The posting
Interim Laboratory Manager / Director
Sublette County Health | Pinedale, Wyoming
Critical Access Hospital | Interim Assignment | Approximately 3 to 6 Months
Come help build something stronger in rural Wyoming.
Rural Staffing Services® is partnering with Sublette County Health in Pinedale, Wyoming to identify an experienced Interim Laboratory Manager / Director who can step into a small rural hospital laboratory, stabilize operations, strengthen the team, and help build the foundation for long-term success.
This is not a "keep the seat warm" interim assignment.
We are looking for a hands-on rural laboratory leader who has walked into challenging departments before, knows how to assess what is working and what is not, and can bring people, processes, compliance, and day-to-day operations back together.
The hospital has strong leadership that is committed to supporting this department and getting it where it needs to be. Now they need the right laboratory leader to help make that happen.
What You'll Be Coming In to Do
Your first priority will be to understand the department, earn the trust of the team, identify the most pressing needs, and develop a practical path forward.
That may include:
- Assessing current laboratory operations, staffing, workflows, equipment, and processes
- Stabilizing daily laboratory operations and coverage
- Strengthening CLIA compliance, quality systems, competencies, documentation, policies, and procedures
- Preparing the laboratory for regulatory surveys and inspections
- Identifying and addressing compliance or operational gaps
- Evaluating staffing models, scheduling, and use of travelers
- Creating greater accountability while helping rebuild a healthy department culture
- Mentoring and developing existing laboratory staff
- Identifying future leaders within the department and helping them grow
- Reviewing supply, equipment, send-out testing, and other opportunities for operational efficiency and cost savings
- Improving workflows and bringing appropriate structure to the department
- Providing hands-on bench coverage when needed
- Performing patient draws when needed
- Supporting nights, weekends, call, or other coverage needs when necessary
- Creating sustainable systems that can eventually be handed off to the permanent Laboratory Manager / Director
Who We're Looking For
This role requires someone who genuinely understands small hospital laboratory operations.
Ideal candidates will bring:
- Previous laboratory leadership experience in a Critical Access Hospital, rural hospital, or small community hospital
- Strong working knowledge of CLIA requirements and laboratory regulatory compliance
- Experience with CLIA surveys, competencies, QC, proficiency testing, SOPs, corrective action, and ongoing regulatory readiness
- Hands-on hospital laboratory experience
- Current or recent generalist bench experience
- Experience across core laboratory functions such as chemistry, hematology, coagulation, blood bank, microbiology, urinalysis, and related testing
- Experience leading teams through change, culture challenges, staffing shortages, or operational turnaround
- Ability to establish accountability while still being an approachable, supportive leader
- A willingness to roll up your sleeves and work alongside the team
- Strong mentoring and staff-development skills
- Experience reducing reliance on travelers or rebuilding permanent staffing is highly valued
- Previous interim or turnaround leadership experience is strongly preferred
Candidates must possess the education, experience, and laboratory credentials necessary to meet applicable CLIA personnel qualification requirements for the duties they will perform.
MLS/MT with ASCP certification or equivalent credentials are strongly preferred.
Assignment Details
This is expected to be approximately a 3 to 6 month interim assignment, although the exact duration will depend on the needs of the laboratory and the timeline for identifying the right permanent leader.
The hospital would like the right person to begin as soon as reasonably possible.
Compensation will be discussed directly based on experience, assignment structure, availability, and the needs of the hospital.
Temporary housing and assignment-related travel support may be available and will be discussed as part of the overall package.
Rural Staffing Services® works directly with the hospital, which means there are no hidden staffing-agency markups between the interim professional and the facility. The final employment or contract structure will be determined directly with the hospital based on the assignment.
And What If You Love It?
The immediate need is interim leadership while we stabilize the department and identify the right permanent Laboratory Manager / Director.
But rural communities have a funny way of getting under your skin.
If you come to Pinedale, fall in love with the hospital and community, and decide you might want to stay, we certainly would not complain.
Why Pinedale?
Pinedale sits in western Wyoming surrounded by the Wind River Mountains, with extraordinary access to lakes, hiking, fishing, skiing, wildlife, and some of the most beautiful wide-open country in the West.
But this opportunity is about more than scenery.
It is an opportunity to walk into a rural hospital where your work will be seen, your leadership will matter, and the systems you build can have a lasting impact on the team and the community they serve.
Interested?
If you're the kind of laboratory leader who sees a struggling department and thinks "I can help with that," we would really love to meet you.
Rural Staffing Services®
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