Medical Laboratory Technologist (Microbiology)

About the role

Woodlands Hospital is hiring a Medical Laboratory Technologist (Microbiology). The role covers processing and analysis of patient specimens (blood, urine, other body fluids and tissue) for diagnosis, prevention, prognosis and treatment, and entering, reviewing and releasing data in the laboratory information system. It supports Junior Medical Laboratory Technologists, Senior Medical Laboratory Scientists and pathologists through the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical test process.

Key responsibilities

• Perform testing on patient specimens according to approved policies, work instructions, accreditation standards and regulatory requirements, and review, verify, validate and certify results, including critical values.
• Maintain and calibrate laboratory analysers and equipment, take part in external quality assessment and proficiency testing (CAP, RCPA), investigate unsatisfactory QA results and assist with MOH licence and CAP accreditation audits.
• Maintain reagents, consumables and supplies, and provide training, competency assessment and supervision for students, interns and junior technologists.
• Support incident investigations, risk assessments, internal audits, KPI monitoring, change management, roster planning and quality improvement projects.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in biomedical science or equivalent, or NTU degree in Laboratory Science; alternatively a diploma with at least six years' experience and proven competency.
• Minimum two years' experience in a clinical microbiology or molecular laboratory, able to work independently and escalate complex findings.
• Preferred: experience in routine microbiology and molecular workflows, quality control, laboratory information systems and analyser operation; ASCPi certification; experience in culture reading.
• Able to work rostered shifts including weekends and public holidays, stand for long periods and work safely around biological and chemical hazards.

Required skills

• Culture reading: colony morphology, identification and susceptibility testing, and escalation of significant isolates.
• Gram stain preparation, performance, interpretation and reporting.
• Molecular testing workflows: nucleic acid extraction, assay set-up, platform operation, QC review, troubleshooting and contamination prevention.
• Knowledge of specimen requirements, biosafety, infection-control precautions and hazard management.