Laboratory Assistant

Position Summary:

The Lab Assistant will train in all areas of lab operations including biorepository, biostorage, bioprocessing and shipping / receiving. They will be responsible for learning each laboratory department’s basic responsibilities and for consistently providing support to the histology laboratory, which will enable the departments to function more efficiently and effectively.

Essential functions of the job include but are not limited to:

Receive inventory and process laboratory work orders according to established SOP:

• Receive and inventory all incoming biological samples against the project inventory
• Organize work and activities to achieve maximum productivity
• Print cassettes and slides as needed for each project
• Spawn and trim blocks according to pathologist/project directive
• Embed tissue
• Performing routine H&E staining and coverslipping
• Discard formalin fixed tissues and biohazardous trash
• Perform equipment preventive maintenance

Additional responsibilities:

• Prepare all reagents used in lab according to SOP
• Perform and monitor quality control within predetermined limits per SOP
• Follow project requirements to achieve desired product
• Carry out other duties/projects as assigned

Qualifications:

Minimum Required:

• Associates Degree (Biology, Chemistry or Life Sciences) or equivalent combination of education and experience

Other Required:

• Requires good attention to detail, excellent documentation skills and must work well in a group environment
• Maintains a safe working environment, compliant with established policies and procedures of regulatory agencies, and responds positively to necessary changes in the work place.
• Responsible for compliance with all OSHA, CAP, safety, and HIPAA regulations presented in training provided
• Must be proficient using Microsoft office
• Must be a flexible agile team player who can change activities and directions quickly and respond to a variety of assignment and changing business needs
• Ability to stand, sit, walk; minimal lifting (no more than 20 lbs unassisted), bending, stooping, normal or corrected visual acuity, hearing, and good manual dexterity are required. May be temporarily exposed to a cold freezer environment (Freezer temperatures range between -20ºC -80ºC)
• Must be able to read, write, speak fluently, and comprehend the English language

Preferred:

• 1 year of relevant lab experience
• Possess basic laboratory skills