The Microbiology Laboratory at MD Anderson Cancer Center plays a vital role in the diagnosis and management of infections affecting immunocompromised and oncology patients. This highly specialized laboratory provides critical testing that supports timely treatment decisions, infection prevention efforts, and overall patient safety. The laboratory operates in a complex, fast-paced environment where accuracy, quality, and collaboration are essential to delivering exceptional patient care.
This Laboratory Supervisor position offers the opportunity to combine technical expertise, operational leadership, and people management within one of the nation's leading cancer centers. As a subject matter expert, you will oversee daily laboratory operations while supporting a team dedicated to delivering accurate, timely, and high-quality microbiology testing services.
In this role, you will provide technical leadership for the laboratory, overseeing testing operations, troubleshooting complex processes and instrumentation, supporting implementation of new methodologies and technologies, and ensuring laboratory procedures remain aligned with regulatory and institutional standards. You will also assist with laboratory information system (LIS) and electronic medical record (EMR) initiatives while maintaining an active understanding of laboratory operations to support optimal patient care.
A key aspect of this position is people leadership and team development. You will supervise laboratory staff, support onboarding and training of new employees, conduct performance evaluations, provide coaching and mentoring, oversee scheduling and timekeeping activities, and foster a collaborative culture built on communication, accountability, and professional growth. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys developing others and building high-performing teams.
You will also play a significant role in driving quality, compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives. Responsibilities include overseeing competency assessments, proficiency testing programs, quality assurance and quality control activities, CAP readiness efforts, mock inspections, process improvement projects, and regulatory compliance. Your leadership will help ensure the laboratory maintains the highest standards of quality, safety, and operational excellence.
Success in this role requires strong microbiology expertise, leadership experience, and the ability to balance technical responsibilities with staff development and operational oversight. Candidates who enjoy problem-solving, process improvement, and mentoring others while maintaining a strong focus on patient care will find this opportunity especially rewarding.
MD Anderson offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including paid medical benefits, generous paid time off, retirement plans, tuition assistance, leadership development opportunities, and additional benefits, along with the opportunity to advance your career within a world-renowned cancer center dedicated to excellence in patient care, research, education, and innovation.
**The hours for this position are Monday - Friday 1pm - 9:30pm with rotating weekend and holiday coverage. The ideal candidate will have microbiology experience**
JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Technical Leadership
- Supervises the daily activities in a clinical laboratory.
- Is a subject matter expert in assigned laboratory section
- Supervises employees and assists with trouble shooting efforts of challenging processes or procedures
- Leads troubleshooting of computer functions and ensures all employees are competent and able to perform computer functions.
- Oversee coordination and ensure maintenance of policies and procedures for all clinical testing.
- Reviews and updates SOPs in a timely manner to ensure that current practices are aligned with approved procedures.
- Leads the evaluation and validation of new methodologies, tests, and instrumentation.
- Assists with LIS and EMR applications implementation, testing and recommends modifications as needed.
- Perform clinical lab assays, tests, and procedures necessary to ensure optimal patient care services.
- Assists with Administrative onboarding for new staff members
Productivity, Supervision, and Teambuilding
- Ensures all employees are trained and guides new employee development.
- Ensures productivity standards are met by team members as well as coaches and counsels to improve performance when needed.
- Discovers, develops and leads process improvements that positively impact productivity and laboratory function.
- Ensures all testing phases (including pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical) of laboratory testing are performed in alignment with laboratory policies and procedures.
- Provides a team environment that promotes cohesiveness, communication, respect, helpfulness, and desire for excellence.
- Demonstrates availability, approachability, and the desire to help, encourage and respond to others.
- Manages personnel activities such as performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, staff scheduling, staff coaching and mentoring, among others, in compliance with the institutional, divisional, and departmental policies and procedures.
- Ensures supplies and equipment are ordered and maintained to meet laboratory testing needs.
- Assists with time keeping activities for the laboratory section.
Regulatory and Quality Oversight
- Ensures the staff compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements and safety standards.
- Performs or oversees competency assessment of all testing personnel in compliance with the regulatory requirements.
- Enforces policies and procedures.
- Participates in the strategic development of employees and of process improvements that positively impact on the productivity, function and future direction of the laboratory.
- Oversees the new procedures, lab bulletin, test cost analysis, business plan, competency tests and training of other employees for the new tests, processes or instrumentation.
- Ensures adequate quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement methods are implemented and performed.
- Participates in quality surveillance programs such as CAP Mock inspections every six months.
- Oversees the Proficiency testing program according to CAP regulations.
Other duties as assigned
Education
Required:
- Bachelor's Degree in a related science field or Molecular Genetic Technology OR
- Successful completion of a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) accredited Clinical Laboratory Science/Molecular Genetic Technology accredited program
Preferred:
- Master's Degree in a related science field
- Doctorate in a related science field
Work Experience
Required:
- 8 years of clinical laboratory compliance and operations experience to include three years of lead or supervisory experience OR
- 6 years of clinical laboratory compliance and operations experience to include three years of lead or supervisory experience, with Master's degree OR
- 4 years of clinical laboratory compliance and operations experience to include three years of lead or supervisory experience, with Doctorate degree
- Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate and/or LEADing Self Discover programs may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience. Completion of both programs can be substituted for a maximum of two years of supervisory or management experience
- 2 years of clinical laboratory compliance and operations experience may be substituted for required certification
Licenses and Certifications
Required (upon hire):
- ASCP - American Society of Clinical Pathologist Technologist/Scientist/Specialist certification OR
- CHS - Certified Histocompatibility Specialist, American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ACHI) OR
- CHT - Certified Histocompatibility Technologist, American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ACHI) OR
- MDT - Molecular Diagnostics Tech, American Medical Technologists (AMT) OR
- MT - Medical Technologist, American Medical Technologists (AMT)
Other Requirements
- Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.
This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.
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
Additional Information
- Requisition ID: 181382
- Employment Status: Full-Time
- Employee Status: Regular
- Work Week: Day/Evening, Rotating, Weekends
- Minimum Salary: US Dollar (USD) 101,000
- Midpoint Salary: US Dollar (USD) 126,500
- Maximum Salary : US Dollar (USD) 152,000
- FLSA: exempt and not eligible for overtime pay
- Fund Type: Hard
- Work Location: Onsite
- Pivotal Position: Yes
- Referral Bonus Available?: Yes
- Relocation Assistance Available?: Yes
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