Quality Improvement Specialist

ABOUT THE POSITION

As the Quality Improvement Specialist, you'll be the operational engine behind Arkana's Continuous Improvement program. You'll independently lead structured improvement projects end-to-end — from problem definition and root cause analysis through solution design, implementation, training, and go-live — in partnership with department leaders across the lab.

This is a project leadership role with a quality lens. You'll walk into a department, diagnose the underlying problem, design the approach to solve it, and drive the solution to adoption, working independently and exercising sound judgment on matters that affect Arkana's quality and process-improvement operations.

Outside of active projects, you'll maintain Arkana's central improvement pipeline, monitor non-conforming event (NCE) trends to surface the next opportunity, and partner closely with the Documentation Coordinator to keep procedures accurate, current, and compliant. You'll also contribute to audit readiness and quality system documentation to keep our QA infrastructure inspection-ready.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Independently identify improvement opportunities and determine which become formal projects, applying a prioritization framework you own — partnering with department leaders and the QA Director on execution.
• Document current-state workflows using structured process mapping tools such as SIPOC and process flow diagrams.
• Develop project plans, timelines, and stakeholder communication materials to support cross-functional initiatives.
• Coordinate implementation activities including SOP revisions, staff training, and change management during project rollout.
• Manage multiple projects concurrently — tracking milestones, communicating status to leadership, and escalating blockers as needed.
• Select and adapt the right improvement methodology for each problem (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent), exercising independent judgment about how to investigate, analyze, and solve process problems.
• Determine when SOPs, policies, and controlled documents need revision, exception, or update based on process analysis, and direct those changes.
• Assess audit readiness against CAP, CLIA, and applicable regulatory standards, identifying compliance gaps and determining the corrective approach.
• Design and own the non-conforming event (NCE) dashboard, determining which quality metrics matter and why.
• Analyze NCE patterns to surface improvement opportunities and recommend actions to QA leadership.
• Contribute to QA Committee materials, quality metrics reporting, and compliance trend analysis.
• Serve as the organization's go-to resource for quality, compliance, and process improvement.
• Establish and maintain error benchmarking based on industry standards or internal performance goals.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a science, healthcare, quality, or related field.
• Exposure to Lean, Six Sigma, or structured continuous improvement methodology; Yellow or Green Belt certification a plus.

Experience:

• 2+ years of experience in a quality, compliance, or process improvement role — laboratory or healthcare setting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to document workflows and communicate process changes across functional teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong written communication skills, with experience drafting SOPs or procedural documentation.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and meet deadlines independently.

Nice to Have:

• Familiarity with CAP, CLIA, or GCP regulatory frameworks.
• Experience working with LIMS, document control systems, or quality databases.
• Experience coordinating with IT on technology evaluation or system implementation projects.
• Experience with quality metric dashboards or error benchmarking.