Staff Associate II

Position Description:

Staff Associate II supports the operational, technical, and regulatory workflows of a high-volume histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratory. This role is responsible for the accurate processing of clinical specimens, placing test orders, tracking, validation, and reporting of clinical specimens using HistoTrac and EPIC Beaker, including specimens received from external dialysis centers and outreach sites. Staff Associate II also performs timely and accurate data entry into transplant registries such as the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), ensuring seamless data flow across laboratory information systems (LIS), electronic medical records (EMR), and external reporting systems in support of transplant patient care and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical Specimen Processing & Outreach Support

• Process and manage clinical specimen data in HistoTrac and EPIC Beaker, including accessioning, test order verification, result tracking, cancellations, and corrections.
• Receive, accession, and track specimens submitted from dialysis centers and other outreach facilities, ensuring correct patient identification, test selection, and linkage to electronic orders.
• Verify specimen integrity, labeling, collection date/time, and transport conditions for dialysis-center specimens, escalating issues per laboratory SOPs.
• Coordinate communication with clinical staff, transplant coordinators, and the laboratory team members to resolve specimen or order discrepancies.
• Monitor specimen lifecycle from receipt through finalization, through result, ensuring accurate linkage between physical specimens and electronic records.

Transplant Registry & External Reporting

• Perform accurate and timely data entry, verification, and updates in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) system, including HLA typing, antibody testing, and other transplant-related laboratory information.
• Ensure accuracy of data entry in HistoTrac, EPIC Beaker, and UNOS, particularly for transplant candidates and post-transplant monitoring.
• Track reporting deadlines and respond to data correction requests or audits related to UNOS submissions in collaboration with transplant programs.

Database & Systems Management

• Maintain and update laboratory databases, test codes, result mappings, and reference data within HistoTrac and EPIC Beaker.
• Support LIS/EMR interface validation and monitoring (e.g., HL7), including error investigation and resolution.
• Assist with test build, order configuration, and workflow optimization in collaboration with laboratory leadership and IT.
• Generate operational, quality, and transplant-related reports and data extracts.

Quality, Compliance & Regulatory Support

• Ensure data accuracy, traceability, and confidentiality in compliance with ASHI, CAP, CLIA, NYSDOH, UNOS, OPTN, and institutional policies.
• Support validation and re-validation activities for new workflows, dialysis-center testing, and system upgrades.
• Maintain SOPs and documentation related to specimen handling, outreach testing, UNOS reporting, and change control.
• Participate in inspections, audits, and regulatory responses involving clinical specimens, transplant reporting, and LIS workflows.

Operational & Analytical Support

• Analyze workflow inefficiencies related to outreach and dialysis-center specimens and propose data-driven improvements to reduce errors and turnaround time.
• Train and support laboratory staff on HistoTrac, EPIC Beaker, UNOS, and dialysis-center specimen workflows.
• Serve as a liaison between the laboratory, transplant programs, and institutional IT.

Work Environment

• High-volume clinical histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratory supporting transplant and post-transplant care.
• Frequent interaction with transplant coordinators, laboratory technologists, and IT teams.

Minimum Education Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in biology, Medical Laboratory Science, Health Informatics, Computer Science, or a related field.

Minimum Skills Required:

• Minimum 3-4 years of experience in a clinical laboratory, laboratory informatics, or healthcare IT environment.
• High attention to detail in specimen tracking and data entry.
• Strong communication skills for coordination with external and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, time-sensitive clinical environment.
• Analytical mindset with a focus on process improvement and compliance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of specimen handling requirements for external collection sites such as dialysis centers
• Strong understanding of laboratory data integrity, patient identification, and regulatory compliance
• Experience with HistoTrac, EPIC Beaker, and/or UNOS data entry strongly preferred
• Experience in a histocompatibility, immunogenetics, transplant, or reference laboratory
• Familiarity with dialysis center workflows and transplant candidate monitoring requirements
• Experience supporting LIS go-lives, validations, and regulatory inspections

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.