Wet Lab Chief

Role & responsibilities

Position Summary

The Wet Lab Chief is responsible for the day-to-day technical operation, quality, and safety of the molecular wet laboratory, encompassing nucleic acid extraction, library preparation, NGS sequencing runs, ddPCR, FISH/IHC-adjacent molecular workflows, and related bench processes. The role holds hands-on ownership of pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical wet lab workflows and acts as the primary technical bridge between bench operations and the Incharge, ensuring every assay meets NABL/CAP-aligned quality standards, turnaround-time targets, and documentation integrity.

Key Responsibilities

1. Laboratory Operations & Workflow Management

• Oversee end-to-end wet lab workflow: sample receipt, accessioning, aliquoting, block/slide tracking, extraction, library prep, quantification/QC, and sequencing/ddPCR setup.
• Coordinate daily bench scheduling across assays (NGS panels, ddPCR EGFR/BCR-ABL, DPYD genotyping, and emerging IHC-linked molecular workflows) to meet TAT commitments.
• Maintain the block and aliquot tracking system across ZCH and Zydus Main Hospital sites, ensuring chain-of-custody integrity for every specimen.
• Flag and escalate capacity constraints to the Incharge with proposed mitigations.

2. Technical & Assay Ownership

• Serve as the technical lead for library preparation, target enrichment, and sequencing platform operations (Illumina/Ion Torrent or equivalent, as applicable).
• Own ddPCR bench operations, including plate setup, droplet generation, and QC of quantification outputs. Also able to handle pyrosequencing, Sanger sequencing and exome sequencing.
• Support validation and go-live of new assays in the pipeline including analytical verification and documentation.
• Troubleshoot assay failures, low-yield extractions, and QC flags at the bench level, escalating complex or recurring issues to the Incharge and Reporting Consultant.

3. Quality, Compliance & Documentation

• Implement and enforce NABL/CAP-compliant SOPs for every wet lab process.
• Maintain equipment logs, calibration/maintenance schedules, reagent lot tracking, and QC/QA records for internal and external audits.
• Support Inter-Laboratory Comparison (ILC) programs and proficiency testing cycles.
• Ensure timely, accurate incident reporting (e.g., missing samples, deviations) with root-cause analysis and corrective/preventive action follow-through.

4. Inventory, Procurement & Cost Management

• Manage reagent, consumable, and kit inventory to prevent stockouts while minimizing wastage and expiry losses.
• Provide technical input into procurement planning for new assays and instrumentation, including kit/vendor evaluation.
• Support costing and CPRT (cost-per-reportable-test) modeling for existing and new assays.

5. Team Supervision & Training

• Supervise, mentor, and schedule wet lab technical staff; conduct competency assessments and ongoing training.
• Enforce biosafety, biosafety cabinet, and PPE protocols; ensure staff certification on all instruments they operate.
• Act as first point of technical escalation for bench-level staff, resolving issues independently where possible.

6. Cross-Functional Coordination

• Liaise with Zydus portal teams on sample tracking, result entry, and system gap resolution.
• Coordinate with Reporting Consultants and the Incharge on turnaround times, repeat/rerun decisions, and platform selection for complex cases.
• Support onboarding of new instruments, vendor training sessions and infrastructure expansion projects.

Qualifications

Education

• M.Sc. / Ph.D in Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Life Sciences.

Experience

• Minimum 58 years of hands-on experience in a clinical molecular diagnostics or NGS wet laboratory, including direct bench experience with NGS library preparation and/or ddPCR, Sanger and pyrosequencing.
• Prior experience in a NABL/CAP-accredited laboratory strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supervising technical staff and managing lab operations at scale.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong hands-on expertise in nucleic acid extraction, library preparation, NGS run setup, and ddPCR.
• Working knowledge of NABL/CAP quality frameworks, SOP development, and audit readiness.
• Familiarity with portal systems and digital sample-tracking workflows.
• Strong troubleshooting ability under TAT pressure, with meticulous documentation discipline.
• Effective people-management skills, with the ability to train, motivate, and hold technical staff accountable.
• Clear, professional communication with pathologists, clinicians, and cross-functional teams.

Working Relationships

The Wet Lab Chief functions as the operational anchor of the wet lab, translating clinical and quality requirements into reliable, audit-ready bench execution. The role does not have independent authorised-signatory or final reporting authority — final result sign-off remains with the Reporting Consultant and Incharge — but is expected to exercise full technical ownership of the wet lab bench.