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Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Kaiser Permanente

San Marcos, CAJobSeen 1 day agoSeen in employer's feed 1 day ago

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At a glance

Compensation
No compensation found
Location
San Marcos, CA
Work Authorization
Not specified

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Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

California Clinical Laboratory Scientist License

Job overview

The Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist provides functional direction to laboratory scientists and performs and releases tests of varying complexity with minimal supervision. The role includes specialized analyses across clinical laboratory areas, patient instruction and specimen collection, procedure development and review, and support for staff evaluation and guidance. At least 50% of the position is bench work as a laboratory generalist.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Clinical Laboratory TestingPatient InstructionSpecimen CollectionMethod ValidationQuality AssuranceCommunicationProblem SolvingAutomated InstrumentationMolecular ProceduresQC ProtocolsAutoverificationEIAChemiluminescenceIFA PlatformsHematology ValidationQCCalibrationManual Differential CountElectrophoresisChromatographyMass SpectrometrySpecial CoagulationCulture InterpretationStained Smear InterpretationAutomated IdentificationSusceptibility TestingFlow CytometryLeukemia and Lymphoma PhenotypingPNH AnalysisT Cell Subset EnumerationDNA Cell Cycle AnalysisCytochemical StainingClinical Laboratory Supervision

Qualifications

2 Years Clinical Laboratory Scientist ExperienceCalifornia Clinical Laboratory Scientist License1 Year Flow Cytometry ExperiencePrevious Department Lead Experience

Full job description

Job Summary:

Provides functional direction and guidance to Clinical Laboratory Scientists as assigned. Performs, completes and releases laboratory tests of all complexities as defined by (CLIA) Clinical Lab Improvement Act, such as but not limited to Hematology, Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry). Analysis of tests to include specialized laboratory tests and analyses in one or more areas of clinical laboratory such as Hematology, Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunohematology, Urinalysis, Serology, Parasitology and chemical morphological examinations to obtain data for use in diagnosis and recording laboratory test results on the population serviced (e.g., pediatric, neonatal, adolescent, adult, and geriatric clients). The above is performed with minimum supervision, using critical judgment and responsibility.

Essential Responsibilities:

  • Upholds Kaiser Permanentes Policies and Procedures, Principles of Responsibilities and applicable state, federal and local laws.

  • Demonstrated ability to perform the duties of a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) general supervisor such as outlined below.

  • Participates in direct patient care by providing the patient with information to enhance the understanding of laboratory test, instructing the patient on specimen requirements and conditions for specialized testing and collecting from the patient samples to include blood, body fluids, secretions, and tissues for analysis.

  • Recommends new methodologies, assists Supervisory Team by evaluating, incorporating and writing new procedures.

  • Assists in keeping existing procedure manuals updated by periodically reviewing written procedures and eliminating obsolete procedures after conferring with Supervisory Team.

  • Assists in the evaluation of work performance of other Clinical Laboratory Scientists and Medical Clinical Laboratory Scientist students assigned to the Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientists area.

  • Attends seminars/workshops in order to keep abreast of new developments in the clinical laboratory field.

  • Shares through lectures to co-workers information from seminars/workshops attended and medical literature read.

  • Discusses clinical laboratory problems of mutual interest with the Supervisory Team and other laboratory Supervisor and Clinical Pathologists in order to provide continuous communication of vital information within operating units.

  • Provides general guidance and specific instructions when required to all Clinical Laboratory Scientists, Laboratory Assistants, clerical staff and students.

  • Accepts responsibility of assisting in work areas not primarily their own as time permits.

  • The Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist will assist supervisory team in certain lead functions as well as assuring the activity to promote the best achievement in the department.

Basic Qualifications:

Experience

  • Two (2) years recent experience as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist

  • NOTE: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REGIONAL REFERENCE LABS (RRL):

  • Function competently as a Licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist in a high volume Laboratory demonstrating knowledge of principles, theories, practices, techniques. Must have Good communication skills and able to solve problems. And, as appropriate for the department/specialty, within the last three (3) years, at least six (6) months experience:

  • Note: CLS students one (1) year internship can be considered meeting the experience requirement below.

  • Experience in automated instrumentation; knowledge testing principles; molecular based procedures; QC protocols; knowledge in autoverification, EIA, chemiluminence and IFA platforms;knowledge of method validations, and hematology validation, QC and calibration, manual diff count. (CORE LAB, inlcudes AUTO CHEM, IMMUNOLOGY, HEMATOLOGY).

  • Experience and knowledge in using high complex methods employing electrophoresis,chromatography, and mass spectrometry, and Special Coagulation (SPECIAL CHEMISTRY, SPECIAL COAGULATION, BIOCHEMICAL GENETICS).

  • Read, interpret, work-up and report culture results for all areas of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteriology; proficient in reading and interpreting stained smears; knowledge and ability to set-up and report automated/molecular identification and susceptibility testing

  • and interpret results (BACTERIOLOGY).

  • NOTE: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REGIONAL FLOW CYTOMETRY (LOS ANGELES):

  • One year recent experience in Flow Cytometry analysis such as leukemia / lymphoma phenotyping, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, T cell subset enumeration, DNA cell cycle analysis and cytochemical staining.

  • A Clinical Laboratory Scientist with a limited license will only qualify for a CLS position within their specialty and only applicable in the following departments at the Regional Reference Laboratories: Chemistry limited license qualifies for Automated Chemistry or Esoteric Chemistry CLS positions; Toxicology limited license qualifies for Esoteric Chemistry CLS positions; Immunology limited license qualifies for Molecular or Immunology CLS positions; Microbiology limited license qualifies for Bacteriology, Molecular or Immunology CLS positions; Hematology limited license qualifies for Hematology and Special Coagulation.

Education

  • N/A

License, Certification, Registration

  • Clinical Laboratory Scientist License (California)

Additional Requirements:

  • Ability to demonstrate knowledge of and to utilize the principles, theories, practices, techniques and methods required of a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Previous experience as a department lead highly preferred.

  • Applicant must have strong quality assurance experience in multiple laboratory sections.

Notes:

  • Position requires at least 50% bench time working as a laboratory generalist.

COMPANY: KAISER

TITLE: Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist

LOCATION: San Marcos, California

REQNUMBER: 1453701

External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, state and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran, or disability status.

How this job compares

Set against the 531 open Clinical Laboratory Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 30, 2026.

Pay
  • This postingNot listed
  • US median$77–123K/yr63 salary ranges
  • California median$55–75/hr116 hourly ranges
Openings
Olive Jobs lists 163 open Clinical Laboratory Scientist jobs in California and 531 across the US. None of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience; Clinical Laboratory Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for 2 years at the median (270 postings).
Education
278 of the 531 open Clinical Laboratory Scientist jobs (52%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 30, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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