Viral Cultures/Rabies Medical Lab Technologist
The Virology/Serology (VS) Unit performs highly complex laboratory tests to identify infections with a variety of bacterial and viral pathogens of public health significance. The majority of reports generated by this unit are used by state and local health officials in the diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, and control of communicable disease. Virology/Serology is organized into four laboratory areas: Bacterial STD, Serology, Special Serology, and Viral Culture/Rabies.
The Viral Culture/Rabies laboratory performs rabies necropsy, cell culture, viral culture, and molecular technical assays for the detection of viruses causing various infectious diseases. The Viral Culture lab is capable of isolating and identifying most Biological Safety Level I through III viruses that can be propagated in conventional cell culture. Molecular testing (RT-PCR) is also routinely available for some viral agents, such as influenza, mumps, measles, herpes, VZV, and enteroviruses. This laboratory is also the only lab that performs diagnostic rabies testing in North Carolina.
This position serves as a technologist in a clinical laboratory that performs rabies necropsy, cell culture, viral culture, and molecular technical assays for the detection of viruses causing various infectious diseases.
This position will:
- Provide testing capacity for the Viral Culture/Rabies Laboratory by performing rabies necropsy, rabies testing, viral culture, and molecular methodologies for the detection of pathogenic human viruses in clinical specimens.
- Be responsible for maintenance of tissue culture cell lines, clinical specimen processing, and inoculation of tissue culture cell lines with clinical specimens.
- Provide clinical interpretation of results to program area staff and physicians and advise and consult with clinicians and programmatic staff regarding diagnosis and treatment.
- Be responsible for performing tests accurately and in the established turn-around time, as well as recording and evaluating daily quality control for each assigned assay.
- Perform, record, and evaluate daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance on equipment used in the laboratory.
Work Location: 4312 District Drive, Raleigh NC 27607
Education Requirements: Must meet CLIA '88 requirements for testing personnel in a high complexity laboratory. Applicants must provide copies of their transcript(s) and/or certification(s) to be considered for the position. Candidates must have at least an associate's in laboratory science or medical laboratory technology. For Bachelor's degrees, the degree must be in a chemical (chemistry), physical, biological (Biology), or clinical laboratory science.