The Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory (MASPHL) is seeking a highly experienced and technically proficient senior scientific manager to serve as the Director of the Molecular Diagnostics and Virology Division. The selected candidate will be responsible for managing multiple laboratory sections, including arbovirus surveillance, BioWatch, molecular virology, rabies, virus isolation, and diagnostic immunology laboratory sections. The Director will be expected to provide strong managerial skills and diagnostic technical expertise in the areas of molecular, virology, and serology testing methods that provide surveillance for diseases of public health priority, identification of outbreaks caused by infectious diseases, and early warning systems to detect and identify terrorist attacks with biologic agents. The testing conducted by the Division Director can detect these pathogens in human, environmental, and animal samples, and supports emergency response of local, state, and federal agencies.

The Division Director will play a critical role in the overall operations and accountability of the lab, utilizing specialized scientific knowledge to support the evolution of public health laboratory practice to include next-generation sequencing on isolates and/or original samples from this Division in concert with the internal Division of Sequencing and Bioinformatics Core. Collaboration with internal and external partners is a priority for this position, and the incumbent must have strong interpersonal skills to effectively lead interdisciplinary teams in the critical mission of public health. This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate to expand their skillset in management and the leading of interdisciplinary teams, and to be on the front lines of diagnosing and genetically characterizing emerging infectious diseases using state-of-the-art equipment within a public health laboratory.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Directs, manages, and provides interpretive expertise for all molecular, virology and serology methods for diagnostic testing of human, environmental and veterinary specimens for biologic threat agents from human, environmental, and veterinary samples in the molecular, sequencing, rabies, virus isolation and serology laboratories.
• Evaluates current and new laboratory testing capabilities and capacities for molecular testing methods and equipment required to respond to a terrorist event or other public health crisis involving an infectious disease outbreak.
• Develops, maintains, and continuously improves the laboratory quality system, quality control, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for high complexity testing to ensure compliance with all federal and state regulations including CLIA and FDA.
• Oversees the BSL3 laboratory and associated special safety practices for handling highly infectious agents and chain-of-custody procedures required for handling, testing, and reporting results from biological threat agent specimens.
• Partners with medical providers, and state, local and federal agencies to ensure public health laboratory services for infectious disease prevention and patient management are appropriate, timely and accurate.
• Leads interdisciplinary teams to prepare recommended strategies and plans in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies; develops plans and protocols with input from other laboratory scientists, other MASPHL scientists in state and federal laboratories and academia, to address likely crisis scenarios.
• Designs and implements studies that address current scientific and programmatic questions related to laboratory testing.
• Oversees testing and quality indicators, ensures appropriate staffing, and implements new testing for the DPH Bureau of Laboratory Sciences' Laboratory Response Network and Homeland Security’s Biowatch program.
• Manages public health preparedness and 24/7 testing services for newly emerging infectious diseases of concern including SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox, avian influenza, as well as rapid testing of suspicious materials.
• Performs cost analyses of current testing practices and currently available alternative tests to inform decisions regarding testing practices and algorithms.
• Partners with internal and external partners to implement grant-funded activities, attending meetings/conferences as needed according to the requirements of the funding organizations, and monitoring grant-associated funds and expenses.
• Performs management and scientific duties as assigned by the Director of the State Public Health Laboratory, including but not limited to, testing, personnel forecasting, fiscal resources, planning, and vendor management.
• Provides interpretive expertise to ensure implementation of chain-of-custody and security clearance-related issues as they relate to molecular diagnostic testing within the DHS- sponsored Biowatch Program.
• Serves as subject matter expert and provides recommendations regarding state and federal legislation that may affect laboratory response to public health emergencies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience and knowledge in the principles and practices of clinical and molecular microbiology and sequencing as they apply to clinical and environmental laboratory testing in a diagnostic and public health setting including infectious disease surveillance and prevention activities.
• Understanding of the theories and practices of clinical and molecular microbiology, including knowledge of instrumentation, study design, method development, data analysis.
• Experience in Quality Assurance in a regulated laboratory environment, specifically CLIA but may include ISO, FDA, or other relevant regulations/standards.
• Experience and knowledge in the principles, practices, current developments for operating a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory.
• Understanding of the federal, state, and local agencies, resources, laws, regulations, and procedures which affect the operation of a clinical or public health laboratory.
• Capacity to lead teams and manage personnel, to work collaboratively as well as independently.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of organizational behavior and experience in supervision and management of staff by utilizing participatory management, personnel assessment, and performance review and resolve personnel conflicts effectively.
• Capability to perform supervisory tasks related to direct reports and in oversight capacity of health equity initiatives.

Working Conditions:

The incumbent will qualify under CLIA as a Technical Supervisor for virology at a minimum. Qualification as Technical Supervisor for bacteriology, mycology and/or parasitology also is preferred.

In the context of work in a BSL-3 environment the successful candidate must understand the following:

• All Tier 1 Staff will undergo a security risk assessment (SRA), which includes signing a confidentiality statement, and renewal every three years
• Working conditions include potential exposure to infectious agents
• All Tier 1 designated staff who may be exposed to Tier 1 Biological Select Agents and Toxins (BSAT) must complete OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation  Questionnaire (29 CFR 1910.134 Appendix C), be evaluated and determined able to wear a respirator before working in any HSLI laboratory (Tier 1, non-Tier 1 and non-SAT) that requires a respirator
• All Tier 1 designated staff are subject to a Security Risk Assessment (SRA) and ongoing suitability assessment to ensure compliance with federal regulations regarding Tier 1 Select Agents. Failure to pass the SRA and/ or suitability assessment required for access to Tier 1 BSAT may be laid off if no other resolution is reached

Special Requirements:

As part of the pre-hire process, you will be required to submit transcript(s) for review for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) verification process.

If selected as the preferred candidate, you will be required to submit an official transcript from each accredited academic institution to verify the above.

Please note that we will be unable to move forward with your application for this position if you do not meet CLIA qualifications.

About the Department of Public Health:

The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to prevent illness, injury, and premature death, to assure access to high quality public health and health care services, and to promote wellness and health equity for all people in the Commonwealth. We envision a Commonwealth in which all people enjoy optimal health. Massachusetts ranks among the healthiest of states according to comparative analyses, but we face numerous challenges, including chronic and infectious disease, substance abuse, violence, preventable hospitalizations, and health disparities.
 
DPH coordinates programs and policies to address specific diseases and conditions and offer services to address the needs of vulnerable populations. We also develop, implement, promote, and enforce regulations and policies to assure that the conditions under which people live are most conducive to health and enable people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. We license health professionals, healthcare facilities and a variety of businesses that impact public health. We operate the state laboratory and four public health hospitals. We monitor health status and manage vital records including births, marriages and deaths. We educate people about public health issues and work closely with local boards of health and community partners to identify and solve public health problems.

More information can be found at: MA Department of Public Health?

About the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS):

The DPH Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS), predominantly located in Jamaica Plain, provides public health response to infectious disease. These services include programmatic and epidemiologic response, as well as laboratory testing through the State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL).

Infectious disease response services address concerns of the general public as well as those disproportionately affected by infectious disease through a variety of risk factors. BIDLS administers ongoing disease reporting for over 90 reportable diseases in the state. Disease reporting review and follow-up with clinical providers and local boards of health is a central function of the bureau. Surveillance activity is complemented by an extensive contracted service system. These services are funded through state and federal resources and include prevention education, community outreach screening for infectious disease, immunization services, health service navigation, medical case management, insurance enrollment, housing assistance, and referral and linkage to infectious disease treatment. 

The SPHL provides scientific expertise and capacity to identify infectious agents, chemical agents, and other toxins that cause human disease.  The SPHL is an active partner in joint activities with other bureaus/agencies such as environmental health, food and drug, agriculture, disease prevention and health promotion programs, and public safety.  The SPHL is a reference laboratory of the national Laboratory Response Network (LRN) and is a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Select Agent laboratory. SPHL staff work closely with laboratory and disease prevention programs at the CDC, and partners with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Pre-Hire Process:

A tax & background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Human Resources Division prior to the candidate being hired.

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. 

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s website.

If you require assistance with the application/interview process and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the link and complete the   Reasonable Accommodation Online Request Form

For questions regarding this requisition, please contact Executive Office of Health and Human Services Human Resources at 1-800- 510- 4122 Ext. #2.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) six (6) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in a particular specialty (i.e. scientific, professional, or technical) and must possess current license and/or registration requirements established for the performance of the position, of which (B) at least two (2) years must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience.

II. A Bachelor’s degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience.

III. A Graduate degree or higher in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience.

IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience.

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

Executive Order #595: As a condition of employment, successful applicants will be required to have received COVID-19 vaccination or an approved exemption as of their start date. Details relating to demonstrating compliance with this requirement will be provided to applicants selected for employment. Applicants who receive an offer of employment who can provide documentation that the vaccine is medically contraindicated or who object to vaccination due to a sincerely held religious belief may make a request for exemption.

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.  Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.  Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements.  We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.

Official Title: Program Manager Specialist VII

Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Boston-305 South Street