Shoreline, Washington
Richmond, California
California , California
Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Sacramento, California
California, California
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sacramento , California
Sacramento , California
California , California
Richmond, California
California , California
Posted: 04-Feb-26
Location: Shoreline, Washington
Type: Full Time
Salary: $6,103.00 - $8,208.00 Monthly
Categories:
Internal Number: DOH8825
The Public Health Laboratories Microbiology Office supports a wide range of testing that protects communities across Washington State, from routine surveillance to urgent outbreak response. Testing demand shifts constantly due to seasonal patterns, emerging public health issues, and staffing variability, making flexibility and technical depth essential.
This Flex Lead Microbiologist 3 role is built for that reality. You will rotate across microbiology laboratory sections, performing high impact bench testing, maintaining critical testing capacity, and stepping in when volumes surge or gaps arise. By maintaining competency in key methods across multiple sections, you help ensure testing continues without delay and results reach partners when they matter most.
The work is hands on, fast paced, and highly collaborative. You will integrate quickly into different lab teams, apply strong quality and safety practices, support result review when needed, and contribute to validation and verification efforts that keep testing reliable and ready. This role is central to maintaining continuity of operations and strengthening the lab’s ability to respond when public health demands change quickly.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Perform high impact bench testing across multiple microbiology laboratory sections to support surge capacity and continuity of operations
- Maintain technical competency in one to two critical methods per lab section through ongoing training and rotation
- Review data and support timely release of laboratory results when needed
- Provide mentorship and day to day technical guidance to junior laboratory staff
- Support method validation and verification efforts including documentation, data review, and quality checks
- Apply quality assurance and laboratory safety principles consistently across all assigned work
- Contribute to outbreak response and emergency surge testing efforts as required
- Option 1: 6 or more years of experience in a Microbiology or Molecular laboratory including 60 semester hours, or equivalent, from an accredited institution which includes either 24 semester hours of medical laboratory technology courses - OR - 24 semester hours of science courses that includes Six (6) semester hours of chemistry, Six (6) semester hours of biology, and Twelve (12) semester hours of chemistry, biology, or medical laboratory technology in any combination AND Laboratory training that meets one of these criteria: Completion of a clinical laboratory training program approved or accredited by the ABHES, the CAHEA, or other organization approved by HHS - OR - At least three (3)months documented laboratory training in each specialty in which the incumbent performs high complexity testing.
- Option 2: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Cell biology, Biology, Chemistry, or another basic medical science, WHICH INCLUDES 20 or more semester hours or quarter hours equivalent in microbiology, or a subject related to the study of microorganisms; AND three (3) or more years of experience in a Microbiology or Molecular laboratory.
- A Master's degree in the aforementioned areas will substitute for 1 year of experience.
- A PhD in the aforementioned area will substitute for 2 years of experience.
Additional Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Experience
- Experience working in a Public Health Laboratory.
- Experience in performing microbiology bench testing in a regulated laboratory environment
- Experience learning and maintaining competency in multiple laboratory methods or testing areas
- Knowledge of laboratory quality assurance and quality control principles
- Knowledge of laboratory safety practices and risk mitigation
- Experience reviewing analytical data and supporting result release activities
- Experience supporting or participating in method validation or verification activities