Technical Supervisor, IVF Laboratory

Site: The Brigham and Womens Hospital Inc.

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Job Summary

This position is for an experienced fully trained embryologist with supervisory skills and a thorough technical knowledge of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) who is capable of performing the full spectrum of clinical embryology techniques. This individual is part of the ART laboratory team reporting directly to the Laboratory Director. In addition to being able to perform proficiently all clinical embryology procedures this person is responsible for the following under the direction of the Laboratory Director:

1. Manages laboratory personnel by overseeing the daily performance work assignments and schedules of more than 10 FTEs in a lab that is open 7 days a week.
2. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the IVF laboratory and monitoring the technical performance of equipment and instrumentation.
3. Oversees laboratory compliance with hospital safety and environmental standards and with FDA JCAHO and CAP regulatory standards.
4. Establishes technical and analytical standards for method evaluation development of quality improvement initiatives evaluation of new instrumentation and analytical methods and laboratory procedures.
5. Audits monitors and improves systems and processes to ensure the flow and safety of all patient specimens from receiving to testing.
6. Implements operational changes new projects for quality improvement and clinical protocols.
7. Hires counsels evaluates and terminates employees according to performance in job role and hospital policies.
8. Provides training competency evaluation protocol compliance management and annual proficiency benchmarking of all laboratory personnel.
9. Prepares and maintains fiscal control of the laboratory operating and capital budgets and implements cost-containment initiatives.
10. Submits program statistics to the CDC annually and provides other regulatory reports as needed.
11. Investigates and problem solves laboratory/department incidents.
12. Counsels patients as needed.
13. Represents the lab at divisional and departmental meetings as appropriate.
14. Assists as the technical supervisor for the high complexity Andrology laboratory. Responsible for result interpretation and reporting.

This individual is the primary contact for any lab problems or incidents and must be available on a 24-hour beeper call including weekends and holidays as needed. During an initial period of approximately six months the individual will undergo a clinical rotation to become familiar with the embryology team and thoroughly understand the protocols and priorities. After this period the individual will continue in clinical rotations as caseload demands.

All important decisions regarding laboratory operations will be made in consultation with the Laboratory Director.

Education

Bachelors degree in biology or a related field is required. A graduate degree in a related field of study is strongly preferred.

Can this role accept experience in lieu of a degree
No

Licenses and Credentials

Must obtain Certification as a Technical Supervisor by the American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB) within 6-12 months of employment.

Experience

A minimum of 5 years experience in an ART lab with at least 3 years experience as a fully trained embryologist and at least 1 year as an IVF technical supervisor.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

Staff Management

- Oversight of job performance counseling and training of more than 10 FTEs under the supervision of the Laboratory Director. Perform spot checks on competency and undertake in-service interventions as necessary. Monitor workload productivity and take corrective action as necessary after consultation with the Laboratory Director. Respect staff confidentiality when performing conflict resolution. Participate in annual performance evaluations with the Laboratory Director.

- Work with the Laboratory Director to maintain proper staffing levels involving staff planning and recruitment.

- Foster excellent communication skills among team members at all times.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

- Maintain all chart documentation including its integrity and consistency and present to the Laboratory Director the audit of chart documentation in a program performing approximately 1600 cycles per year. Be timely in identifying outliers and in notifying the Laboratory Director with a suggested resolution. May involve immediate identification and implementation of alternate systems in the event there is a failure in the human embryo culture system to assure continued embryo viability.

- Monitor QC logs for equipment performance and intervention. Coordinate with the Laboratory Director for employee compliance.

- Participate in quarterly hospital ART QA meetings.

Compliance with Hospital Standards

- Be the named Safety Officer for the laboratory including attendance at interdepartmental safety meetings to ensure familiarity with current hospital policies.

- Ensure that all the laboratory employees have a thorough knowledge of all safety and environmental standards and that a safe working environment is maintained. Must be able to enforce these standards.

- Participate in annual lab surveys with appropriate BWH departments as needed and under the supervision of the Laboratory Director.

Compliance with FDA JCAHO CDC and CAP standards

- Ensure the laboratory performs tests and proficiency challenges and that the results are reported in a timely accurate and complete manner. Coordinate the performance of semiannual inter-lab proficiencies with the Laboratory Director.

- Participate in the annual data submission to the CDC as required.

- Assist the Laboratory Director in the preparation of CAP inspections.

Laboratory Meetings

- Oversee the release of monthly staffing schedules for laboratory operations. Collect and coordinate the scheduling agendas and responses to action items for monthly lab meetings.

Service Standards

- Proven proficiency with all standard ART techniques including oocyte identification/grading semen preparation pronuclear evaluation embryo evaluation embryo transfer oocyte and embryo freezing ovarian tissue freezing intracytoplasmic sperm injection assisted hatching and embryo biopsy techniques and become proficient in any new technologies or techniques as required by the Laboratory Director.

- Ensure that patient records on clinical procedures are maintained in a timely complete and accurate fashion.

- Be available to manage incidents and respond appropriately under the supervision of the Laboratory Director.

- Function as a liaison between medical staff nurses materials suppliers and outside labs and other service providers.

- Identify and evaluate new products as part of the lab quality improvement initiatives as directed by the Lab Director.

Operational

- Assist in the management of the laboratory budget under the oversight of the Laboratory Director and Department Administrator.

- As required implement operational improvements as directed by the Lab Director.

- Represents Lab at divisional and departmental meetings as appropriate

- Other duties as directed by the laboratory and medical directors including acting as Lab Director during the absence of the director

Knowledge Skills and Abilities
- Excellent leadership skills and the ability to lead the laboratory ART team.

- Excellent communication skills.

- Demonstrate great organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams and manage multiple priorities.

- Must be detailoriented and proficient at identifying and prioritizing the necessary activities as well as the ability to keep accurate records.

- Must be able to make appropriate and well-documented recommendations regarding patient care to the Laboratory Director as well as function effectively under pressure.

- Must be proficient in all standard clinical embryology procedures.

- Must be able to train personnel in clinical embryology techniques.

- Must be able to work extended hours as needed including on weekends and holidays as required and carry a 24-hour beeper.

- Must be familiar with operations and performance expectations of all equipment in the IVF laboratory and be able to troubleshoot or obtain supplier and service support as needed.

- Must be able to perform quality control and quality assurance assessments for protocol staff competency and equipment performance. Must be able to interpret the results and author reports identifying deviations from targets to inform the Laboratory Director of needed corrective measures and possible adjustments in protocols.

- Must be familiar with FDA JCAHO and CAP regulatory standards for ART and become familiar with all hospital safety and environmental standards in the role of Safety Officer.

- Must be able to serve an adult population between the ages of 18 and 65.

Working Conditions

The ART laboratory is in a sterile area. Hospital laundered scrubs must be worn at all times. Working conditions involve possible exposure to human fluids and liquid nitrogen; universal precautions are required to minimize risks. Flexible hours and beeper calls are required.

Physical Requirements

• Standing Frequently (34-66%)
• Walking Frequently (34-66%)
• Sitting Occasionally (3-33%)
• Lifting Frequently (34-66%)
• Carrying Frequently (34-66%)
• Pushing Occasionally (3-33%)
• Pulling Occasionally (3-33%)
• Climbing Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Balancing Frequently (34-66%)
• Stooping Occasionally (3-33%)
• Kneeling Occasionally (3-33%)
• Crouching Occasionally (3-33%)
• Crawling Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Reaching Frequently (34-66%)
• Gross Manipulation (Handling) Frequently (34-66%)
• Fine Manipulation (Fingering) Frequently (34-66%)
• Feeling Constantly (67-100%)
• Foot Use Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Vision - Far Constantly (67-100%)
• Vision - Near Constantly (67-100%)
• Talking Constantly (67-100%)
• Hearing Constantly (67-100%)

Onsite

45 Francis Street

40

Regular

Day (United States of America)

The Brigham and Womens Hospital Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religious creed national origin sex age gender identity disability sexual orientation military service genetic information and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process to perform essential job functions and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at .

Mass General Brigham Competency Framework