State of Maryland

A Laboratory Scientist Surveyor I is the intermediate level of work inspecting, assessing and evaluating the quality of laboratory services in medical laboratories, tissue banks, cholesterol test sites, and other related health care settings.  Employees in this classification conduct on-site inspections of laboratory operations in health care settings to ensure that patients receive quality laboratory services in accordance with State and federal laws, regulations and guidelines.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Health Facilities Survey Coordinator or other designated health professional.  Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs.  The work of this class is performed at public and private health care facilities and other program sites where travel is required.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Laboratory Scientist Surveyor I and Laboratory Scientist Surveyor II are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Laboratory Scientist Surveyor I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty performed.  The Health Laboratory Scientist Surveyor II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns State and federal laws, regulations, procedures and guidelines that pertain to the licensing and certification requirements of laboratories;

Inspects laboratory services within medical laboratories, tissue banks, cholesterol test sites and other related health care settings to ensure that these services are in compliance with State and federal certification laws and regulations;

Investigates complaints and possible violations of laboratory operations in health care settings;

Reviews, evaluates and grades the proficiency testing results of laboratories to determine whether the laboratories have achieved satisfactory performance as required by State and federal regulations;

Observes and interviews laboratory staff to determine their knowledge and proficiency of laboratory equipment and standard operating procedures within the laboratory setting;

Ensures that the laboratory has proper instructions and maintenance records for its laboratory equipment;

Analyzes quality assurance and quality control operations of a laboratory to determine whether proper operating procedures and policies are in place;

Prepares deficiency and survey reports of a laboratory’s program following an inspection;

Evaluates and monitors a laboratory’s plan of correction to determine its compliance with State and federal regulations;

Provides advice and consultation to laboratory directors, technicians and other testing personnel regarding State and federal regulations, qualifications of testing personnel, deficiencies and plans of correction;

Provides recommendations regarding the appropriate sanction and enforcement actions that should be taken by State and federal government, such as fines, revocation of licenses or decertification of Federal programs;

Analyzes information from State and federal data systems regarding a laboratory’s program;

Enters information regarding a laboratory’s program into State and federal data systems;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of college-level biology, chemistry and medical laboratory technology applicable to public health laboratory practice in bacteriology, parisitology, virology, mycrobacteriology, immunology, syphilis serology, chemistry, endocrinology, toxicology, urinalysis, hematology, pathology, cytology, cytogenetics, blood banking and transfusion;

Knowledge of mathematics, including algebra and statistics;

Knowledge of the theory and operation of common laboratory supplies, chemicals, equipment and instruments used in medical and public health laboratories;

Skill in observing and evaluating a laboratory’s operating procedures;

Skill in analyzing the proficiency test results of a laboratory;

Skill in documenting the deficiencies of a laboratory’s operations;

Skill in assessing a laboratory’s plan of correction to cited deficiencies;

Skill in communicating effectively with staff of laboratories, professionals and the general public;

Ability to learn State and federal laws, regulations and policies regarding licensure and certification of laboratory programs in health care settings;

Ability to learn and apply information from State and federal data base systems regarding a laboratory’s program.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or Medical Technology from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Two years of experience working in a medical or public health laboratory performing diagnostic or public health testing on human specimens.

Note: Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Health Science Research Officer classifications or Medical Laboratory Specialists specialty codes in the Science related field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.