Healthcare Principal Professional – Histotechnologist

Job Summary:

This position requires a leader for the Pathology Shared Resource Tissue Microarray Core. In addition, this person will be responsible for operational oversight, supply management and ordering, and equipment acquisition and maintenance.

Principal Professionals with special requirements for histology, large-scale clinical cohort Tissue Microarray (TMA) construction expertise, translational clinical laboratory supply management skills, and general laboratory supervision capabilities. Sectioning and staining for ongoing clinical research projects and clinical trials. Operational management and specialized procurement skills required for clinical research.  Oversight and training of staff and students in the area of Tissue Micro Array development and lab operations.

Tissue Micro Array Core: This person will serve as the subject matter expert of the Pathology Shared Resource (PSR) Tissue Micro Array Core. The PSR is an institution-wide facility that provides research and clinical trial services and is a Shared Resource for the University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC). The PSR leverages the clinical infrastructure of the Department of Pathology to provide a wide range of services including biorepository, histology, molecular pathology, cytogenetics, and management of the large Surgical Pathology Archive for clinical and research use.

Clinical Trial and Research Support: The person in this function will work closely with clinical research teams at UCHealth, the Cancer Center, and the wider university to provide histology services for patient trial eligibility and correlative research objectives. The person in this position will also be responsible for procurement and microdissection of specific tissue/tumor lesions from patient tissue to be used for molecular analysis of nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) including, but not limited to, mutation analysis, RNAseq and whole genome/exon sequencing.

Operational management: The PSR, specifically the person fulfilling this role, is responsible for sourcing the consumables needed to collect, process, and analyze clinical research biospecimens from patients (including specialized vacutainers, containers, reagents, etc.).  In this challenging environment, the sourcing of the critical supplies required for procurement, processing, and analysis of biospecimens is both demanding and vital, requiring a person with demonstrated capabilities in this area to keep the PSR fully operational and prevent interruption of ongoing clinical trials and research studies.

Professional Field: Clinical Translational Laboratory.  The PSR manages a diverse and extensive longitudinal collection of clinical research material including the Department of Pathology surgical Pathology Archive that contains clinical specimens from diagnostic and surgical procedures performed at the University Hospital. These clinical materials, together with specimens collected for research and clinical materials retrieved form external institutions, form the basis of many clinical research studies supported by the PSR and are also the source material for the creation of TMAs. The organization and creation of TMAs encompassing the full spectrum of disease states, treatment types, patient demographics, and clinical outcomes supports research into the mechanisms of human disease, efficacy of interventions, clinical trials, and new technologies. The person in this position will provide subject matter expertise to diverse teams of investigators, statisticians, and technical staff to successfully develop patient and specimen cohorts and create TMAs that can be studied utilizing high-throughput analysis platforms (such as Vectra and MIBI). The person in this position will be responsible for communication and coordination with our partner Shared Resources for downstream analysis

Key Responsibilities:

Operation of TMA core: 40%

• Construction of specialized human subject TMAs representative of disease progression and epidemiology which support clinical research projects and development of new analysis technologies. Clinical cohort TMAs will be used in downstream applications including, but not limited to, high throughput platforms such as Vectra and MIBI.
• TMA planning, organization, and management
• Data collection and management
• TMA construction

Histology services: 50%

• Clinical Research histology (FFPE and frozen) for patient-oriented research and clinical trials. Sectioning and preparation of tissues and other materials required for patients to enroll in clinical trials, receive experimental treatments and for correlative research. Tissue sectioning for pathologist evaluation to determine eligibility of patients for clinical trials.
• Histology service for research projects and TMA projects
• Dissection of tumor lesions from FFPE specimens for nucleic acid sequencing.  This genetic data is used for development and validation of therapeutics targeted to specific demographics and disease states. Genetic data is also used for discovery studies to find specific germline or somatic mutations or RNA expression profiles associated with disease onset, progression, and prognosis.

Management of equipment, supplies, and ordering – 10%

• Operational oversight of a clinical translational laboratory with the complex needs and protocols inherent in the clinical research environment (including adherence to specialized protocols, management of supply lifecycle and supply chain management in unprecedented situations).
• Management of ordering software, training and onboarding of team members.
• Ongoing surveillance of supply chain environment.  Extensive networking with suppliers.  Requirement to maintain productive relationships with vendors, monitor product quality, origin, value, availability, suitability, and compliance with an array of clinical protocols.
• Management of space changes and equipment movement including equipment certification, green tagging and disposals.  Planning of replacement and new equipment purchases.

Why Join Us:

Welcome to the Department of Pathology of the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. The Department has grown substantially in the past 15 years, from 40 to 120 faculty in parallel with the remarkable growth of our hospital-based affiliates as well as the city and county of Denver.  Our work is value driven and focused on scientific investigation, lifelong learning, and a balance of personal and professional values. In addition to a vibrant and highly competitive residency program with 25 positions, we offer 9 fellowships and participate in numerous graduate schools and the MD/PhD program of the CU School of Medicine.  Our faculty and staff are diverse, and gender balanced, with women comprising 50% of our residents, Assistant, Associate and Full Professors (including those with tenure).

Supervision Received: Adrie van Bokhoven, PhD, Co-Director Pathology Shared Resource

Supervision Exercised: The individual is responsible for the supervision and evaluation of the PSR team members and students.

• Responsible for supervision, oversight, and training of the TMA core team (4 FTE staff members). Supervision of students and staff during staging, map creation, and cohort assembly. Training of staff and students and evaluation of staff performance and competency.
• Supervision (including quality control) of staff and student lab assistants operating the Aperio scanning system.
• Oversight of operational compliance team.  Supervision and implementation of equipment certification, supply management, maintenance, and operational capabilities.  Provision of leadership and mentoring to staff as well as feedback to the Director regarding team performance, capabilities, and areas for improvement and development.
• Assistance with onboarding and training of new team members.

The University of Colorado offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, tuition benefits, ECO pass, paid time off – vacation, sick, and holidays and more. To see what benefits are available, please visit: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits-wellness .

Diversity and Equity:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty and administrative staff. The university strives to promote a culture of inclusiveness, respect, communication and understanding. We encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons within the LGBTQ+ community and all veterans. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in biological science, nutrition, nursing, health, human services, psychology, counseling, social work, or a directly related field from an accredited institution.
  • A combination of education and related technical/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree on a year for year basis
• Three (3) years laboratory experience

The position requires extensive, diverse and progressively responsible experience, including direct responsibility for Tissue Micro Array (TMA) design and construction , Basic and translational research experience , extensive histotechnology and digital imaging experience, and experience with human subject research and handling of Protected health Information (PHI).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree
• Subject matter expert in Tissue Micro Array (TMA) design and construction with emphasis on large scale human subject tissue panels tracking disease onset, progression, mechanisms, treatment responses and clinical outcomes.
• Over 15 years laboratory experience
• Basic and translational research experience.
• Extensive histotechnology and digital imaging experience
• Experience with human subject research and handling of Protected health Information (PHI)
• Experience in lab operations, ordering, supply chain management, and procurement for a clinical translational service laboratory, partners at UCHealth, the Cancer Center, and other collaborators. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience with human subject research, clinical trials, and regulatory compliance (HIPAA) including CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) training and certification.
• TMA specialist/expert responsible for oversight of all phases of TMA construction: from investigator education, through map design, to construction and sectioning. The unique challenges posed by TMAs (variety of tissue types, ages, conditions, embedding quality) require extensive training and experience. Likewise, microtomy of these very specialized and challenging materials, often onto costly gold-coated slides, requires a subject matter expert with many years of experience to provide optimal results. 
• Extensive working experience in histology and microtomy.
• Ability to manage supplies and stockpiles in an independent and proactive manner, foster and maintain relationships with suppliers, and monitor supply chain issues. 
• High level of computer skills including Microsoft Office suite, EPIC, CoPath, Marketplace, and Aperio software
• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
• Outstanding customer service skills.
• Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1.     A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

2.     Curriculum vitae / Resume

3.     Three to five professional references including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Questions should be directed to: [email protected]

Screening of Applications Begins:

Immediately and closes 5 days after posting.

  Anticipated Salary Range:

The starting salary range (or hiring range ) for this position has been established as $74,514-$94,782.

The above salary range (or hiring range ) represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position may be eligible for overtime compensation depending on the level.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

ADA Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at [email protected] ​.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement:

The University of Colorado has a requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations and full completion thereof by 9/1/21 or upon start date.  Information regarding this requirement, and exemptions can be found at:

Anschutz: https://www.ucdenver.edu/docs/librariesprovider284/default-document-library/3000-general-admission/3012---covid-19-vaccination-requirement-and-compliance.pdf?sfvrsn=4e9df3ba_2

Unit-Specific Exemptions:

·       Anschutz Campus – Accommodations may be granted for medical or religious reasons.

The University of Colorado seeks individuals with demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive learning and working environment. We value the ability to engage effectively with students, faculty and staff of diverse backgrounds.