LABORATORY ASSISTANT II

Laboratory Support Specialist

Provides team leadership for support services to the consumer microbiology, clinical, and BREA sections of the Tarrant County Public Health North Texas Regional Laboratory. Performs duties involving customer service, money handling, data input, billing, laboratory sterilization processes, and supply requisition and receipt support.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs cashier duties including preparing cash register for daily operation, accepting payments, closing out the cash register daily and bimonthly, and preparing daily deposits and verification logs.
• Completes monthly revenue reports for the cash register intake. Inputs billing data; generates monthly statements and invoices, and posts payments received.
• Evaluates the acceptability of water samples based on TNI regulations and internal policies and rejects or accepts samples based on specified criteria. Guides customers to provide correct and complete submission information to achieve regulatory compliance.
• Enters submission data accurately into the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). Creates and manages client profiles in the LIMS to ensure accurate sample processing and reporting. Manages the water customer web portal and assists customers with the lobby kiosk.
• Performs decontamination, cleaning, and sterilization procedures of lab reagents and equipment in compliance with regulatory guidelines for the various sections within the lab. Maintains and operates autoclaves, sterilizing ovens, labware washer, incubators, and specialized thermometers.
• Ensures quality control and equipment maintenance is performed, evaluated, and documented per regulatory requirements. Assists with monthly review of quality control records and generation of quality action reports to meet regulatory requirements.
• Performs receptionist duties for the lab including direct, email, and telephone customer contact. Responds to routine information requests and directs more complex matters to the appropriate laboratory personnel.
• Ensures that the security admittance procedures are followed and documented appropriately.
• Serves as a backup to Administrative Assistant IV in handling the formulation, monitoring, and reporting of requisitions.
• Completes daily outgoing mail runs and distributes incoming mail to the appropriate staff.
• Performs presence/absence coliform screening of water samples as needed. Utilizes a complex and critical LIMS workflow for testing and data entry.
• Maintains appropriate inventory of general laboratory supplies and section-specific supplies including inventory rotation from the offsite supply warehouse, which involves both manual inventory and tracking in SAP and spreadsheets.
• Trains new personnel in lab support procedures and provides guidance as needed to the Lab Assistant I position on routine tasks.
• Maintains electronic and physical files for tracking, reporting, and record retention for multiple sections in the laboratory to ensure compliance and allow inquiry resolutions.
• Responds as needed in the event of a bioterrorism event or any public health threat.
• Performs all other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.

Three (3) years of laboratory, hospital, or clerical experience.

Computer skills with knowledge of spreadsheets and accounting software.

Good written and oral communication and organization skills.

Ability to work with the public.

General knowledge of accounting, bookkeeping, and cash handling.

Ability to perform basic level lab techniques such as sterilization, media prep, and universal safety precautions.

Physical Demands and Work Environment & Other Requirements

While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent is regularly required to bend, be exposed to burns, carry, climb stairs, be exposed to electrical hazards, grasp/squeeze, use hand tools, use hazardous machinery, hear, tolerate hot inside temperatures, keyboard, kneel, lift below the waist, lift between waist and shoulder, lift overhead, lift to the side/twist, use material handling equipment, tolerate noise, pull, push, reach, reach overhead, perform repetitive tasks, see color, see far, see near, sit, negotiate slippery surfaces, be exposed to solvents, squat, stand, stoop, talk, twist, use his/her hands, walk, use wide hand spread, and work alone and with others. Potential exposure to chemical and biological substances.