As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, diversity, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

This position performs routine and complex laboratory testing using manual and automated methods and procedures useful in patient diagnosis and treatment. Incumbent contributes to specific objective and outcomes with limited supervision.

Corporate Overview: University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics is an integrated academic healthcare system with five hospitals including a level 1 trauma center, eleven community health centers, over 1,600 providers, and a health plan serving over 200,000 members. University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. In addition to our clinical delivery system, we have a School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health providing education and training for over 1,250 providers annually. We have over 2 million patient visits annually and research grants exceeding $350 million.

• Receives and logs specimens, including demographic and testing information into laboratory database.
• Communicates with appropriate personnel to verify recipient/donor information as necessary.
• Performs specialized histocompatibility assays such as HLA typing, HLA antibody testing and crossmatching, using various techniques. Makes recommendations about potential organ recipients to appropriate clinical staff with some assistance.
• Performs initial analysis of assays. Evaluates, interprets, and enters results into laboratory computer system and creates reports.
• Evaluates, troubleshoots problems and makes decisions related to specimen preparation and procedures.
• Ensures attending physician or appropriate individuals obtain patient lab results.
• Prepares, labels, and performs quality control inspections on laboratory reagents, enters results into quality control records and monitors inventory of supplies.
• Follows through on test failures by communicating with appropriate senior staff members.
• Perform on-call work independently and with minimum guidance.
• Participates in conferences and continuing education.
• May participate in applied research projects in transplantation and histocompatibility testing, and implementation of new procedures and test development and validation of new instruments.
• May train new technical personnel, may assist with training rotating students, residents and fellows.
• Perform on-call work independently and with minimum guidance.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.

• Demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills.

• Ability to provide care appropriate to the population served.

• The incumbent must coordinate with other departments, physicians, residents, or patients effectively to ensure accurate diagnosis, information, and/or scheduling. The incumbent must be capable of troubleshooting and recognizing technical problems as they arise, seeking assistance from the supervisor when controls fail and results are not as expected.

• Incumbents in this position may be required to work unscheduled hours and rotate on call responsibilities.

• The staff member must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit.

• The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient's status and provide care as described in the department's policies and procedures manual.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Science or relevant science degree and one year of laboratory experience.
• Two years of HLA lab experience.

Preferred

• American Society of Clinical Pathologist (ASCP) certification as a Medical Technologist or equivalency (ASCP certification equivalency for this position may be one year of lab experience).
• One year of Lab Experience

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves light work that may exert up to 20 pounds and may consistently require light work involving lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling or otherwise moving objects or lab equipment. Workers in this position may be exposed to the chemicals used in a laboratory setting.