Laboratory Assistant at Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS)

The position will report to the Laboratory Supervisor and will be responsible for supporting laboratory operations through sample handling, inventory management, and documentation to ensure a smooth workflow and adherence to quality standards.

Key responsibilities:

• Maintain and update all laboratory registers for samples and reference standards to ensure accurate tracking, compliance with regulatory requirements, and reliable documentation for quality control and testing processes.
• Maintain inventory of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), incoming samples, retained samples, reference standards and laboratory consumables (including reagents, columns, media and reference microorganisms) for traceability, accountability, efficiency and compliance
• Receive, inspect and register samples from external clients and MEDS supply chain, assess availability of all requirements for analysis and store in suitable storage locations for traceability, accountability and compliance with relevant standards
• Prepare and dispatch samples to subcontracted laboratories for analysis accompanied by all required documentation.
• Distribute samples, reference standards and other laboratory analysis requirements as requested by the Laboratory Analysts to facilitate sample analysis process.
• Coordinate procurement process between MEDS laboratory and Procurement section by raising requisitions in ERP and providing correct specifications for the items as per the user requirements.
• Receive Laboratory inventory items and invoices in ERP and facilitate inspection by Quality Assurance for stock items and release invoices for approval.
• Prepare laboratory waste and expired samples, reference standards and chemicals for disposal and maintain required documentation according to MEDS approved procedures.
• Arrange and maintain various sample storage locations for received samples and retained samples to ensure controlled accessibility and traceability of samples prior to and after analysis.
• Prepare cultures and media for sample analysis and ensure their safe disposal afterward to ensure efficiency and safety.
• Perform growth promotion tests on media to ensure their fitness for use in the microbiology laboratory.
• Coordinate laundry services in the laboratory for white coats used by both staff and visitors.
• Issuance, filing, retrieval, archiving and disposal of retained documented information related to sample handling and analysis processes according to MEDS approved procedures.
• Maintain general cleanliness of the laboratory and laboratory glassware for use in analytical testing process.
• Manufacture Purified Water Type 1 and Type 2 following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for sale to generate revenue for the laboratory

Job requirements:

• Diploma in Analytical Chemistry, Medical Microbiology, Biotechnology, or any other related course
• At least one year of work experience in a pharmaceutical laboratory
• Technical competencies; knowledge of regulatory standards such as GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GLP (Good Laboratory Practice); knowledge ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard; knowledge of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS); Safety and Compliance; MS Office Suite Proficiency
• Behavioural competencies: Communication, problem solving, analytical, and interpersonal skills.  High level of integrity , self driven, keen to details