Pathologists REF No: NICD1124/001-05 at National Health Laboratory Services

Key Job Responsibilities 

Service 

• Responsible for management of centre reference laboratories and supervision of laboratory staff in collaboration with the laboratory managers. Contribute to the strategy of the centre as a member of the centre management team. Responsible for implementation of short and longer-term laboratory surveillance and research projects. Support and/or coordinate national stock culture collections. Provide expert advice to all internal and external customers in order to resolve clinical, reference diagnostic and infection outbreak-related queries and concerns in a professional and timely manner and responds to complaints about any aspect of the pathology service output in a professional and timely manner to promote sound customer relations. Provide input into changes and improvements to SOPs. Contribute to the adherence and compliance to quality systems in the centre to comply with SANAS requirements and ensure continuous quality improvement. Comply with the principles of good laboratory practice, full SANAS accreditation requirements, and relevant legislation. Validate new instruments/tests for laboratory or national programmes.

Teaching and Training

• Teach and train pathology staff (Registrars, Scientists, Technologists, Technicians) and other healthcare workers. Work with the team to coordinate teaching modules. Contribute to the departmental CPD-accredited programmes. Be involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

Research and Surveillance

• Seek external funding for surveillance and research. Responsible for designing, implementing, and reporting on relevant surveillance programmes at a national and international level in collaboration with centre epidemiologists. Conduct infection outbreak investigations in collaboration with centre epidemiologists and advise on appropriate reference laboratory investigations. Conduct research to contribute to publications and other technical/scientific outputs and towards translation of policy and service. Collaborate with other departments/organizations at a national and international level and represent the NICD on national and international working groups/committees.

VACANCY

Minimum Requirements and Key Competencies

• Medical degree plus FCPath or MMed in microbiology or clinical pathology (essential)
• MSc or PhD in clinical microbiology or a related field (desirable)
• Post-graduate qualification in epidemiology or infection control (desirable)
• Registration with the HPCSA as a pathologist in microbiology or clinical pathology (Independent practice category)
• At least 3 years of experience as a pathologist consultant; at least 1 year of laboratory management experience
• Successfully supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students (BSc-Hons, MSc, MMed, PhD)
• Evidence of peer recognition, such as invitations to national conferences/working groups and to review manuscripts for journals
• An active NRF rating would be an advantage
• Active as a co-investigator/collaborator on research projects
• Familiar with laboratory safety procedures
• Working knowledge in medical conditions, particularly clinical pathological correlation
• Principles of analytical methodology
• Laboratory quality assurance processes
• Method validation, including statistical calculations
• Familiar with the principles of applied research methodology with evidence of at least 3-5 peer-reviewed publications in clinical microbiology over the last 3 years (average 1-2 per year)
• Practical laboratory techniques where relevant
• Computer literacy
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Analytical and diagnosing
• Problem-solving skills.