PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY TECHNICIAN 1

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, LABORATORY SERVICES DIVISION, DAVIDSON COUNTY

For more info, please visit this site:

PH_Lab_Tech_1.pdf (tn.gov)

Working Title:

Laboratory Shipping and Receiving Technician

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school.

Necessary Special Qualifications: A valid vehicle operators license may be required for employment in some positions .

Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Summary

Summary: Under immediate supervision, performs a variety of standardized laboratory tasks of routine difficulty and related work as required.

Distinguishing Features: An employee in this class performs a variety of routine assignments such as preparation of biological media (petri dish plates, tubed media, and etc.), laboratory reagents and chemical solution preparation (water blanks, pH standards, acid/base solutions, stains, and etc.), glassware washing, equipment maintenance and readiness, warehouse receiving, specimen receipt and accessioning, and basic laboratory testing and specimen procedures under general supervision all in support of the laboratory. This class differs from that of Public Health Laboratory Technician 2 in that an incumbent of the latter performs more advanced laboratory work under minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

Performing Administrative Activities:

• Learns to process and complete all records, reports, and correspondence within the required time frame to keep them organized and available for review.
• Learns to process and complete all mailings, faxes and appropriate distribution of information.
• Learns to respond to emails, phone calls, meeting requests and other correspondence as required.
• Learns to enter personal time and leave/overtime requests into the appropriate databases as required.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Learns pre-accessions or accessions samples as necessary.
• Learns to document, enter, transcribe, record, store and maintain information in written or electronic form.
• Learns to scan and review electronic records and data for accuracy and permanent storage.
• Learns to dispose of documents and samples at the end of the required retention time.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:

• Learns to incorporate last minute and unscheduled tasks into current workload to ensure timely and accurate completion of work.
• Learns to prioritize duties to ensure critical tasks are completed and deadlines are met.
• Learns to prioritize work for efficiency to complete daily assignments.

Getting Information:

• Learns to communicate with appropriate providers, specimen submitters and others in order to obtain required information.
• Learns to receive requisitions for media, glassware, and supplies from laboratory personnel and specimen submitters to distribute to appropriate providers and unit.
• Learns to receive mail from post office and various couriers to facilitate testing processes.
• Learns to receive faxes and other correspondence and applies information as appropriate.

Processing Information:

• Learns to order tests in appropriate database for suitable unit to begin the analysis process.
• Learns to verify data on requisitions and reports to determine accuracy.
• Learns to categorize orders based on needs and priority for delivery to ordering units.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

• Learns to network with internal and external business partners to ensure open dialogues exist and to facilitate coordination and unified effort.
• Learns to maintain professional working relationships with peers and upper management to ensure smooth and effective team operations.
• Learns to establish and develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintains them over time.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Learns to monitor equipment within a specified area to maintain proper functionality.
• Learns to monitor receiving areas for specimens, supplies, vendors and other deliveries.
• Learns to monitor inventory for a specified unit to ensure adequate supplies are always on hand.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:

• Learns to notify supervisor or proper authority of technical, building or other obvious problems.
• Learns to maintain an open dialogue with internal customers to ensure effective and efficient communications.
• Learns to communicate status of assigned tasks or other relevant information to supervisors or peers by telephone, in written form or in person.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

• Learns to use relevant equipment to measure instrument values to comply with standards and report out-of-range findings.
• Learns to use relevant information to determine age of specimens to comply with standards.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

• Learns to communicate with people outside the organization, representing the organization to external sources to answer questions and disseminate appropriate information.
• Learns to maintain an open dialogue with external customers to ensure effective and efficient communications.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People:

• Learns to assess the condition of incoming inventory and samples to determine if they are acceptable to receive.
• Learns to assess the importance or priority of internal and/or external inquiries for customers to determine appropriate response and actions.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:

• Learns to operate pallet jack and hydraulic lift cart to retrieve and deliver specimens and supplies.
• Learns to operate passenger vehicle to retrieve and deliver mail and supplies.

Controlling Machines and Processes:

• Learns to use either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes for testing or laboratory support.
• Learns to operate a variety of office equipment including but not limited to copiers, scanners, fax machines, calculators, and digital cameras to perform daily tasks.

Performing General Physical Activities:

• Performs repetitive typing and practices proper ergonomics.
• Performs physical activities such as walking, stooping, balancing, lifting, and climbing to complete daily tasks.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events:

• Learns to sort specimens to distribute to the appropriate areas.
• Learns to sort mail to distribute to the appropriate areas.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment:

• Learns to perform preventative maintenance on basic equipment used in assigned areas.
• Learns to ensure equipment consumables are stocked and replaced as needed.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information:

• Learns to estimate the amount of products and materials necessary to prepare media and other testing supplies.

Coaching and Developing Others:

• Trains and teaches peers assignments to help them obtain competency.

Interacting With Computers:

• Learns to use computers, software, and laboratory information systems to enter data or process information.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material:

• Learns to inspect basic equipment to detect problems and report findings to appropriate authority.

Competencies

Competencies:

• Dealing with Ambiguity
• Informing
• Time Management
• Written Communication
• Customer Focus
• Integrity and Trust
• Standing Alone
• Perseverance

Knowledge:

• Clerical
• Customer and Personal Service
• Mechanical
• Production and Processing

Skills:

• Active Learning
• Active Listening
• Mathematics
• Reading Comprehension
• Science
• Speaking
• Coordination
• Service Orientation
• Equipment Maintenance
• Operation and Control
• Operation Monitoring
• Time Management

Abilities:

• Deductive Reasoning
• Memorization
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Selective Attention
• Spatial Orientation
• Time Sharing
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Reaction Time
• Wrist-Finger Speed
• Multi-Limb Coordination
• Extent Flexibility
• Static Strength
• Auditory Attention
• Far Vision
• Near Vision
• Peripheral Vision
• Speech Clarity
• Speech Recognition
• Vision Color Discrimination

Tools &amp Equipment

• Public Health Meter
• Pipette
• Autoclaves
• Balances
• Computers
• Calculators
• Centrifuges
• Biological Safety Cabinet
• Other laboratory and office equipment as required.