STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Connecticut Careers Trainee (Health Care Professional) (35 Hour)

Target Class: Microbiologist 1

Recruitment #220106-1991HC-001

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is hiring! We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Connecticut Careers Trainee (CCT) – Target Class: Microbiologist 1. This CCT position will work in the Bacteriology/Mycobacteriology/Bioresponse Section of State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL).

Antibiotic resistance continues to be a serious public health threat to hospitals and long-term care facilities. These resistant organisms are largely responsible for healthcare acquired infections and the results of this testing will facilitate in the treatment and control of these infections. The primary responsibilities of this position will be to assist with the testing of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales/Pseudomonas aeruginosa/A. baumannii and Candida species. This includes working in a BSL-2 laboratory, processing specimens for testing, preparing specimens for analysis, freezing all isolates for potential future testing/shipments to the AR regional laboratory and/or CDC and assisting with those shipments when necessary.  Additional duties include assisting with the identification of these resistant organism and subsequent antimicrobial susceptibility testing by four different methods, maintaining inventory of reagents, performing quality control activities, preparing reports, and maintaining records. This individual will support other activities as necessary to maintain and expand the capacity of antimicrobial testing and thus enhance laboratory capacity for the detection of new emerging HAI pathogens.  

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.  

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.    

Are you interested in joining the outstanding team at the Connecticut Department of Public Health and making a difference in our State? We encourage you to apply today! Located in Rocky Hill, CT, the State Public Health Laboratory offers exciting opportunities for career development and growth. This is a 35-hour per week position with a work schedule of Monday-Friday with opportunities for flex scheduling.

Please Note: This position is grant funded with an anticipated end date of July 31, 2024.

We offer a competitive benefits package, excellent health care, generous leave policies, retirement plan, and more!  We also encourage a healthy work-life balance to all employees!

*Starting Salary with a Bachelor's degree: $43,219           

*Starting Salary with a Master's degree: $44,776

Please Note: The salary for an employee who completes any of the above Minimum Requirements after initial appointment to the Connecticut Careers Trainee job class will be adjusted commensurate with the schedule above and effective the pay period following the date the Master's degree has been conferred or the pay period following the date the appropriate number of credits as indicated above have been earned. For current state employees compensation will be in accordance with guidelines for computing salary adjustments set forth by the Department of Administrative Services, Determining Salary Upon Change in Class manual.

Selection Plan

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.  

Due to the volume of applications anticipated, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be provided through your JobAps portal account. 

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meet the preferred requirements of the position. At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  

Please Note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class. 

All State employees shall follow the guidelines as listed in Executive Orders  13F (3a) and 13G (3a) .

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Chelsea Moore at Chelsea.Moore@ct.gov

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for mastering the skills necessary to satisfactorily complete the training program for a professional position.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

In a department or institution receives training in introductory governmental work for development of skills and knowledge in field of public administration in order to qualify for advancement into agency professional positions; performs a variety of increasingly difficult duties as skills are acquired during course of training period; performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Oral and written communication skills; ability to acquire knowledge and skills required for the target classification; ability to understand, evaluate and solve problems by exercising judgement and logic; ability to read, interpret and understand written material; ability to perform basic arithmetical computations; ability to interpret charts, graphs and tables; learning and reasoning ability; ability to establish and maintain cooperative relations with superiors, associates and general public; ability to utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Possession of a Bachelor's or Master's degree.

NOTE:

  1. If the target job classification has a Substitution Allowed that requires the Bachelor's or Master's degree to be in a specific area(s), then these specific degree areas are required for appointment to the Connecticut Career Trainee classification.
  2. Candidates cannot be appointed until all degree requirements are complete.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience with aseptic technique in a laboratory setting
  • Experience with handling of potential pathogenic organisms
  • Experience with computer programs such as Microsoft Office applications
  • Experience working in a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory
  • Experience working with multiple competing assignments

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.