Position: BACTERIOLOGY LABORATORY SUPERVISOR (Microbiologist)
Status: FULL TIME
Location: Kilo Project – Al Qaeda Hospital – IBB Governorate

Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, humanitarian, non-governmental organization providing assistance to people in need as a result of natural and man-made disasters, irrespective of race, religion, ideology or politics.

Main Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to plan, organize, and execute all activities within the bacteriology laboratory. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring strict adherence to all MSF protocols, safety measures, and hygiene standards in order to reliably support the MSF and MOH medical teams in accurately diagnosing patients' illnesses and ensuring high-quality medical care.

Accountabilities

• Participates in discussions on the operation of the Microbiology laboratory, the definition of strategies for achieving its objectives.
• Collaborates in monitoring and evaluating activities based on defined indicators.
• Ensure compliance with MSF's individual and collective hygiene standards and safety protocols and inform staff of existing biological risks.
• Perform laboratory analysis in accordance with laboratory SOPs:
• Ensure that quality controls are carried out regularly
• Inform the doctors of the laboratory test results
• Keep track of analyses with patient data.
• Ensure the cleaning and maintenance of all laboratory equipment.
• Organize laboratory equipment and ensure sufficient stock levels of materials to prevent stockouts
• Ensure all required calibrations of automated instruments are performed, ensuring that no equipment can be removed from the laboratories without prior authorization, implementing appropriate storage systems and conditions, maintaining inventory, etc.
• In cooperation with the logistics department, ensure compliance with the cold chain in the Microbiology laboratories, both for samples and reagents.
• Ensure the proper maintenance of the microbiology database (WHONET) so as to keep adequate records of laboratory activities.
• Ensure that all personnel using laboratory equipment are qualified and trained. Ensure that cleaning procedures (user protocol) for laboratory equipment and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are followed. Report any malfunctions of laboratory equipment to the project's biomedical department.
• Prepare regular monthly reports on activities and any problems related to laboratory staff and/or equipment used, to be shared with management.
• Contact the Microbiology laboratory and technical support staff if needed for any technical assistance.

Context Specifics

Organization

• Ensure the application of good laboratory practices during activities
• Ensure that the protocols are in place and known by the relevant staff.
• Briefing/training of new staff assigned to the Micro-lab before they take up their duties
• Ensure that the protocols concerning the activities are up-to-date and available

Monitoring the quality of bacteriological examinations

• Collaborates in training medical staff on best practices for specimen collection.
• Ensure the proper functioning of the quality assurance system implemented in the laboratory.
• Identifies errors, anomalies or difficulties with his team and reports the information to the Microbiology Technical Referent.
• Ensures compliance with available SOPs in Bacteriology and updates them regularly in collaboration with the technical expert.
• Provides daily technical support to the team
• Is responsible for the internal and external quality control system put in place with other MSF laboratories and all other partners.
• Collaborates with the antibiotic focal point on the interpretation of antibiogram results.
• Participates in the monitoring committee for MDR (Multi-resistant Bacteria)
• Participates in the hygiene committee
• Responsible for maintaining the laboratory in good order (cleanliness, tidiness)

Laboratory equipment management:

• Ensure the proper functioning of Micro-lab equipment (logbook, checklist available)
• Daily maintenance follow-up (updated checklist, temperature readings, defrosting, cleaning, dust protection, etc.), reporting all breakdowns along with a duly completed logbook to the biomedical department
• Assisting laboratory technicians in the handling and maintenance of laboratory equipment
• Track the various movements of equipment between the laboratory and other departments and report
• Ensure the equipment functions correctly after logistical intervention (commissioning checklist)

Inventory management

• Conducts weekly inventory and pharmacy ordering with the Bacteriology technicians, adapting it to the activity.
• Define needs and participate in the preparation of international orders in collaboration with the quality manager and the pharmacist.
• Is responsible for the proper management, storage and use of reagents required by his department
• Conduct periodic pharmacy inventories to eliminate dormant stock.

HR Management

Team management

• Participate in the development of the training program for staff and trainees
• Organize and supervise the work of team members.
• To lead and organize regular team meetings.
• Ensure information sharing within your team.
• Promote information sharing within the medical team (changes in standard operating procedures, evolution of techniques...).
• Communicate the proposed annual leave schedules for technicians to the administration.
• Organize the briefing/debriefing with the lab contacts for each planned visit to the laboratory

Continuing education

• Define training needs in line with the objectives of the operational plan.
• Participates in the training of team members by providing support in their work.
• In collaboration with other departments, the chief physician and the Training Supervisor Nurse, organize/participate in the training of members of other services (doctors, nurses, etc.) on issues relating to the department.

Data management and statistics

• Ensure that laboratory records or all records related to bacteriological diagnosis are complete and properly maintained, as well as saved in a back-up drive.
• Collect and communicate monthly data for the preparation of monthly and annual reports to be shared with management
• Fill in the WHONET database correctly.

Collaboration with partner laboratories and other departments

• Maintaining a close relationship with the MOH and others, in collaboration with lab support, for the smooth operation of laboratory activities
• Ensure good collaboration with other project departments (Logistics, Supply, Pharmacy, etc.) Waste management

Requirement

Education:        

• Essential Laboratory Technician Diploma, with license of practice from medical council

Experience:    

• Essential: Minimum of 2 years laboratory experience specializing in bacteriology/Microbiology.
• Desirable previous experience in MSF or other NGOs
• Excellent knowledge of culture techniques for blood cultures, urine cultures and CSF
• Excellent practice and knowledge of antibiograms using the Kirby Bauer method

Language:        

• Essential Arabic and English Language

Competencies:         

• Result and Quality Orientation L3
• Teamwork and Cooperation L2
• Behavioural Flexibility L3
• Commitment to MSF Principles L2
• Service Orientation L2
• Stress Management L3