Performs professional and administrative duties necessary to provide counseling and risk assessment for genetic conditions to patients and families.

Join our small but mighty LSD team which works to manage and conduct research for patients with lysosomal storage disorders in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area.  Our team has more than 28 years of experience in this field, and we are excited to pass on our expertise to a new set of genetic counselors.  Based in the Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, you will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of lysosomal storage diseases ranging from clinical care, newborn screening, nuances of insurance, treatment options, and research.  Our research programs include natural history studies, patient registries and new developments in gene therapy.  We are looking for a genetic counselor who is passionate about rare diseases, motivated to do the highest quality of work for our team and most of all provide excellent care to patients. New Grads welcome! Salary negotiable based on experience meaning if someone with experience is applying, we could hire them in as a GC2 or 3 or wherever they fit.

UPMC is Pennsylvania’s largest nongovernmental employer with endless opportunities. We offer a competitive benefits package that few employers can match, a generous sign-on bonus of up to $15,000 to those who qualify and have a career ladder in place that provides growth opportunities for associates to enjoy more professional challenges, promotional opportunities, and career enhancement. Apply today to find out where your career can take you!

Responsibilities:

• Operate, maintain, and update the genetic databases.
• Implement treatment plan and make the appropriate referrals to medical, nursing, social work, and psychological services.
• Assist genetic laboratory services with interpretation and communication of results to patients and physicians.
• Responsible for following the mandatory reporting procedures for any incident or serious event that did affect or potentially could have affected the clinical care of any patient.
• Provide comprehensive genetic counseling at all designated sites and to patients and families referred for genetic services following the competencies established by the ABGC. This includes case preparation, contracting, review of medical and family histories, creation of pedigree, genetic risk assessment, discussion of inheritance/risk/diagnosis/natural history, genetic testing options, possible result outcomes and implications for patient and family, limited related psychosocial assessment, and resource identification (disease/community/healthcare).
• Prepare and conduct lectures/seminars on human genetics and genetic counseling for lay groups, students, and health professionals; provide clinical supervision for residents and fellows rotating through genetics.
• Assist in the development and implementation of ongoing clinical investigations in genetics by writing and editing research manuscripts and grants; recruit and enroll patients into ongoing studies.
• Act as mentor to genetic counseling graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
• Responsible for maintenance of QA for the clinical genetic counseling services.
• Communicate with patients and physicians by phone and/or in writing regarding patient care/testing, which includes interpretation of test results.
• Serve as a resource for various health care professionals regarding genetic testing, genetically based questions, teratogens, and genetic medical information.
• Coordinate genetic testing and insurance coverage for genetic testing of genetics patients.

• Master of Science in Human Genetics/Genetic Counseling from an American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) accredited institution.
• American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) certified genetic counselor who holds or is eligible for PA licensure or after hire must be eligible to apply for a temporary provisional genetic counselor license within PA and must successfully obtain full licensure within 2 years of being hired.
• Individuals hired into this role must comply with UPMC’s COVID vaccination requirements upon beginning employment with UPMC. Refer to the COVID-19 Vaccination Information section at the top of this page to learn more.

About UPMC

A $23 billion health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 92,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 700 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, and a 4 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. In the most recent fiscal year, UPMC contributed $1.4 billion in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region’s most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution, and paid more than $800 million in federal, state, and local taxes. Working in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC shares its clinical, managerial, and technological skills worldwide through its innovation and commercialization arm, UPMC Enterprises, and through UPMC International. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside among the nation’s best hospitals in many specialties and ranks UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on its Honor Roll of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals. For more information, go to UPMC.com

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