AGRI LABORATORY DIRECTOR (U057U)

Position Information

Summary

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Laboratory Director is responsible for the oversight of the department’s five core laboratories on two campuses in Little Rock: veterinary diagnostic laboratory, chemistry laboratory, seed laboratory, petroleum laboratory, and metrology laboratory. The incumbent also administers a defined scope of accredited testing at the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Functions

• Builds and manages workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs.
• Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised, and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems.
• Makes effective use of technology to achieve results. 
• Ensures that actions meet public needs; aligns organizational objectives and practices with public interests.
• Maintain and expand grant funding, network participation agreements, and accreditations.
• Maintain contracts for IT support of laboratory information systems. Maintain USDA and DEA permits.
• Conduct Annual Management Review of the quality management system.
• Periodically review and update lab fees.
• Conduct the annual audit of the veterinary diagnostic laboratory’s quality management system.

Dimensions

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of methods/techniques of scientific research, data collection, & analysis.
• Knowledge of statistical methods & formulas.
• Knowledge of managing a medium to large staff, including hiring, terminating, and evaluating employees.
• Ability to supervise a medium to large staff performing daily professional and administrative duties.
• Ability to identify/analyze problems, weigh relevance and accuracy of information, and generate/evaluate alternative solutions.
• Ability to anticipate/meet the needs of both internal and external customers, make well-informed, effective, and timely decisions. 
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to prepare and/or present oral and written communications.
• Ability to position the organization for future success by identifying new opportunities and build the organization.
• Ability to understand and appropriately apply principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.
• Ability to develop the skills of others to perform and contribute to the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

The formal education equivalent of a doctoral degree in either a laboratory science such as chemistry or microbiology or in veterinary medicine; plus, three years of progressively more responsible experience managing a multi-discipline workforce of subordinate supervisors.

Additional requirements determined by the agency for recruiting purposes require review and approval by the Office of Personnel Management. OTHER JOB RELATED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR ALL OR PART OF THESE BASIC REQUIREMENTS, EXCEPT FOR CERTIFICATION OR LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS, UPON APPROVAL OF THE QUALIFICATIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE.

Licenses