LifeLabs Genetics is Hiring: Laboratory Scientist

Laboratory Scientist

At LifeLabs, we are focused on our vision of building a healthier Canada!  We are the largest community diagnostics laboratory in Canada with over 350 collection centres, 16 laboratories and service over 20 million patients each year. 

Caring, Agile, Customer Driven, One Team - We live our values every day in what we do to help our patients and healthcare providers.  With over 5,700 employees, we all make a difference and that’s why our people are so important to us. 

This is an exciting time to join our LifeLabs team, grow your career with us and support numerous business initiatives, innovations, best practice and business development opportunities.

The Laboratory Scientist will be responsible for managing the development and validation of clinical genetic tests for use in our service laboratories. The candidate should be highly experienced with sequencing methodologies, primer design and assay optimization. They should be familiar with next-generation sequencing from library preparation through to data analysis. The candidate will be required to effectively communicate their knowledge and expertise to others for the purposes of training laboratory technologists on developed methods and procedures.

This is a contract position reporting to the Genetics Laboratory Manager based at 175 Galaxy Boulevard, Toronto.

Travel will be required between our BC and ON labs.

Accountabilities:

In consultation with MedSci and QRA

• Oversee validation of NGS tests for clinical service
• Design and validate new tests required to support NGS panel tests (eg. Sanger, MLPA, qPCR, repeat expansion, etc.) 
• Perform lab experiments and establish QC criteria
• Evaluate and interpret experimental data
• Develop standard operating procedures for each assay
• Ensure test meets quality, operational, and business development needs
• Train lab technologists in all methods and procedures related to the tests

Requirements:

• Minimum Education: Post-graduate or Post-doctoral degree in molecular biology or a related field of science
• Minimum Experience: Proficient in Sanger sequencing, qPCR, MLPA and next-generation sequencing (preferably using Illumina-based platforms)
• Experience with PCR primer design, test development and optimization, and results interpretation
• Experience with implementation of clinical genetic testing is an asset
• Advanced knowledge in informatics and pipeline analytics is an asset

LifeLabs is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building an inclusive environment. Please indicate, in your application, any accommodations you will require throughout the recruitment process.

To apply, please email a cover letter and résumé to Ask.Genetics@LifeLabs.com