Director of Public Health Laboratory Services

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

Supplemental Questionnaire : A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

DESCRIPTION

ALAMEDA COUNTY HEALTH

Alameda County Health is the local government agency that promotes and protects the health and well-being of all who live, work, learn, and play in Alameda County. We coordinate services and cultivate partnerships with community organizations and providers to help ensure access, organize, and deliver health care and services to people with Medi-Cal and without insurance, support resilient communities, and improve health for all. We focus on health equity by developing programs and systemic solutions that reduce disparities for the people and communities we serve.

Alameda County Health’s departments and programs focus on services and support that provide care for the whole person.

• • The Behavioral Health Department provides mental health and substance use services for people with Medi-Cal and without insurance and supports people along their path to wellness, recovery, and resilience.
  • The Environmental Health Department works to keep our air, water, and food safe; it regulates, protects, and promotes the health of everyone in Alameda County by enforcing environmental health codes to reduce exposure to toxins and diseases.
  • The Public Health Department focuses on community and population-level health, preventing and addressing root causes of health inequity across a range of communicable and chronic diseases.
  • Alameda County Health also provides services through Housing and Homelessness Services, Emergency Medical Services Agency, HealthPAC, and Healthy Schools and Communities.

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT

As part of Alameda County Health, the Public Health Department works in partnership with our local communities to ensure the optimal health and well-being of all people. We monitor health status and service delivery, prevent disease, mobilize communities, conduct outreach, and promote health policy and education. We actively seek partnerships and engage with the community to improve community health through a dynamic and responsive process that respects diversity, addresses health equity, and challenges us to provide for present and future generations.

We are nurses, doctors, community psychologists, epidemiologists, dentists, medical social workers, physical and occupational therapists, dietitians, outreach workers, health educators, program managers, and pre-hospital care coordinators.

THE POSITION

Under general direction plans, organizes and administers the Public Health Laboratory Services; provides laboratory services for Alameda County community based organizations and other contractual counties or entities and performs related work as required.

This single class position is located in the Public Health Department and reports to the Director of the Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention. The Director of Public Health Laboratory Services is responsible for overseeing the operation and directing the activities and programs of a high complex laboratory that serves the various public health programs in Alameda County. The Public Health Laboratory Director is distinguished from the lower class of Supervising Microbiologist in that the latter class has responsibility of the day-to-day supervision of the Public Health Laboratory personnel, while the director has the overall responsibility of laboratory services. It is further distinguished from the next higher class of Director of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention in that the latter has overall organizational, policy development and administrative responsibility for the full spectrum of service delivery in the Division.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit: Director of Public Health Laboratory Services (5620).

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to the minimum qualifications stated below, successful candidates will have a proven background in managing a public health laboratory as well as contract management, budget development and personnel administration as well as strong knowledge of CLIA standards, Environmental laboratory Accreditation Program standards, strong technical knowledge of Public Health Laboratory tests in the areas of rabies diagnosis; diagnosis of respiratory diseases including tuberculosis; diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV infection; and diarrheal infections caused by bacteria and viruses.

• • Exceptional skills in communication at all levels including Public Health leadership, laboratory personnel at all levels, and clients of our laboratory services.
  • Strategic planner with a sound understanding of forecasting, designing, developing and implementing programmatic modifications based on legislative changes as well as organization, programmatic and community needs.
  • Strong people leader who aligns the organization’s vision and values and manages work groups by inspiring, advising and delegating subordinates, facilitating goal accomplishment and tracking and evaluation performance to ensure success and inspires supports, monitors and acknowledges front line staff.
  • Politically astute leader, possessing the skills necessary for identifying, navigating and successfully interacting with the dynamics of the organization while maintaining sensitivity to the competing needs of a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
  • Strong collaborator and consensus builder, adept in identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relations to help achieve department goals.
  • Influential & collaborative leader with interest and skill in clinical and translational research projects, who is experienced and interested in pursuing grant funding opportunities.
  • Strategic and innovative leader open to advancement of technological capabilities and novel approaches to laboratory testing and role of public health laboratory.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I
Education:

Possession of a Doctorate degree from an accredited university in a chemical, physical, biological science or clinical laboratory science.

AND

Certification:

Possession of certification by the American Board of Medical Microbiology, American Board of Clinical Chemistry, American Board of Immunology, American Board of Bioanalysis, or other National accrediting board acceptable to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services in one of the laboratory specialties.


AND
Experience:

The equivalent of four years of full time recent experience in public health laboratory work, including two years of lead or supervisory public health laboratory experience at the level of a Senior Microbiologist or higher.

Or II

Held a position as a Laboratory Director or could have qualified as a “Laboratory Director” under regulations at 42 CFR 493.1415, published March 14, 1990 at 55 FR 9538 on or before February 28, 1992.

Or III

On or before February 28, 1992, be qualified under CA State law to direct a public health laboratory to include 4 years of full time public health laboratory experience.

License/Certificates:

Possession of a valid Public Health Microbiologist Certificate issued by the California State Department of Health Services.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• • Administrative principles and practices, including the essentials of budgeting and organization of public health laboratory services.
  • Management principles and practices, including work planning, employee supervision and resource allocation.
  • Organization, functions and duties of the Alameda County Public Health Department and the State Department of Health Services.
  • Current Public Health laboratory procedures and techniques.
  • Methods and techniques of narrative and statistical report preparation.
  • Federal and State laws and regulations related to Public Health Laboratory.
  • Computer applications related to the work.

Ability to:

• • Plan, organize and direct public health laboratory services.
  • Plan, supervise, review and evaluate the work of a multi-disciplinary staff.
  • Write and speak effectively.
  • Interpret, explain and apply complex regulations, policies and procedures.
  • Prepare clear, accurate and effective reports, correspondence, policies and other written materials.
  • Direct the maintenance of accurate records and files.
  • Represent the department and the County in meetings.
  • Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines.
  • Exercise tact and sound independent judgment within established policies and guidelines.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
A review of applicants' applications and supplemental questionnaire to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.
CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components .

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, hrs.alamedacountyca.gov.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:

5:00:00 PM Friday, August 1, 2025

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

Monday, August 11, 2025

Virtual Pre-Recorded Civil Service Oral Examination:

Rating of Interviews:

August 25- September 5, 2025

September 8 - September 18, 2025

Notification of Results:

Week of September 22, 2025 TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:
Departmental Hiring Interviews* October 2025

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website: https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/reasonable-accommodation/

BENEFITS

The County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall wellbeing. These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• • Medical - HMO & PPO Plans
  • Dental - HMO & PPO Plans
  • Vision or Vision Reimbursement
  • Share the Savings
  • Basic Life Insurance
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
  • County Allowance Credit
  • Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
  • Short-Term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Long-Term Care, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• • Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• • 12 paid holidays
  • Floating Holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Management Paid Leave**
  • Catastrophic Sick Leave
  • Pet Insurance
  • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
  • Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
  • Child Care Resources
  • 1 st United Services Credit Union

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement. This provides a summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three (3) days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to eight (8) days of management paid leave.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, @acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box Noreply@jobaps.com and Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our websi te at hrs.alamedacountyca.gov . Y ou may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Tracy Gonzalez | Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
510-272-5085 | Email: Tracy.Gonzalez@acgov.org
hrs.alamedacountyca.gov .

Disaster Service Worker

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.

Closing Date/Time: 8/1/2025 5:00:00 PM

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• County of Alameda

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