Description
Plan, direct, and coordinate clinical laboratory services in hospitals, reference labs, or public health settings, ensuring accurate, timely testing, regulatory compliance, quality systems, and efficient use of staff, technology, and budget.
- • Direct, supervise, and evaluate work of pathologists, clinical scientists, technologists, technicians, phlebotomists, and support staff.
- • Set laboratory goals, quality metrics, and performance criteria for all sections managed.
- • Lead recruitment, credentialing, onboarding, and ongoing training and competency assessments.
- • Oversee validation, verification, and implementation of new assays, instruments, and methodologies.
- • Develop, maintain, and audit the laboratory quality management system, including QC, QA, and proficiency testing.
- • Ensure compliance with CLIA, CAP, Joint Commission, OSHA, and state regulations; prepare for inspections and correct deficiencies.
- • Manage the laboratory information system (LIS/LIMS), interfaces, data integrity, and report formats.
- • Develop and enforce SOPs, specimen handling protocols, and biosafety and biosecurity practices.
- • Plan and administer budgets, cost accounting, charge capture, and financial reporting; approve expenditures and set test pricing.
- • Establish staffing models, schedules, and workload distribution to meet turnaround time and service goals.
- • Coordinate with physicians, nursing, and other departments on test menus, utilization, and critical result communication.
- • Monitor test volumes, turnaround times, quality indicators, and resource utilization; recommend staffing and equipment changes.
- • Lead change management for automation, middleware, and process improvements using Lean or Six Sigma methods.
- • Prepare operational, financial, and quality reports for leadership, medical staff, and regulators.
- • Oversee laboratory safety, emergency preparedness, and environmental health compliance, including hazardous waste management.
- • Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and supply chains for reagents, consumables, and service agreements.
- • Conduct internal audits and data analyses to support strategic planning, risk management, and capacity expansion.
- • Engage with outreach clients and research or public health partners to support testing programs and represent the lab on committees.
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Healthcare & Human Services
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
