CONSOLIDATED LABORATORY GROUP MANAGER 53031

12/01/93 A

This is a managerial class in the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services series. This class is responsible for managing a group performing or supporting the chemical and/or microbiological analysis of agricultural, environmental, biomedical and other samples and specimens for regulatory, medical, or research organizations statewide. This class is distinguished from the Microbiologist Supervisor, Microbiologist Laboratory Supervisor, Analytical Chemist Supervisor, and Analytical Chemist Section Chief, which supervise or manage a singular area of analysis, while the Consolidated Laboratory Group Manager has responsibility for the management of a group of statewide services sufficient in volume and diversity to require a large group of laboratory staff qualified in multiple specializations in the microbiological and/or analytical chemistry fields. This class is distinguished from the Analytical Chemist Principal and Microbiologist Principal classes by its responsibility for unit personnel management, work flow management, and general administration, and the latter's recognition as authorities in a particular area of analysis. It is distinguished from the Consolidated Laboratory Assistant Bureau Director class by the fact that the latter is responsible for the general management of a major portion of the division's total analytical services, having scope, volume, and diversity of work and staffing to require two or more subordinate managers.

Complexity of Work: Performs work of considerable difficulty involving planning, managing, and evaluating sophisticated scientific and related services and the performance of subordinate scientists assigned to the unit. Work includes: developing employee performance standards and objectives, and recommending hiring and disciplinary actions; coordinating service requests and related work demands with internal laboratory management and external customers; planning and assigning unit work; supervising and participating in unit quality assurance/quality control programs and safety programs; directing special studies/projects; reviewing the quality and timeliness of test results and quality control data with technical experts; coordinating the troubleshooting, maintenance, and repair of instrumentation; planning, acquiring, and controlling the inventories of supplies and equipment required by the unit; recommending staffing and equipment needs; preparing and presenting production reports to upper level managers; and ensuring proper sample handling to maintain chain of custody of samples and service integrity.

Supervision Given: Supervises a large staff of scientists, including Analytical Chemists Senior, Analytical Chemists, Analytical Chemists Assistants, Microbiologist Seniors, Microbiologists, and/or Microbiologist Assistants.

Supervision Received: General direction on policy or unusual management issues is received from the Consolidated Laboratory Assistant Bureau Director or Bureau Director. Positions in this class receive technical advice and guidance on new technologies or unusually complex analytical matters from the Microbiologist Principal or Analytical Chemist Principal assigned to the section. However, positions in this class are expected to manage their units independently, with minimal supervision.

Scope: Work affects the ability of the Division to provide quality and timely analytical services needed by regulatory and environmental agencies, medical facilities, and research organizations statewide.

Impact of Actions: Work has a serious impact in that the ability of customer organizations to enforce, administer, and/or comply with health, environmental, and public safety laws and regulations is affected by the quality and timeliness of the services of the unit managed.

Personal Contacts: Frequent contact with regulatory and environmental agencies, researchers, research subjects, medical personnel, and industry representatives to obtain and exchange information about the services needed or provided, the status of specimens or samples, laboratory capabilities, sample techniques, and sample handling and packaging; vendors to discuss new instrumentation; and the general public to explain analytical procedures.

Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of the theory and application of specialized analytical methods and instrumentation used in the unit supervised. Some knowledge of general management practices and leadership principles.

Skills: None identified for this class.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, lead, train, and evaluate the work of professional staff, understand and express the concepts involved in complex quantitative and qualitative analyses and testing performed by the unit supervised; record, interpret, and present laboratory findings; and establish and maintain working relationships with regulatory and environmental agencies, research scientists, medical personnel, industry representatives, and the general public.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE*

License or Certification: None.

Education or Training: Graduation from an accredited college or university with major course work in chemistry, microbiology, or a closely related scientific field supplemented by course work related to the area of analysis to which assigned.

Level and Type of Experience: Progressively responsible experience conducting routine and non-routine scientific analyses, including experience in planning and supervising the work of other scientists.

An equivalent combination of training and experience indicating possession of the preceding knowledge and abilities may substitute for this education and experience.

This class was established in December, 1993, as a result of the reorganization of the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services.