JC-469364 – Immunodiagnostic Microbiologist

Overview

The Department’s programs and services, implemented in collaboration with local health departments and state, federal and private partners, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, touch the lives of everyone who calls California home, and the millions who visit here each year.

The essential functions of the Department are critical to the health and wellbeing of people and communities. CDPH’s fundamental responsibilities are comprehensive in scope and include infectious disease control and prevention, food safety, environmental health, laboratory services, patient safety, emergency preparedness, chronic disease prevention and health promotion, family health, health equity and vital records and statistics.

The Center for Laboratory Sciences (CLS) is based on the Richmond Campus which employs more than 1,200 people. The Richmond Campus is a flat, 29-acre property located in Richmond’s Marina Bay. The CLS serves to protect and promote the health of all Californians through innovative and collaborative infectious disease and environmental testing, including provision of investigation and surveillance activities which form the basis of disease response and prevention. The CLS works to bring together emerging scientific capabilities in testing, analytics, and communications reflecting a new level of coordination, support, and leadership for the public health laboratory system at the state, local and national level. In addition, the Center relies on a continuous improvement infrastructure as a core value in developing solutions that emphasize a culture of quality and performance through performance management success.

This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by performing high complexity public health laboratory testing for the diagnosis and epidemiologic investigation, and surveillance of a range of microbial diseases of public health importance in the State of California.

The Public Health Microbiologist II (PHM II) assists with planning daily laboratory work; uses specialized conventional and molecular methods, develops and applies complex, non-standardized analyses; contributes and follows quality assurance procedures; and performs other functions typical of a State reference laboratory such as technical consultation to local public health and clinical laboratorians, directors, physicians and officials of other State, local, and private agencies.

The PHM II performs diagnostic and reference testing for microorganisms using classical and molecular methods and reports results to submitters in an accurate and timely manner. The incumbent may assist in training and review of work performed by PHM trainees, interns, and other bench-level scientists, as assigned, on standardized and specialized microbiological methods and interpretation of test results; assist in preparing data for publication and reports. The PHM II will perform testing primarily for the identification and characterization of Salmonella isolates, and other pathogens to provide coverage in the Section.

The candidate is expected to have advanced laboratory knowledge and technical skills in order to perform the duties of  this position, including: culture inoculation, use of conventional microbiological methods and bacterial staining techniques, ability to use a pipette, demonstration of good aseptic technique, knowledge and understanding of basic operation of general laboratory equipment (such as but not limited to incubators, centrifuges, freezers, autoclave), and demonstration of safe laboratory practices when handling infectious / hazardous materials.

For assigned molecular testing responsibilities, including PCR and sequencing, the PHM II must demonstrate good laboratory technique to avoid contamination or other test errors, basic knowledge of molecular methods and troubleshooting, and ability to work with various computer software applications to analyze results.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

PUBLIC HEALTH MICROBIOLOGIST II
Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate’s relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

The Public Health Microbiologist II (PHMII), being as highly-skilled technical specialist after at least 2 years as PHMI or equivalent professional microbiology laboratory experience, works as a highly-independent bench-level microbiologist under general guidance from the Section laboratory supervisor(s), to perform microbial identification testing using various techniques including cultural, immunological, and molecular methods. The PHMII also has a key role in developing new test methods; and preparing, writing and presenting lab findings for supporting the MDL program missions. Furthermore, the PHMII actively participates in various activities in maintaining compliance to various government regulations (such as Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)) as required for Microbial Diseases Laboratory as a clinic lab.

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included.

https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=469364

At the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the core of our mission to advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. We are genuinely and strongly committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness where we can grow and learn together with a diverse team of employees. In recruiting for team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do.