ASM LabCap consultants come from a broad variety of clinical microbiology laboratories across the globe—specializing in bacteriology, mycobacteriology, mycology, and/or parasitology. The service component to the LabCap Program has been a rewarding experience for these individuals—clinical laboratory scientists, medical technologists, researchers, clinicians, and professors—both professionally and personally.

LabCap is continuously seeking highly qualified individuals to work as consultants for capacity building of clinical microbiology laboratories in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean. Experience is needed for hands-on clinical microbiology diagnostics, including bacteriology, mycobacteriology, parasitology, and mycology. LabCap is also looking for experts fluent in French, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. These activities may require short or long-term (more than three months) travel and can develop with little notice. Technical experts are selected based on skills, availability, language proficiency, and demonstrated experience in comparable work.

Examples of LabCap opportunities include:

• Providing onsite technical support (bench training) to the laboratory network
• Mentoring of laboratory staff
• Assisting with the strengthening of laboratory quality systems, including development of quality control procedures, quality assurance programs, and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Assisting with the establishment of national public health/reference laboratories
• Providing guidance for the standardization and selection of equipment and reagents
• Supporting the development of specimen referral networks
• Assisting with the coordination of infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response
• Developing national strategic plans for public health laboratory networks
• Guiding the development or optimization of national laboratory policies
• Developing/organizing ASM workshops/training for clinical microbiology procedures
• Conducting laboratory assessments

Experience specific to tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics is also needed, especially for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) direct smear microscopy training and external quality assessment; TB solid culture, liquid culture using the BD MGIT 960, drug susceptibility testing, and identification; LED fluorescence microscopy for detection AFB; and line-probe assays for rapid detection of multidrug-resistant TB.

Consultants participating in the ASM LabCap program are compensated for their time and reimbursed for travel-related expenses.

Applicants should have a Bachelor's degree or similar in Medical Technology, Biology or other related science and at least five years clinical microbiology laboratory experience. Preferred qualifications include:

• Consultant must be an ASM member - Join ASM
• International work experience in resource-limited countries
• Minimum availability for travel of 6-weeks per year
• Expertise in clinical diagnosis of HIV/AIDS-related opportunistic infections, including specimen collection, transport, and storage; reporting of data; and biosafety
• Expertise in international laboratory standards and accreditation
• Experience with the implementation of laboratory quality systems
• Experience with bench training of technical staff
• Working knowledge of use and maintenance of laboratory equipment
• Proven ability to work in a team environment and strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Diplomacy and cultural sensitivity
• Computer skills, primarily MS Office
• Valid passport

Begin the consultant application process here.