CONSOLIDATED LABORATORY QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYST 53038

3/1/90 B

This is a professional scientific level class that is responsible for one or more quality assurance functions such as auditing central and regional laboratories of the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS); conducting inspections of and certifying Virginia's drinking water laboratories; monitoring procedures used for biological, chemical, and physical analyses and tests performed by DCLS; designing statistical studies; and investigating employee accidents. This class exercises independent judgment and decision making to determine laboratory compliance with federal, state and division regulations, policies, and procedures. This class differs from the DCLS Quality Assurance Manager in that the latter manages laboratory audit and certification activities while this class conducts audits and tests, and performs laboratory bench work.

Complexity of the Work: Performs work of considerable difficulty which requires the application of quality assurance principles and practices to state scientific regulatory and service activities in the fields of chemistry and microbiology. Work is performed to ensure that DCLS laboratories are in compliance with federal, state, and division regulations, policies, and procedures; the laboratory is capable of reconstructing testing procedures; testing data is accurate and precise; laboratory documentation of procedures, analyses, results, and related activities is comprehensive; Virginia's drinking water laboratories are in compliance with federal and state regulations; and that employee's working conditions are safe. The work typically involves reviewing DCLS biological, chemical, and physical analyses and tests; conducting certification inspections of Virginia drinking water laboratories; serving as audit team leader for internal audits of DCLS laboratories; designing statistical studies for the analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of raw laboratory data; writing formal and detailed reports on inspections and audits; revising and updating state drinking water laboratory regulations; coordinating DCLS programs and procedures with federal and state agencies; conducting safety orientations; serving as Radiation Safety Officer; serving as Assistant Safety Officer; and editing, revising, and updating DCLS analytical and testing procedures.

Supervision Given: Supervision typically is not a factor.

Supervision Received: Direction is received from the Consolidated Laboratory Quality Assurance Manager. All work is performed independently with review by supervisor occurring after final test reports are written.

Scope: Work affects certification of Virginia's drinking water laboratories; certification of DCLS as the State's primary drinking water laboratory; compliance of DCLS chemistry, forensic, and microbiology laboratories with federal, state, and division regulations, policies, and procedures; accuracy and precision of test results; availability of statistical data for evaluation of laboratory data; and safety of DCLS working conditions.

Impact of Actions: Work has a serious impact on ensuring the quality of DCLS regulatory and service analyses and tests; the quality of Virginia drinking water laboratory analyses; and employee and work environment safety. Unidentified deficiencies in laboratory procedures, documentation, controls, and equipment can result in non-certification, inaccurate or insupportable laboratory results, and employee accidents and injury.

Personal Contacts: Position has routine internal and external contacts with drinking water laboratory personnel and supervisors regarding certification requirements and inspection results and with DCLS personnel and supervisors regarding quality assurance and safety. The position occasionally interacts with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding regulations; with the Virginia State Health Department, Division of Water Programs, regarding drinking water laboratory inspections; and out-of-state certification officers regarding laboratories applying for reciprocal certification.

Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of the principles of chemistry, microbiology, mathematics, of quality control and quality assurance for scientific regulatory and service laboratories; safety regulations; and laboratory procedures.

Skills: None identified for this class.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing; to organize and plan duties; to evaluate laboratory activities and identify deficiencies; and to interpret regulations, policies, and procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE*

Licenses or Certification: None.

Education or Training: Graduation from an accredited college or university with major course work in Environmental Health, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field.

Level and Type of Experience: Extensive laboratory experience using environmental science, microbiology, or chemistry principles, practices, and procedures.

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

This class replaces the Consolidated Laboratory Quality Assurance Coordinator class. This class is the result of the Classification Review/Specification Update Program, effective March 1990.