Contract Medical Laboratory jobs in Dubai

Job Title: Laboratory Manager

Company: A private cord tissue bank

Location: Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, UAE

Reports To:

• Chief Scientific Officer – scientific and operational matters
• Medical Director – clinical and regulatory matters

Responsible For: Laboratory technicians and laboratory support staff at the UAE site

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Hours: Standard working week

Licensing Requirement: Must hold a current Dubai Health Authority (DHA) professional licence.

Job purpose

The Laboratory Manager leads the day-to-day operation of a private cord blood and perinatal tissue processing laboratory in Dubai Healthcare City. The postholder manages and trains the laboratory team while remaining hands-on in the processing of umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord tissue and placental tissues.

The role ensures that all work complies with AABB Standards, DHA requirements and EU GMP Annex 1, and that the quality management system, validations, equipment and supplies are maintained in a continuous state of control. The postholder works closely with the Chief Scientific Officer and the Medical Director, and represents the laboratory to customers, auditors and inspectors.

Key responsibilities

Sample processing and laboratory operations

• Process umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord tissue and placental tissues (amnion, chorion and decidua) for cryopreservation, using aseptic technique in a Grade A environment within the cleanroom.
• Oversee sample receipt, acceptance testing, processing, cryopreservation and transfer to long-term storage in accordance with approved SOPs.
• Plan daily workload and staffing so that samples are processed within validated time limits, including out-of-hours and on-call cover.
• Ensure accurate, contemporaneous records are maintained in the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and associated GMP documentation.

Team leadership and training

• Line-manage the laboratory team, including recruitment, induction, rotas, appraisals, absence management and performance management.
• Deliver and document training and competency assessment, including aseptic technique, gowning and pipetting accuracy.
• Maintain training records and ensure that no staff member performs a task before competency is signed off.
• Promote a culture of quality, accountability and continuous improvement.

Quality, compliance and documentation

• Maintain compliance with AABB Standards, DHA regulations, EU GMP Annex 1 and GLP principles.
• Write, review and update SOPs, forms and work instructions, and manage them through document control.
• Raise, investigate deviations, non-conformances and devise CAPAs in the LIMS, including root cause analysis and risk assessment.
• Manage the environmental monitoring programme (settle, contact and glove plates), cleaning and disinfection regimes, and sterility testing, and review and trend the results.
• Prepare for and host AABB assessments, DHA inspections and internal audits, and lead the response to findings.
• Escalate adverse events, out-of-specification results and quality risks promptly to the Chief Scientific Officer and Medical Director.

Validation and process control

• Plan and perform validation and periodic revalidation of processes, equipment and methods, including post-thaw validations, passive freezing validation and cleanroom performance.
• Write validation protocols and reports, and analyse and present the data.
• Support change control so that new or modified processes are validated before use.

Equipment maintenance and servicing

• Maintain the equipment inventory, and schedule and track planned preventive maintenance, servicing and calibration so that no item runs past its due date.
• Coordinate with service engineers and contractors, and review service and calibration reports before equipment is returned to use.
• Manage equipment faults, breakdowns and temperature alarms, including impact assessment on affected samples.
• Oversee cleanroom servicing, HEPA filter testing and requalification.

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

• Monitor and report laboratory KPIs to the Chief Scientific Officer each month, for example processing turnaround times, post-processing viability and cell recovery, environmentalmonitoring excursions, deviation and CAPA closure rates, and equipment servicing compliance.
• Use KPI trends to identify and implement process improvements.

Procurement and stock control

• Order consumables and reagents, and maintain stock levels so that processing is never interrupted.
• Source and qualify suppliers, and maintain the approved supplier list in line with GMP.
• Control stock rotation and expiry dates, ensuring that no expired consumable, reagent or culture medium is used.
• Work within the agreed laboratory budget.

Communication and customer engagement

• Show prospective and existing customers around the laboratory, explaining the processes clearly and accurately, without making clinical claims or giving medical advice.
• Liaise with the Chief Scientific Officer, Medical Director, UK laboratory, couriers, hospitals, suppliers and regulators.
• Prepare clear written reports, responses and correspondence.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role as reasonably requested.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• Essential: Degree or equivalent in a scientific discipline.
• Essential: Current DHA professional licence.
• Desirable: Postgraduate qualification or professional registration in a relevant field, such as cell therapy, haematology or biomedical science.

Skills and Knowledge

• Essential: Knowledge of AABB Standards and DHA regulations.
• Essential: Knowledge of GMP, including EU GMP Annex 1, and GLP.
• Essential: Working knowledge of quality management systems, including document control, deviations, CAPA and change control.
• Essential: Experience of writing SOPs, validation protocols and validation reports.
• Essential: Familiarity with a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Essential: Demonstrable cleanroom and aseptic technique.
• Essential: Excellent computer skills.
• Essential: Excellent numerical skills.
• Essential: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Abilities

• Essential: Ability to think clearly, analyse processes and provide effective solutions.
• Essential: Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise accordingly.
• Essential: Ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Essential: Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Essential: Ability to interact professionally with personnel at all levels of the company, as well as representatives and agents of other organisations.
• Essential: Ability to present the laboratory and its processes clearly and accurately to customers.

Experience

• Essential: Previous laboratory experience.
• Essential: Experience processing cord blood, perinatal tissues or other cellular therapy products.
• Essential: Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience managing a laboratory team.
• Essential: Experience of training staff.
• Essential: Experience of working in a cleanroom environment.
• Essential: Experience of equipment and process validation.
• Desirable: Experience of hosting regulatory inspections or accreditation assessments.
• Desirable: Experience of procurement, stock control and supplier qualification.

Personal Characteristics

• Essential: Self-motivated.
• Essential: Dedicated and committed.
• Essential: Trustworthy and professional.
• Essential: Proactive.
• Essential: Logical thinker.

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• managing a laboratory team: 3 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

License/Certification:

• DHA professional licence (Required)

Location:

• Dubai (Required)

Work Location: In person