Technical Lead | Canterbury Health Laboratories

About the Company At Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, we are committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders, grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We strive to provide excellent healthcare through a diverse and inclusive workforce, ensuring we understand and serve our community effectively. About the Role We are currently seeking a skilled and dedicated Medical Laboratory Scientist to join our high-performing team as the Technical Lead - Core Biochemistry at Canterbury Health Laboratories. This full-time permanent position involves working 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday, with flexible hours available to accommodate suitable candidates. The Technical Lead will also participate in the on-call roster, contributing to our commitment to high-quality diagnostic services that positively impact patient care across our region. As the Technical Lead, you will provide essential technical guidance for our Core Biochemistry laboratory operations. Your primary responsibilities will include maintaining high-quality standards, supporting quality assurance processes, mentoring staff, and ensuring a safe and effective laboratory environment. Key Responsibilities - Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including assay verification and validation, workflow enhancements, and the implementation of best practices in laboratory automation. - Provide technical mentorship and training to laboratory staff, ensuring competency in operating and maintaining Core Biochemistry equipment. - Collaborate closely with clinical teams, pathologists, and other laboratory sections to ensure effective communication and service delivery. - Support the Section Head in troubleshooting and resolving operational or technical issues, contributing to smooth day-to-day laboratory functioning. - Lead quality control processes, ensuring adherence to IANZ accreditation standards and internal laboratory protocols. - Perform both manual and automated sample processing, including paediatric and short sample handling, blood gas analysis, test additions, and referral processing. - Operate and monitor laboratory middleware and IT systems to ensure accurate data transfer, result validation, and system integrity across platforms. About You To excel in this role, you should be a proactive problem-solver with excellent technical skills. You should be comfortable leading by example and supporting others, with a passion for delivering safe, timely, and accurate diagnostics. Attention to detail and strong organizational skills under pressure are essential. Qualifications Requirements - You must be a registered Medical Laboratory Scientist with the Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand. - A current Practising Certificate is required. - Demonstrated technical expertise in Core Biochemistry testing is essential. - A commitment to professional development and training others is expected. - Strong knowledge of quality standards and laboratory safety is necessary. Working at Health New Zealand We believe in the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce to better serve our community. We encourage applications from individuals in our Maori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities. How to Apply If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your application through our online careers portal by clicking "apply now." For any inquiries regarding the role, feel free to contact Kerri McCarthy at Kerri.McCarthy@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz. We will review applications as they are received and may proceed with the recruitment process before the closing date of this advertisement.