Research Laboratory Manager - Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center • Houston, TX, United States • $200k - $250k / year • 1m ago

Research Laboratory Manager - Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston is one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education, and prevention.

Laboratory Management Activities

Manages overall functions of a Research Lab including but not limited to: specimen collection and processing, equipment, supply and inventory reconciliation.
Serves as the primary contact for the laboratory for equipment and alarms. Oversees and facilitates repairs and maintenance of equipment as problems arise and/or as necessary with vendor, Biomedical Engineering or biosafety.
Oversees the instruction of proper use and care of all common equipment.
Provides laboratory safety orientation with written and/or verbal safety instructions for all new lab personnel on standards and specialized lab safety procedures. Maintains and updates laboratory safety notebooks (MSDS, Emergency plan, EHSA, lab member training logs, lab safety plan).
Works with EH&S to coordinate laboratory inspections and address any deficiencies. Develops new safety protocols as needed.
Attends annual safety courses required by MDACC and others as necessary. Supervises the handling of human tissues, radioisotopes, chemically hazardous materials, and biohazardous materials in procedures specified to meet MDACC safety guidelines.
Writes and reviews laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in regard to established lab and institutional policies. Trains and supervises personnel on established methods. Evaluates/revises SOPs as indicated.
Oversees the use of the ELN and data storage protocols for the laboratory and serves as a ELN superuser for the laboratory.
Supervises the overall appearance of the laboratory. Ensures that supplies and materials are stored properly and maintains inventory including purchase and disposal.
Supervises tissue culture facilities, the development, and implementation of policies for this area, and the policing of infractions. Monitors quality control of any prepared items as well as the purchasing and maintaining of equipment in this area.
Participates in the development and revision of technical protocols.
Maintains records of expenditure and oversees proper utilization of laboratory funds. Identify need for supplies, equipment maintenance, and stock solutions preparation.
Oversees and maintains regulatory compliance for animal research. Manages IACUC protocols for the PI, annual reviews, compliance visits, and IACUC inspections. Instructs and supervises laboratory staff to ensure that all IACUC guidelines are followed. Serves as a resource person to provide training and current IACUC/IBC protocol information.

Human Resource/Administrative Activities

Determines staffing needs. Works with Department Administration and Human Resources to identify potentially qualified applicants for lab positions. Conducts and arranges interviews for the applicants with other employees and staff. Assists with evaluations.
Schedules personnel to provide adequate coverage.
Provides estimates to the Principal Investigator regarding the estimated cost of personnel, equipment, and supplies over the period of the proposed grant.
Acts as a contact between the department administrative offices and the lab. Maintains open communication with department administrative staff.
Assists with preparation of grant applications as requested by Research Group Leader and PI. Provides estimates to investigators regarding needs and cost of personnel, equipment, and supplies over the period of proposed grant.
Acts as property controller for all inventoried laboratory equipment. Maintains and updates equipment manuals and records. Resolves missing equipment items.
Acts as contact between Information Services and the laboratory regarding ELN access, shared drive access, One Drive Access, and software needs. Works with Information Services to ensure proper function of laboratory computers and software.
Acts as contact between Research Facilities and laboratories. Reports facilities-related problems to Research Facilities and provides follow-up. Initiates and completes work request forms for specific changes or repairs and provides cost estimates to investigators.
Works closely with Facilities Operations in planning, designing, and improving laboratory space. Provides necessary documentation about space improvement/changes.
Reviews and makes recommendations for purchasing based on anticipated workload. Works with vendors to ensure availability of newest laboratory products. Negotiates with vendors for best pricing on supplies and equipment.
Recommends and expedites replacement or purchase of new equipment. Investigates the need for new or replaced equipment and obtains quotes. Obtains appropriate approval for major equipment purchases. Coordinates with vendor the delivery, installation and personnel training of new equipment.
Makes recommendations on the advisability of service contracts for major common equipment, oversees, and manages service contracts.
Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills when contacting other institutions, patients and agencies (i.e. pharmaceutical companies, sponsoring agencies, etc) by phone, email and/or face-to-face interactions.
Serves as the liaison between the departments of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, Pathology and Lab Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, Facilities Management: Environmental Health & Safety and other departments within the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and other institutions.

Educational Activities

Attends appropriate departmental meetings and institutional continuing education programs.
Oversees and provides lab-specific training for lab technical personnel and trainees.
Coordinates laboratory education activities including sharing information relevant to the professional development of each laboratory personnel.
Oversees all training related to the use of animals in research.
Assists in the training of operators using other facilities and equipment.
Requires and encourages lab personnel to take safety courses and any other courses that may benefit them in their job duties. Plans and supervises the training of lab personnel (technicians, students, post-docs and fellows) with respect to proper laboratory techniques, use of laboratory equipment and supplies and safety procedures. Coordinates with the appropriate MDACC offices to provide specialized courses when needed.
Serves as the departmental unit trainer for animal surgery.

Inventory Control and Purchasing Activities

Attends planning meetings for new projects and initiatives to understand and anticipate laboratory needs.
Visually monitors inventories of consumable common supplies and replaces depleted items in a timely fashion to ensure continuity in lab experimental procedures.
Reviews requests for new common supplies and implements purchases when necessary.
Acts as property controller for all inventoried laboratory equipment.
Maintains and updates equipment manuals and records.
Resolves missing equipment items.
Recommends and expedites replacement or purchase of new equipment.
Investigates the need for new or replaced equipment and obtains quotes.
Obtains the director and departmental approval for major equipment purchases.
Coordinates with the vendor for the delivery, installation and personnel training of new equipment.
Makes recommendations on the advisability of service contracts for major common equipment and oversees and manages service contracts.
Coordinates with the THNMO department for the removal of old or broken equipment to be sent for disposal or to the warehouse. Obtains/submits all necessary paperwork.
Maintains inventory logs of hazardous reagents and controlled substances in accordance with EH&S guidelines.

Research Activities

Plans experiments with the supervisor. Coordinates and supervises all animal experiments conducted by the laboratory. Ensures that all experiments are conducted in accordance with IACUC guidelines. Coordinates the scheduling of animal experiments for all lab personnel to ensure sufficient staffing needs are met. Oversees all calculations regarding dosing, randomization, analysis, end points, and sample collection and banking.
Performs experiments as outlined by the director, prepares data reports, and makes recommendations.
Oversees and supervises the management of the laboratory animal colony.
Coordinates animal colony breeding with project requirements of laboratory personnel.
Trains and supervises technical lab personnel and trainees in laboratory techniques and in all aspects related to the use of animals in research (experimental design, breeding, genotyping, proper handling of mice, injections, oral gavage, tumor measurements, imaging, euthanasia, tissue collection, documentation, and storage).
Oversees the day-to-day operations of all animal experiments, ensuring that all experiments are properly staffed and performed in compliance with lab rules and institutional regulations. Maintains meticulous records on in vitro and in vivo experiments conducted in the laboratory.
Serves as a resource person to provide training and current IACUC/IBC protocol information.
Develops novel specialized protocols related to the development of new animal models and imaging techniques. Maintains standard procedures and protocols for the overall operation of the laboratory.
Maintains an excellent working knowledge of all various basic laboratory equipment and apparatus and is able to read equipment operation manuals and procedure manuals.

Regulatory Compliance and Safety Activities

Oversees/facilitates repairs and maintenance of equipment.
Supervises the overall appearance of the laboratory. Ensures that supplies and materials are stored properly.
Oversees and maintains regulatory compliance for animal research.
Manages all IACUC protocols for the PI including annual reviews, compliance visits, and IACUC inspections.
Instructs and supervises laboratory staff to ensure that all IACUC guidelines are followed. Serves as a resource person to provide training and guidance for IACUC/IBC information.
Serves as the point of contact with IACUC and DVMS to ensure that all proposed work is performed in accordance with all standards and guidelines and to resolve any issues that occur in real-time.
Oversees the use of controlled substances for animal use and surgical logs.
Provides first-day new employee laboratory and safety precautions.
Demonstrates and practices laboratory safety precautions.
Supervises the handling of radioisotopes, chemically hazardous materials, and biohazardous materials in procedures specified to meet MDACC safety guidelines.
Maintains and updates laboratory safety notebooks (MSDS, Emergency Plan, Safety Plan, Chemical Hygiene Plan).
Initiates repairs or removal of defective equipment.
Maintains and updates the online laboratory safety notebooks, material safety datasheets for chemicals, chemical inventory, Emergency/spill plan, safety-related lab signage, EHSA portal, hazardous waste pickup requests, lab member training logs, lab safety plan.
Supervises controlled substance logs, disposal, and inventory in connection with EH&S.
Serves as the point person with EH&S to coordinate laboratory inspections and address any deficiencies. Develops new safety protocols as needed.

Education Required

Bachelor's degree.

Experience Required

Seven years experience in scientific, research or clinical laboratory, to include four years in a supervisory/managerial capacity. With preferred degree, five years of required experience to include four years in a supervisory/managerial capacity.

Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate and/or LEADing Self Discover programs may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience. Completion of both programs can be substituted for a maximum of two years of supervisory or management experience.

Other

Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.

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