Lab Director job at Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute Uganda

Summary
Date Posted: Monday, July 11, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Responsibilities
Laboratory Activities and Projects – Kampala, Uganda
• Work with the Fred Hutch/UCI principal investigators and HCRI-Uganda research and clinical teams to prepare the UCI – Fred Hutch laboratories for current and future research studies and interventional clinical trials to be run at the site.
• Oversee establishment of advanced capabilities in the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory such as high-throughput sequencing and automated PCR systems.
• Identify, prioritize, and coordinate establishment of new techniques and assays in the component laboratories and their validation.
• Evaluate, analyze, and prepare data for reports, abstracts, and publications.
• Provide leadership/mentorship for, and training of, staff, visiting researchers/post-doctoral fellows and collaborators within the component laboratories.
• Support investigators and collaborators during the preparation of grant applications to ensure that laboratory operations are adequately considered and budgeted for.
• Evaluate the growth needs of the UCI – Fred Hutch laboratory program and establish priorities and development plans for meeting those needs. Work with Global Oncology leadership to create comprehensive strategic plans for short-term, mid-term, and long-term research goals. Drive forward the UCI – Fred Hutch research agenda.
• Participate in both formal and informal sharing of data amongst collaborating researchers and funding agencies.
• Act as a bridge between Hutchinson Center investigators and administrators in the US and HCRI-Ug staff in Uganda for on-going research activities.
• Receive visitors to the UCI – Fred Hutch laboratory and establish connections and networks for future projects, protocols, and grants.
• Participate in grant and protocol writing, overseeing the Laboratory assay sections.
• Support the GO leadership in the set-up of a control cohort.

Operations Management – Kampala, Uganda
• Oversee laboratory staff in accordance with Fred Hutch and Ugandan employment laws and regulations. Responsibilities will include oversight of hiring and training, management of day-to-day performance, and development and monitoring of corrective action plans for deficient or unacceptable performance. Complete written annual performance appraisals for all UCI – Fred Hutch laboratory staff.
• Manage HCRI-Uganda laboratory personnel folders and training.
• Develop and administer laboratory policies and procedures as per GCP/GCLP requirements. Review the laboratory Quality Management Plan. Oversee development, review, implementation, and continuous updating of SOPs and process development.
• Support staff in creating new standard operating procedures and manuals that satisfy protocol, IRB, grant/contract, collaborator, and Hutchinson Center specifications, as needed.
• Prepare, submit, and manage annual UCI – Fred Hutch lab operating budgets with the assistance of Hutchinson Center Global Oncology administrative staff. Sign off on purchase requisition forms.
• Review quarterly Monitoring & Evaluation reports.
• Oversee the direction of workflow in the component labs, and the execution of tasks by laboratory and ancillary staff.
• Chair monthly laboratory and QA/QC meetings. Perform appropriate GCLP training for staff.
• Chair and attend regular UCI – Fred Hutch Laboratory as well as Institutional Biosafety Subcommittee meetings.
• Oversee and review all Laboratory Service Agreements with vendor laboratories/institutions.
• Obtain accreditation, as appropriate, in UCI – Fred Hutch component laboratories. Act as main contact person for auditors and review and sign off on final audit responses.
• Create and maintain a lab culture to reinforce and promulgate the Fred Hutch’s core values of scientific excellence, respect for individuals, openness, and innovation.

Laboratory Activities, Projects and Operations Management – Seattle, Washington, USA
• Oversee all aspects of the Warren Laboratory and its Research Projects with guidance from the Principal Investigator.
• Supervise Warren Lab staff alongside the Principal Investigator, which includes hiring, training, performance and merit reviews, handling of disciplinary action, terminations and layoffs.
• Serve as a liaison between Research Scientists and Administration to support the Warren Laboratory, the Global Oncology Program and the Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, and the Center.
• Carry out complex research responsibilities in support of Warren Lab, Global Oncology and Program in Immunology projects/studies.
• Support the HCRI-Uganda laboratories developing and establishing scientific operations and capabilities in Uganda and abroad.
• Maintain IRB, IACUC, MTA and other documentation for the Warren Laboratory in addition to high-level scientific research activities abroad for the Global Oncology Program.
• Manage all Warren Lab expenditures with assistance from the Research Administrator(s) and Warren Laboratory research staff.
• Provide support in management of HCRI-Uganda laboratory expenses in conjunction with the Program Head of Global Oncology.
• Participate and contribute to research funding/grant applications, grant progress reports, manuscript and abstract submission deadlines.
• Maintain and develop business partnerships with Program in Immunology outside vendors, ensuring appropriate cost principles and policies.
• Train Warren Lab and Program in Immunology staff in Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).
• Act as a radiation and environmental safety officer for the Warren Laboratory, ensuring compliance with all radiation, chemical, and biohazard safety standards - including those pertaining to the use of the Isotope lab and liquid nitrogen storage tanks.
• Coordinate lab meetings for the Warren Lab internally and externally.
• Coordinate Warren Laboratory long-range planning, major equipment acquisitions, and new initiatives in conjunction with the Research Scientists, in order to achieve discounts and lower costs.
• Maintain ongoing communication with all lab research staff on Warren Lab operations and the Global Oncology Program, soliciting direction or assistance from the Principal Investigator as required.
• Create and maintain a Laboratory culture to reinforce and promulgate the Center’s core values of scientific excellence, respect for individuals, openness, and innovation.


Relationship Building
• Promote integration of, and collaboration between, all Fred Hutch Global Oncology campuses and research sites, including the Day Campus in Seattle, the HCRI-Uganda, the Hutchinson Center Research Institute – South Africa (HCRI-SA), and all other sites at which Fred Hutch Global Oncology research activities are ongoing.
• Establish strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including Fred Hutch Global Oncology Program investigators, other Hutchinson Center investigators, collaborating investigators at other US and non-US institutions, and local laboratory management in Uganda.
• Publicly represent the HCRI-Uganda laboratory program with external constituency groups, including community, government, and private organizations.
• Manage laboratory-based research collaborations with outside institutions. Engage with outside institutions as time permits to foster and cultivate new scientific collaborations.
• Engage with Facilities Management on-site as well as the Facilities Group at Fred Hutch for laboratory building operations.
• Foster a close working relationship between the HCRI-Uganda laboratory and HCRI-Uganda clinic in preparation for upcoming clinical trials. Establish a relationship with the UCI clinic and doctors, e.g. by participating in the weekly Lymphoma Tumor Boards.

Capacity Building
• Establish a strong working relationship with the Program Head, Global Oncology, to provide coordinated guidance on laboratory operations and function. Provide mentorship in laboratory leadership, as well as laboratory management, to HCRI-Uganda laboratory staff.
• Establish policies and procedures to enable systematic workflow and steady growth of all laboratories in function and volume.
• Identify the need for training requirements of the HCRI-Ug laboratory staff.
• Hold and chair regular journal club meetings and research trainings.
• Introduce staff to, and train staff in, LIMS and assay-related software applications in the HCRI-Uganda laboratory.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
• The ideal candidate will have a M.S. degree, or B.S. degree plus Post-baccalaureate experience with a minimum of 10 years of experience in a research-based laboratory and international laboratory-based experience.
• Intimate knowledge of, experience with, and expertise in CAP and/or GCP/GCLP-compliant processing, cryopreservation, recording, and analysis of biospecimens for correlative studies to clinical trials are required.
• The ideal candidate must exhibit teamwork, and excellent communication, organizational, and managerial skills.
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in laboratory and biomedical research operations in limited resource settings in LMICs.

Fred Hutch has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirement, with exceptions only for approved medical or religious accommodations.
As a condition of employment, newly hired employees must provide proof of vaccination or initiate the accommodations process before their first day of employment.


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 120

Level of Education: Associate Degree

Job application procedure
How to apply
Click HERE to apply
 

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