quality assurance guidelines.
• Organize, and lead assigned meetings. Attendance in meetings (including national), as required.
• Act as a resource for laboratory techniques for investigators and collaborators, post-doctoral fellows, residents, students and junior technicians.
• Trains and supervises new hires in necessary lab techniques/procedures, protocol specific laboratory skills, equipment usage performs quality assurance reviews for the scientific data. Evaluate their technical knowledge and skills, and assists in the training of other laboratory personnel.
• Orient summer students who would like to gain expertice on lab research and participate/help with lab data and analysis.
• Performs complex and routine testing; following both established and new protocols.
• Create/edit laboratory protocols and forms providing professional expertise in the revision of laboratory standard operating procedures (SOPs) for multiple COPD and asthma studies.
• Participates in the specification, design, implementation, and modification of projects related to assigned labs. Prepares test plan data to ensure quality and integrity.
• Operates laboratory equipment such as centrifuge, pH meter, analytical balance, incubator, scintillation counter, spectrophotometer, light and confocal microscope, and utilizes laminar flow hood. Operates lab computers for data entry.
• Oversees and participates in study record management and data collection.
• Ensures laboratory is prepared for annual safety inspections and keeps logs of biosafety cabinet issues, eye washes cheeks and maintenance.
• Manage inventory of supplies and equipment for multiple studies including direct vendor relations. Anticipate purchasing needs of the lab, order supplies and research devices as needed or requested using the SAP ordering system and maintain appropriate records for all purchases.
• 24/7 freezer temperature monitoring including weekends, holidays, and nights.
• Ensures PI is informed of laboratory activities as required, generally with limited reporting opportunities.
• Prepares and submit IRB applications for new studies if required.
• Prepare source documents for protocol implementation.
• Collaborate with outside companies and other labs.
• Assist coworkers with lab-related details by creating information sheets.
• Streamlining all biospecimen storage using OpenSpecimen.

Additional Tasks

• Trains clinic research staff to perform research recruiting and data collection activities, including participant consenting, venipuncture, biospecimen collection, clinical diagnostic labs collection, order released on Epic, and administration of standardized surveys, clinical assessments and other data collection techniques to patients and their proxies in-person and via phone; record data on case report forms.
• Data collection via abstraction from paper-based and electronic clinical records and from adminstering phone and in-person surveys.
• Attend regular research group meetings (weekly or monthly)
• Maintain filing system for electronic and paper-based research records
• Maintain compliance with HIPAA and IRB regulations and guidelines.
• Actively communicate and update supervisor and/or investigators on patient enrollment and data collection status via verbal and written communication
• Able to effectively prioritize and work on multiple tasks with concurrent deadlines and demonstrate excellent time management skills and efficiency
• Take initiative in anticipating and responding to staff and research subjects’ needs based on awareness of routine and repeated job functions
• Communicate with study sponsors, coordinators and collaborators
• Identify appropriate patients for clinical studies by performing chart review on Epic.
• Obtain informed consent from eligible patients if needed.
• Recruits and consents patients over the phone for the AMP-COPD research study.
• Scan research consents to Epic and updates CRMS accordingly
• Escort patients through hospital during their research visit if needed
• Assists patients during evaluations within crowded clinical environment.
• Work independently and under the direction of the study program supervisor to ensure successful completion of each clinical research study.
• Maintain and audit research charts for participant enrolled in the clinical studies ensuring that documentation meets IRB and regulatory standards

Scope of Responsibility

• Demonstrated performance to provide leadership, training, and problem-solving for all laboratory operations and experience in analyzing results and contributing to scientific presentations.
• Experience in managing administrative issues for a laboratory

Decision Making

• Expected to maintain laboratory procedures with minimal supervision and carries out duties and responsibilities with limited supervision, but asks for clarification when needed regarding data quality and integrity issues.

Supervision

• Will work directly under the supervision of the Principal Investigator

Authority

• Defines clear expectations for all laboratory and clinic members. Provides training, constructive guidance and mentoring to new clinic and laboratory members and staff.

Communication

• Requires advanced professional and scientific communication skills. Ensures PI is informed of laboratory activities as required, generally with limited reporting opportunities.

Certifications

• Required: All IRB-required courses must be completed and appropriate exams passed with necessary certification within 2 weeks of start date. Phlebotomy certification, SAP access requirements, DOT/IAT shipping certification.
  

Physical Requirements

• May transport equipment and supplies usually less than 40 pounds from one area to another including laboratory supplies or luggage.
• May be required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds with proper training, or precautions/lifting aides. In some areas work space is limited.

Additional Information

• While most of our positions require on-site presence; where positions are approved for alternate work locations (remote work) – specific expectations will be outlined and documented; and the safety of work environment, security of work information, and productivity measures are regularly reviewed with employees and subject to on-going approval by management. Staff should be aware of and report other remote work implications and requirements that may impact them or the organization.
• Staff may be required to complete annual competency review, and must insure compliance with Johns Hopkins Policy, Laboratory Policy & Procedure, Health, Safety & Environment regulations, and all applicable privacy & confidentiality laws/practices. Annual training and testing requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Chemistry or related field
• Three years related experience
• Master's Degree, with related graduate research, may substitute for experience to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in managing administrative issues for a laboratory. Experience with REDCap, EPIC, MyChart, OpenSpecimen and other databases is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks. Must be detail oriented, self-motivated, and organized.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and interviewing techniques required.
  

• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent organizational and time management skills required

Classified Title: Sr. Laboratory Coordinator
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/03/MB
Starting Salary Range: Commensurate with experience
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F, 8-5
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: Johns Hopkins Bayview
Department name: ​​​​​​​SOM DOM Pulmonary
Personnel area: School of Medicine

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:
30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
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Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

The following additional provisions may apply depending on which campus you will work. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

During the Influenza ("the flu") season, as a condition of employment, The Johns Hopkins Institutions require all employees who provide ongoing services to patients or work in patient care or clinical care areas to have an annual influenza vaccination or possess an approved medical or religious exception. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination of employment.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
https://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf
Important legal information
http://hrnt.jhu.edu/legal.cfm